Online gambling is legal in many states, although some states restrict it. For example, Alabama and Arizona do not allow sports betting. Connecticut, Louisiana, Kansas, and Mississippi all prohibit online gambling, but some offer limited offerings. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 overturned the federal ban on sports betting in 2018. And even in states that do allow it, the government is trying to limit its use to horse racing. These states should help people understand how they can find a safe and legal way to gamble.

In the past, attempting to regulate online gambling was challenging. Legislation to control it was first introduced in the late 1990s, by Congressmen Jon Kyl and Bob Goodlatte. They only excluded state lotteries and horse races, but did not pass. However, a similar bill was introduced in 2007 by Barney Frank. HR 2046 would change the UIGEA to require licenses for internet gambling facilities. Since then, several similar bills have been introduced in the U.S. Senate.

While gambling is legal in the 48 states, Hawaii and Utah are the only states that do not have any gambling laws. Their religious beliefs make their laws hard to enforce. In Hawaii, residents worry about the impact of gambling on their family ties. In Idaho, there is no interest in legalizing online gambling, but that doesn’t mean it’s not legal in the state. This means that the government can’t do much to regulate the activity.