Get in trouble for online gambling?

[marioking24]

Hello,

I talked with a friend about my recent winnings at Bodog, he told me, that he heard, that people got in trouble with the law because they were playing in the United States. I always thought that, it is just illegal for a casino to accept bets from americans!
Since I play a lot, do I have to be aware of possible consequences?
Does anybody has experience with that?

Since I'm German and I'll go back to Germany (in a few month), were it is no big deal, should I better quit gambling for that time?


Thank you,
Mario

 

[mercy]

No, it is not illegal to gamble online. It is illegal for banks to process payments to and from online casino's.

 

[Luigi810]

Your 100% right Mercy

No, it is not illegal to gamble online. It is illegal for banks to process payments to and from online casino's.

 

[marioking24]

Oh,
ok, but how is a service like NetSpend working? When it is illegal?
Does it mean that there is absolutely no worries fir me?

 

[LaurieJim]

Oh,
ok, but how is a service like NetSpend working? When it is illegal?
Does it mean that there is absolutely no worries fir me?

how are you depositing now? if you are using another method , i would stick with that as you will be returning to germany soon.....correct?.......laurie

 

[farookh]

RE:

There is an exception. If the state you are residing in specifically prohibits online gambling by law IE Washington State, Las Vegas you could be charged. However, I doubt that states outside of Washington State would waste thier resources in going after individual gamblers. I wouldn't worry about it. By law, all banks are supposed to block any known gambling coded transactions. Again, it remains to be seen the consequences if they do not.

 

[Jasminebed]

Not a tax expert, but pretty much sure you can be in trouble with the IRS if you win and don't declare.

 

[EasyRhino]

At the federal level, sports betting is fairly clearly illegal according to the Wire Act. But other gambling isn't really discussed in any laws. And UIGEA makes it illegal for companies (not individuals) to fund illegal gambling... but doesn't specify what gambling is illegal or not.

My personal view is that casino/poker is fine, as long as it's legal in your state.

But even with sports betting... I think office football pools may also be illegal, it's just one of those laws that is very commonly broken, and hardly ever prosecuted.

 

[Luigi810]

The first time I started using my debit card for gambling, the bank called me up to see if it was me making the withdraws since they never saw those kinds of withdraws with me, I said yes, it's a gambling site..She said, do you know that's illegal, I said, I had no idea and that I wouldn't do it anymore..
Needless to say, I never stopped using it and never received another phone call from the bank..
The IRS is so worried about us winning and not reporting, what about all the money we lost, they would owe me up the wazdzuu

 

[marioking24]

OK,
so, I have had a couple of withdrawals to the United States, I haven't reportet anything! I just didn't know!
Also as I said I'm not an American Citizen and I ll be back to good old Germany in a couple of month (I'm here for a buisness trip)

I can't use my German Bank account or Neteller, because the Casino (bodog) is just allowing CreditCards for an IP from America! Also I logged in into Neteller from here and they temporarily clodes the acc for loging in with an US IP!

 

[footdr]

PREVIOUS POSTS NOT ENTIRELY CORRECT

#1. it can be illegal to gamble online if your State has specific Legislation that prohibits it.

#2. It is a violation of your Visa and MC credit card agreement to use your card for online gambling transactions.

#3. It is obvious that both Fed and State Law Enforcement can charge you with basically anything they want, and the Courts appear to be able to interpret the Laws the way the want. You of course then have to pay to prove they are wrong.

However, thus far no individual Gambler has been charged by the Fed and to my knowledge only one case has a State(Louisiana) charged an individual for gambling online but not familiar with the whole case.

Obviously, we know that it is a somewhat risky situation.

 

[jeratbp]

Ok, so I'm in Virginia and it looks like it's illegal for me. This sux!

 

[bryand]

For me, online gaming is relatively safe. I worry about getting caught for all the property damage caused when I bust out