Even though America and Canada are neighbors, you will find the gambling laws are completely different and don’t follow similar rules whatsoever. Even the history revolving around these legislations are unique in their own ways. Therefore, it’s interesting to look at the differences and how it affects gambling in each country.
With the introduction of online gambling, these laws have become even more exceptional, which also shows some specific changes to sates within each country. Some rules are still unclear, especially when it comes to online gambling and other forms of online games such as poker.
We have created this page, with the help of www.casinocanuck.ca, to provide you with more information about the laws in each of these countries and how they compare. For those who are considering an online casino from either Canada or America, you’ll find the answers about the opportunities and whether it’s illegal where you are.
How the History of US and Canadian Gambling Law Compare
When looking at the laws from just 50 years ago, we already see major differences for each of these countries. You’ll find the law is somewhat unclear and confusing in most parts as federal and state laws players a role and overlap each other.
In Canada, it’s a bit easier to understand as gambling was strictly outlawed just about all over the country until 1970 when the criminal code was reinforced. This allowed many gambling establishments the ability to obtain a gambling license in some provinces, making it a major turning point for Canadian gambling opportunists. It also meant the country now had the advantage of being able to regulate gambling within their borders.
In the US, this are a little different when it comes to the history of gambling laws. It has also been extremely strict for the most part, especially during the Great Depression and the Gold Rush era when gambling was taken underground as most of the country considered it to be illegal. In 1961, the federal wire act still stated that gambling is considered illegal across most states of the US, but many of those states wanted to introduce gambling opportunities and therefore created their own laws as a way to get around the federal law. Some states even when as far as to create gambling opportunities off-land by offering riverboats that presented various types of casino-style games. These became popular in states such as Louisiana, Illinois and Iowa.
Modernized Gambling Laws in the USA and Canada
These countries saw even more differences with modern gambling opportunities as they went in almost opposite directions when it comes to the legalization of online gambling. In 2006, George W. Bush introduced the Internet Gambling Act that stated it was illegal for a gambling business to accept money from an American player. The law never included any specific details about limiting US citizen from gambling but went after gambling businesses instead. Naturally, this resulted in the majority of online casinos who used to cater to the US to withdraw from the market.
As seen in the history, some states have now changed the laws that were enforced by the federal law, which results in online gambling becoming legal. These states include Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. Strict rules and regulations apply to establishments catering to players in these states as they need to be licensed by the gambling act of that specific state and need to meet various requirements.
On the other hand, Canada seemingly couldn’t be more pleased with the introduction of online gaming. Some areas within the country even came up with their own gambling sites, offering a large variety of games while also enforcing safe and secure opportunities. Today, Canada remains open for the most part, but there have been some finer changes around what casino need to do before they can cater to the market. However, as a Canadian player, online casinos are widely allowed, but it is recommended to read up on the regulations within your region.
