If you are someone who likes to have a flutter, you might have been watching changes that have been happening in the casino world with interest. It was not so long ago that Americans had very few options. The choices were Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or a riverboat casino in Louisiana. Now gambling in some form or other is legal in almost every US state. The exceptions are Utah and Hawaii, and change is not expected in those states. However, the rest of the US is undergoing something of a revolution.
Online gambling and sportsbooks
The most significant influence over the last few decades has been the arrival of the internet and the possibilities this has brought. There were already changes afoot to gambling legislation to try and liberalize opportunities. However, many legal changes implemented did not consider the explosion of online and offshore gambling platforms. This means that unregulated casinos are operating.
Look for the license
The biggest advice on offer is you should only gamble online if the activity is legal and regulated in the state in which you reside. Any reputable online casino will have obtained the necessary licenses to operate in the state where it offers services. This means they will have had to sign up to a strict legal framework and comply with safe gambling guidelines. In addition, there will be easy-to-access terms and conditions, a good FAQ section and customer services 24/7.
Do not be tempted by offers and promotions that look too good to be true. They almost certainly are. In addition, if a casino is offshore, you have no one to help you if things go wrong. So, while it may be tempting to have an online flutter from Florida, that is not a recommended course of action.
The state of gambling in Florida
Things have come a long way in recent decades. Florida has had tribal casinos in the state since the late 80s. Residents can visit seven such casinos, six of which are operated by the Seminole Tribe. In addition, there are poker rooms, and residents can play online social casinos and sweepstakes.
A new gaming compact was agreed upon in 2021, but since then, court battles have been raging. It should have paved the way for legalizing sports betting in Florida, but it has been subject to appeals and obstructions. For example, the Seminole tribe want the sole rights to any operations. Meanwhile, commercial gambling outfits FanDual and DraftKings are battling for non-Florida-based entities to be able to offer online sports betting in the state.
There is expected to be a ruling sometime in 2024, but change is not coming quickly.
Ontario is an excellent model to look to
While tussles continue in various American states north of the border, the authorities in Canada have taken a different approach. As in the US, gambling is regulated on a local level. The province of Ontario is an excellent example of one which has recently legalized all forms of gambling and has a fully regulated market.
This means that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) oversees all aspects of gambling in the province. Their jurisdiction includes lotteries, casino gaming, charity lotteries, social gaming, and internet gaming.
Ontarians, therefore, have all their gambling markets in one place and have a safety net if there are problems with their accounts, payouts, or anything else. They can easily compare the different operators’ offers using an unbiased, independent, professional review site like Time2Play. No paid reviews are allowed on this platform, and the reviewers provide a 360 perspective on all elements of the online casinos. The casinos are compared and scored on the range of games, ease of access, site design and payment options available.
This service is available across the US as well.
Whichever state you find yourself in the US, you can access these unbiased casino reviews. They are available for online casinos, sports betting, and bricks-and-mortar establishments. So, if you are visiting friends and family in another state, always check out the independent review sites before placing any wagers.
The overall market is complicated in the US, as each state has its own regulations. To ensure you do not fall foul of the law, you can quickly check the legality of your chosen form of gambling.
New Jersey probably has the most relaxed attitudes to all forms of gambling in the US. However, all the operators are still subject to strict legal vetting and must adhere to the guidelines to prevent gambling harms. This means that there are a mind-boggling number of operators in the state.
To find the right type of casino for you, you will need to check out the unbiased opinions the professional review sites offer. You can then select what you are looking for and choose based on a selection of criteria.
Know what you want
Determining what it is you are looking for in a casino is essential. There is no point in being swayed by a casino having an excellent rating for online slots when you are interested in live dealer action. If you play on the move, what matters is the app and not the desktop browser version of the site in question.
Make sure that the reviewers you use are independent. This will be stated clearly on their site. The best-unbiased reviewers do not just read articles and then stick the word ‘best’ at the front of a website. Instead, they genuinely spend hours researching and sifting through information and generally looking in places most people would not bother to look. Using independent and unbiased casino reviews could save you time and money in the long run.
