Americans Find it Illegal to Bet on Sports Online

When it comes to online sportsbooks in USA, Americans just can’t access these from within the country’s borders. Online sports betting is only being legally allowed in Nevada.

This is due to the ancient and bizarre American gambling laws which don’t allow for online betting on sports.

Even though America seeks to legalize online casinos in United States, the move for making online sportsbooks legal hasn’t been made.

The upcoming Euro 2012 football championships and London Summer Olympics make it a sports betting feast. Unfortunately, most of the Americans won’t be able to bet on these events, even though, America is the top nation in terms of medals won. The elected legislators won’t allow the fans bet on their favorite athletes or teams. At least, not over the Internet.

Yet, the statistics show that as much as $120 billion annually is spent worldwide on legal football (American: soccer) betting. Billions more go to the other sports. As much is also spent on illegal betting, much of it fixed.

FIFA, the governing body for world football, is seeking to work on match-fixing with Interpol. According to Ronald Noble, Interpol’s secretary general, the illegal betting results in ”organized criminals who frequently engage in loan sharking and use intimidation and violence to collect debts. If that doesn’t work, they force their desperate, indebted victims into drug smuggling and into prostitution.”

After all, isn’t legalizing sports betting a safer alternative and a slap in the face for the criminals?