Is It Legal to Bet on The Super Bowl Online From California?
While only one U.S. state (Washington State) strictly prohibits residents from placing wagers via the Internet, there is still a myriad of information one should be aware of prior to placing a Super Bowl bet from within the state of California. Those residing in California are lucky enough to have the option of driving to Las Vegas as Nevada is the only state in the U.S. that permits sports betting on location. Scroll Down For More
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When betting online from the Golden State, it is important to do so with sites such as those endorsed by Gambling911.com and other well established media outlets that have covered the industry for years (SportsBookReview also comes to mind). The majority of these websites have been in business for over a decade and operate in jurisdictions where the activity is legal such as Great Britain, Costa Rica and Malta. You will never be asked to provide your full social security number to any of these websites other than perhaps the last four digits and, while these companies are not obligated to report tax information to your state or federal government, Gambling911.com strongly encourages you to do so.
It is not illegal for an individual to bet with a website located in another country provided that country allows sports betting. The current US laws of target the banks and their financial transactions. Hence the reason some credit card-issuing banks prohibit gambling. Most online gambling websites offer live chat online or via the phone to guide you through the process. Today, the use of cryptocurrency wallets (i.e. Bitcoin) linked to your personal bank account has made placing a deposit and requesting a withdrawal nearly seamless. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are easily converted into U.S. dollars for the same amount you are trying to send and receive with only a small fluctuation in price either way possible (similar to the currency exchange rate you experience when traveling overseas). Again, most Web gambling firms have invested heavily in hiring professionals who can guide you through the process.
The state of California makes Aggravated Gambling a misdemeanor. These laws pertain to professional gambling syndicates. Should you opt to participate in an organized criminal gambling scheme, the last thing you need to be worrying about is the gambling element. Most of these rings engage in money laundering and racketeering, sometimes even fraud, all of which are felonies. Even worse (as if you can get any worse), some of these organized gambling syndicates are tied to the Mafia. 99.9% of those reading this will never have an association with such groups, but that other .01 percent....well.....
When it comes to bookmaking in the state of California, the use of Pay Per Head businesses has helped reduce much of the exposures that have gotten bookies in trouble in the past. These include the use of wire rooms, betting receipts and the actual acceptance of wagers, each of which can foster criminal activity (i.e. robbery) locally. Today, everything is handled via outsourcing. The world's second oldest professional now primarily entails marketing, a little bit of customer service and ensuring all clients are paid in a timely matter. They are essentially super affiliates, capable of making signficant more money than in the past thanks to the ability to offer such features as LIVE IN-PLAY WAGERING and a live dealer online casino. Cryptocurrencies remove that last remaining exposure - overseeing payments - as bookies and agents no longer have to physically pay their customers from within the state of California.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com