There are plenty of federal laws enacted across this great nation to consider before going off gambling online. Whether it is the Federal Wire Act, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) or the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), internet gamblers will see that the business of gambling is forbidden while placing a bet is not.
With this federal framework in place, there is much room available for each state to enact its own legislation in regards to gambling regulations and Alabama is one such state that has done so. While Alabama takes a dim view of gambling in general, there are a few exceptions made for bettors and recreational online gamblers are able to proceed to their favorite sites without too much worry. This page is here to help Alabama residents stay up to date on their legal rights on what they can and cannot do when it comes to playing with legal gambling sites for Alabama residents.
The federal policies that govern the entire United States remain the same in Alabama when it comes to visiting an online casino. While the business of gambling is not allowed on U.S. soil, the simple act of making a wager is. Those looking to play a hand of blackjack or pull the lever on a virtual slot machine for real cash winnings are able to so long as it is through a legal venue. The only ingredient needed for making an online casino legal is that it operates outside of federal jurisdiction. This is a simple loophole that many Americans take advantage of everyday.
The State of Alabama has not expanded on this federal fact through its own legislation, as the internet has no mention within the state’s constitution regarding gambling. This leaves the door wide open for online casino frequenters to wager as they wish without fear of violating any local laws. In fact, the rules put in place by the federal template serve as any local’s guide to playing for real money online. So long as the site is located outside of U.S. jurisdiction, it is legal to visit and play upon according to both federal and state law.
Since Alabama does not favor gambling too much within its borders, players will have a hard time finding a land-based option for a night of entertainment. With zero state-licensed facilities available to citizens, locals can only visit one of the state’s Native American Tribal casinos that are exempt from local regulations by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, or, more popularly, visit any number of the legal online casinos that accept Alabama players.
The federal laws that govern sports betting are tightly woven over the entire country. Between the Federal Wire Act and the PASPA, bettors will be hard-pressed to find any brick and mortar sportsbook or an online sportsbook located anywhere in the United States. While these laws do not affect the simple act of placing a bet, the establishments in which one can do so are limited to places such as Las Vegas. Many sports fans looking to place a wager on their favorite teams and players must look to the internet for legal options as once again, sites located outside of federal jurisdiction are in legal operation. So long as bettors do not engage in the business of gambling or facilitating bets for profit, they are able to visit these offshore sportsbooks without breaking any laws.
The State of Alabama has very little that it can do under the sweeping effects of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, as this law is uncompromising outside of the states that are exempt from it. Sports betting is an illegal industry and casinos outside of Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon are unable to host any form of wagering on a sporting event. This means that any local wishing to bet on the Crimson Tide or the Tigers must again take advantage of the legal loophole of visiting legal online sportsbooks for Alabama residents that are located outside of both state and federal jurisdiction. With such a simple parameter to meet for legality, many online sportsbooks make it easy for residents looking for legal Alabama gambling to find exactly what they're looking for..
While the Federal Wire Act has been in place since 1961, it had little effect on the skill-based game of poker. This changed in 2011 when Congress reinterpreted the act to include the internet among its jurisdiction. This measure affects online poker along with the UIGEA however only to the extent that those running online poker rooms are no longer able to operate within the United States. Players were and are still able to place a bet on their hand of poker cards over the internet. The only requirement to meet by players is to play on sites that are located outside of federal jurisdiction.
The State of Alabama again follows the letter of the federal law on this topic with no regulation of online poker passed by local lawmakers. This lack of regulation permits anyone in the heart of Dixie to play all of the online poker that they want. So long as players honor the federal laws that govern gambling over the internet such as only visiting sites that are located overseas and never engaging in the business of gambling where a profit is won other than personal winnings
Unfortunately for residents in Alabama, there are no legal live poker rooms to be found anywhere in the state. The only exception made for locals is that social and recreational games are able to take place in a private residence if no one is taking a profit off the game. As this is the only exception for live poker in Alabama, obviously legal Alabama poker sites reign as the top choice for many when they wish to play a game of Texas Hold ‘Em for serious winnings.
As stated in the above paragraphs, there is one major factor necessary for a legal Alabama online gambling site to remain legal. If the site runs outside of both federal and state jurisdiction, then it is legal for any Alabama resident to frequent and play using real money. Many of these online casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks are well aware of this simple fact and have been providing service to the American public for decades without worry or concern. In fact, despite the foreign locales of these online gambling sites, they intend for an American audience to use them. We have found many of them to be legal but also to be safe, secure and reliable with consistent payouts.
Bovada is one such online gambling site that features every major form of wagering. Based in neighboring Canada, this betting network is located outside of any federal or state jurisdictions making it legal for use by those who reside in Alabama. For decades, this online gambling site has acted as the trailblazer of the industry and led the way for all those in the U.S. looking for online entertainment. Downloadable software, mobile and desktop versions of the site and constantly updated games, odds and features keeps ahead of the game and are great reasons to signup with Bovada.
Featuring betting options through its impressive online casino, massive selection of online poker rooms and its cutting-edge online sportsbook, locals in the Heart of Dixie are able to win serious amounts of cash through a variety of gambling mediums without being concerned of breaking any laws. Texas Hold ‘Em, Horseracing, College Football and virtual slot machines can all be taken advantage of within a single click. This online gambling site has the tightest security in the industry and provides deposit and withdrawal methods that have Alabama residents holding a check of their winnings within 4 to 7 business days no matter which section of the site that they had the good fortune of winning on.