Lifting of igaming restrictions offers new era of choice

While America has often prided itself on being a country where freedom is extensive and there are few limitations on what you can do, the igaming world was one arena in which that has not been the case. It’s not that you couldn’t bet in America, of course, but the legalities that surrounded it were often restrictive to the point where they seemed like a full ban.

Since 2018, when laws were relaxed, that level of confusion has not gone away. The laws were relaxed on a federal level, meaning that it was no longer blanket illegal to offer igaming services in a number of areas, but the decision on whether to allow these services fell to states to decide. Since then, the pace has gone faster in some states than in others, which has meant that if you work in one state and live in another, you might potentially fall foul of this variance.

It is, therefore, worth being aware of how the laws might vary, and below we will look at some things you’ll need to think about, including whether you can bet at a casino online stranieri without breaking the law.

Know what constitutes a “skill game” where you are

 One way in which laws vary considerably between states is that some places have different rules on betting on a skill game. What actually constitutes a skill game? That, in fact, is one of the questions. Can you bet on a game of poker? In theory, there is a high level of skill involved in playing poker well. There is also a significant element of chance involved, because you may be lucky or unlucky with the cards drawn, and this is enough in some states to make poker betting illegal, because it is considered gambling.

Know how your betting winnings will be treated by tax authorities

When filing a tax return, you need to be aware that false declarations will be penalized whether you meant to mislead or not. If you’re successful at igaming and make significant winnings, then you’ll need to be aware how these have to be declared for taxation purposes. As igaming laws are still in their infancy, this does mean that declaration can be a complex matter – including the fact that different states will have different categorizations for gambling wins and losses. Before you bet at all, it’s worth knowing how to address it on your tax return.

Know whether you can bet when you travel

It’s generally accepted that igaming laws are more liberal in Europe than they are in the USA, even since the Supreme Court decision. However, there is little uniformity even among countries in the European Union. Germany’s laws differ from France’s, and Italian law differs again, even though these countries border one another. French law forbids betting at foreign casinos, while Italian bettors can look for a casino online stranieri. These laws cover bettors visiting the countries in question, so be aware of the differences if you often travel to Europe.