Casino Networks That Allow US Players

Many people in the U.S. who would like to play real money card games online find that they have trouble finding casinos that allow U.S. players. Many casinos indefinitely suspended the accounts of U.S. players in 2006 when the U.S. federal government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). While this act made it more difficult for the rooms to accept money from U.S. players, it does not necessarily make it illegal for them to accept players in the U.S.

Why Some Casino Networks Do Not Allow U.S. Players

According to some interpretations of the law, the UIGEA makes it illegal for banks to transfer money to, or accept transfers from, online gaming sites. This makes it more difficult for U.S. players to pay the rooms they play in. Some online casinos responded to this difficulty by simply suspending the accounts of U.S. players. Since the government made it difficult for them to send money to and receive money from players in the U.S., they decided to concentrate on gamers in other countries.

Why Some Casino Networks Still Allow U.S. Players

Some online poker networks insist that the UIGEA has nothing to do with them because they do not offer “games of chance” to players in the U.S. Instead, they offer games of skill. Furthermore, players bet against each other so they never pay the house directly when they lose. This interpretation of the UIGEA means that some networks can still offer their services to players in the U.S. without breaking any regulations. They should also be able to receive payments from players’ bank accounts without any restrictions.

There are currently multiple lawsuits attempting to define the UIGEA more clearly. Until the courts specifically say that casino networks cannot accept payments from U.S. players engaging in games of skill, though, there are few reasons for the organizations to pull out of the U.S. market as long as they are willing to fight back.

Finding Casino Networks Allowing U.S. Players

UIGEA helped create a backlash from many online casinos and U.S. players. Instead of giving up their games, many gamers shared information with each other about places allowing U.S. players. While the number of networks allowing U.S. players shrank, it did not necessarily cause a significant disruption in the business of casinos that were willing to accept accounts from players in the U.S. because more people flocked to those sites. There are numerous blogs and websites that can provide information about online casinos that still allow U.S. players. It requires some research, but Uthe UIGEA has only created a small speed bump for players committed to their games.