Using A Credit Card To Gamble Online
Consumer Credit Card GuideIf you're going to use your credit card to gamble online, you need to know the ins and outs.
First and foremost:
It's illegal to gamble online in the United States. Those interested in gambling online should take the time to familiarize themselves with the legalities related to Internet gambling, and the rules followed by the Internet gambling sites they plan to patronize. Such sites often use loopholes in the law (or violate the law altogether) to allow gamblers in countries with tough laws to fund their bets. Here is some basic information on the laws concerning Internet gambling, and how some Web sites get around them.
The quickest and easiest way to fund an account on an Internet gambling site is by using a credit card or debit card. In fact, many Internet gambling sites reward customers who use a major credit card such as MasterCard or Visa to fund their accounts with bonuses of, say, 20 percent of their deposit. While European gamblers typically experience little trouble with this method, U.S. gamblers often find themselves out of luck because of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 that pressures banks into prohibiting the use of their credit and debit cards for Internet gambling purposes. (This law prohibits the transfer of funds from a financial institution to an Internet gambling site, with some notable exceptions, e.g., horse racing, fantasy sports and online lotteries.)
Some Internet gambling sites use electronic money services to get around this dimple. A U.S. bank that does not allow money to be transferred directly to an Internet gambling site may very well allow money to be transferred to a third-party electronic money service, which takes a percentage and then feeds the funds to the Internet gambling site. Many of the most popular electronic money services have ceased serving U.S. residents.
By now, however, someone would have figured out a loophole, but the complex and ever-changing laws concerning Internet gambling are keeping U.S. residents from risking it. Although federal laws do not prohibit Internet gambling on games of chance, some states have specific laws prohibiting Internet gambling of any kind, including poker, chess and bridge.
Perhaps the most notorious example of Internet gambling gone wrong is the case of BetOnSports.com. That company settled a multibillion-dollar civil lawsuit after criminal racketeering charges were brought against the company and several employees, including its founder Gary Kaplan and former CEO David Carruthers. Many BetOnSports' customers assets were frozen in the United States while the government wrangled with the company in court.
Other Internet gambling customers have lost their funds when Web sites suddenly went belly-up. Those who engage in or wish to engage in Internet gambling should do their research. Although there are no easy answers in the world of Internet gambling, researching state and local laws, as well as the laws of each site, will save U.S. gamblers time and money in the long run.
Read more at Consumer Credit Card Guide
