Is it legal to run a bitcoin sportsbook or casino in the US?

[eternalgloom]

I wonder if the fact that you're using Bitcoin as a means to gamble changes anything about the law?
Since bitcoin isn't really recognised as a currency, but rather an asset.

Makes me think Bitcoin gambling is still in some kind of grey area, but correct me if I'm wrong.

[game-protect]

The gaming server and website is hosted outside the US. If the owner/operator lives within the US, he breach US law, if he accept customers from the US!

How about betonline and bodog? There are American citizens' sportsbooks and famous in fiat online gambling industry.

But the owners/operators do not live in the US and the US authorities can basically only act within the US, because illegal gambling is only a white colour crime. It would be something else if money laundering is involved.

It seems like no one has a clear answer on this, everyone is saying something different.. There has got to be some accurate guidelines available somewhere....

No, there are no guidelines and my info is accurate. You usually would need to pay a lawyer for accurate info, but as I go after criminal gambling operators, I know their structure.

[whizter]

What are these sites doing in order to avoid legal trouble? If you live in the US, can you "host" your site in another country to keep in within US law?

Though united states of American has not legalized bitcoin they also has not band it. I think it will not be an offences against united states of American if you establish a site for bitcoin casinos as other related business are doing very well in USA. I believe coinbase is based in USA though there are tax issue with them currently but no one has declared them illegal. Very soon people will see why bitcoin has come to stay.

if bitcoin is not properly recognize there in USA, then i don't think that it may be legal to run a bitcoin casino. Although they can accept the bitcoin from gambler as in most of other cases we can see but i think officially it may not be possible. because the casinos have to pay tax on it and government may not accept bitcoin for tax.

[Dmitry.Vastov]

Ofcourse, as long as you have permit or license to operate bitcoin casino. You're fine. If you dont have it. Forget about it. They will just charge you for illegal operation of bitcoin casino. Las Vegas is the best place to build a bitcoin casino because its the popular place for gambling.

[nikona]

There are a lot of online casinos that are registered from the United States. Bovada Casino, Planet 7 Casino to name a few. I guess licensing in the U.S. is a little expensive and thats why majority of the casinos opt into registering outside US and operate from there. As far as I know some of the casinos that do have license from outside U.S. are banned in the U.S. So if your aim is to target Americans then you better get licensing there itself.

[audaciousbeing]

Based on what I have read from replies what I can gather is that, you can do it, but dont be caught. But that does not make it legal. does it? When it comes to issues like this you cannot expect a free service we give opinions based on experience or what we have heard and then you use that to make a decision but when issues happen, you are left with it. I will only suggest you get opinions of legal experts in matters like this before making a decision you can also write admin of sites already functioning if they will be of help.

[adzino]

What are these sites doing in order to avoid legal trouble? If you live in the US, can you "host" your site in another country to keep in within US law?

Gambling is legal under federal law, but online gambling has various kinds of restrictions. Each state has it's own law. Due to various restrictions, casinos are actually hosted  off shore where online casino regulation isn't very strict. You will notice most of the site states in their ToS that users from US are not allowed to play. This is to avoid any sort of troubles.

[game-protect]

There are a lot of online casinos that are registered from the United States. Bovada Casino, Planet 7 Casino to name a few. I guess licensing in the U.S. is a little expensive and thats why majority of the casinos opt into registering outside US and operate from there. As far as I know some of the casinos that do have license from outside U.S. are banned in the U.S. So if your aim is to target Americans then you better get licensing there itself.

Please post the registration number of Bovada Casino in the United States?