United States Casinos

Pari-Mutuel Betting in the USA

There are three forms of pari-mutuel betting in the USA: horse racing, greyhound racing and jai alai. Pair-mutuel betting should not be confused with fixed-odds betting. A pari-mutuel wager is one that combines all wagers into one pool, where the winners split the overall prize. The amount awarded to each winner depends upon how many wagers are made and how many winners come out on top.

Pari-mutuel betting comes in several categories, or types of bets, with each type going into it's own wagering pool. The types are as follows: Bet to Win, Bet to Place, Bet to Show, Exacta, Quinella and Trifecta. All Bets to Win are placed in their own pool, while Bets to Place go into a separate pool, and so on for each betting type.

The first the pari-mutuel betting types, Win, Place and Show, are the most common pari-mutuel wagers. A Bet to Win is a bet that the horse or greyhound of your choosing will take first place. A Bet to Place is that your chosen competitor will take first or second place. A Bet to Show is that your chosen competitor will take first, second or third. Obviously the payouts are likely to scale down respectively, as a Bet to Win is a much farther stretch than a Bet to Show.

The last three pari-mutuel wager are known as "Exotics", as they are much more difficult to win, but offer very high payouts. An Exacta bet is a wager that chooses to competitors to come in first and second in an exact order. Quinella is the same type of pari-mutuel bet, choosing the two top finishers, but they do not have to be in perfect order. Trifecta is by far the most difficult wager to win, as the bettor must pick the exact order of the first, second and third place winners.

The idea of pari-mutuel betting was fist envisioned by a French perfume shop owner, Pierre Oller in 1865. By 1887, pari-mutuel betting was a legitimate form of horse race wagering in France. In 19927, Sir Winston Churchill suggested the United States initiate pari-mutuel wagering at their race tracks, and it was right around that time that the USA did just that - thus legal pari-mutuel betting on horse racing was born in America.

Currently 43 states have legalized pari-mutuel wagering. Horse racing is legal in all 43 states, though not all offer greyhound wagering or bets on Jai Alai. These 43 states include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

That leaves only 7 states in the US who do not currently offer legal pari-mutuel wagers. These 7 states include: Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Utah.

The federal government regulates Interstate pari-mutuel betting. This is when a bettor from one states places a wager in another state by way of electronic communication (phone, Internet, etc.), known as 'remote betting', rather than in person. By US law, Interstate pari-mutuel horse race wagering is absolutely legal provided that pari-mutuel wagering is legal in both states. Most forms of Interstate gambling are illegal, but due to the Interstate Horse racing Act of 1978, this type of wagering is allowed on pari-mutuel horse racing.

Jai Alai is only found in the state of Florida. Since the early 1900's several states have seen their share of Jai Alai Frontons (stadiums) built and utilized, but only those in Florida remain to date. Frontons in Florida include Dania Jai Alai, Ft. Pierce Jai Alai, Hamilton Downs Jai Alai, Miami Jai-alai, Ocala Jai Alai and Orlando Jai Alai. Big Bend Jai Alai, previously operating in Quincy Florida from 1978 to 1990, is reportedly set to re-open their Fronton in September of 2008.

Bingo Around the United States

Bingo in the United States is as much of a social outing as it is a game of chance that brings us the thrilling opportunity to win both cash and other enchanting prizes. Once Bingo was an evening out with friends that only cost about six bucks. Well for starters these days you'll be hard pressed to play for just $6 anymore, but that atmosphere of visiting with friends, and building lifelong relationships is definitely still present.

Most local bingo halls support a charity of some sort and as a matter of fact, in most areas, casino’s aside, this is required by state law. In fact, charging for bingo isn’t even legal in the state of Utah; however some savvy bingo diner owners have found a way around this law, by charging for dinner, and offering bingo for free.

The biggest difference bingo players in the US will notice in comparison to the game played in other parts of the world, the UK in example, is the number of balls used to play the game. In the UK and other area’s around the globe 95 bingo balls are used, making the game a bit more challenging to win. In the United States just 75 balls are used.

So we have 75 bingo balls, and a great place to go and meet up with old friends, as well as meet plenty of new ones, what else is there in a game of bingo? If you’re familiar with the game, then you are aware that we all make that trip to the bingo hall not just to meet up with people we know, but in hopes of winning a nice prize or two.

Paper packets are generally still available at any bingo hall for a few bucks, but the new trend is definitely computer bingo, this is played at the bingo hall, much the same way that the older paper packets were, however instead of using colored ink to daub your bingo cards, bingo players enter each number as it is called into the machine and in turn it daubs their bingo cards for them.

This new trend of course has it’s good and bad points. The popular machine’s (Like the Traveler) give bingo players the ability to play several more cards at one time than they could have previously daubed by hand. However, since players are now able to purchase more cards, those bingo players choosing to play with paper cards are definitely at an odds disadvantage.

In addition the new Traveler type bingo machines have opened the doors to cheating inside of land based bingo halls. In one recent case, the bingo hall capped the amount of cards per player at 20, however employees of the hall had a friend come in and buy 200+ cards for each of the blackouts, guaranteeing him a win or two in the bigger games that often reach more than $1000 for just $200 spent in cards.

You can’t get much past a bingo player that has been playing the game for several years though, it didn’t take long for regular bingo players to catch on to the trend. After seeing the same man win time and time again, a few calls were made to the gaming commission and before long the bingo hall was shut down permanently.

So how much can you win playing bingo in the united states? In addition to prizes, that range anywhere from pot holders, to personal computers, and on up to cars and vacations in some of the bigger casinos, bingo players play to win cash! The average regular game pays between $100 and $500 where blackouts and progressive jackpot blackouts can reach into the tens of thousands. All in all the odds aren’t great, but as for a great evening out, and a chance to win a great return on your investment, it’s a pretty great game. One that many play as often as they go to work.

The laws about gambling in the United States has undergone great changes in recent history. From the past decade most states have expanded legalized gaming, include regulated casino-style games and lotteries. In fact states with no gambling are in the minority. Nearly every state at least has a legal lottery. Gambling and betting online among Americans has increased exponentially.

The words "gamble" and "gambling" are generally an activity that may run afoul of applicable criminal laws a gaming activity could convert to a gambling where applicable laws regulating that particular gaming are violated. Similarly, a gambling activity may turn out to be gaming if it is exempted from a given criminal statute.
There are different mode of gambling such as online poker, online casinos, online sports betting, online bingo, mobile gambling.

Some states have specific laws against online gambling of any kind. Also, owning an online gaming operation without proper licensing would be illegal, and no states are currently granting online gaming licenses. There are different laws in gambling, there are some gambling laws as follows:

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (the "Act") enacted into law October 13, 2006. The Act adds the following provisions to the money and finance provisions of Title 31 of the United States Code:

SUBCHAPTER IV - prohibition on funding of unlawful internet gambling
5361. Congressional findings and purpose
5362. Definitions
5363. Prohibition on acceptance of any financial instrument for unlawful Internet gambling
5364. Policies and procedures to identify and prevent restricted transactions
5365. Civil remedies
5366. Criminal penalties
5367. Circumventions prohibited

Anti-Lottery Laws Prohibit Use of Mail to Promote Lotteries: this law strictly prohibits the mailing or transportation in interstate or foreign commerce of promotions for lotteries or the sending of lottery tickets themselves

U.S. Gambling Ships: The term “gambling ship” refers a vessel which is used for the operation one or more gambling establishment, simultaneously.

Gambling ships: It shall be unlawful for any citizen or resident of the United States, or any other person who is on an American vessel or is otherwise under or within the jurisdiction of the United States, directly or indirectly—

(1) to set up, operate, or own or hold any interest in any gambling ship or any gambling establishment on any gambling ship; or

(2) in pursuance of the operation of any gambling establishment on any gambling ship, to conduct or deal any gambling game, or to conduct or operate any gambling device, or to induce, entice, solicit, or permit any person to bet or play at any such establishment
Phone and Internet Use as Basis for Wire Act Violations: the most important law which has a great effect on gambling business.

In the past few years the Department of Justice and class action lawyers opposed to online gambling interests have an as-yet nearly perfect batting record against the pitching thrown by the online gambling industry and its lawyers.

For specific state by state gambling laws "in-depth" please visit RealMoneyCasino an excellent resources on U.S. gambling law. 

A History of Gambling in the United States

Gambling in the United States – The Early Days
One look at the history of gambling in the US, and what you will see is a saga filled with excitement and irony. The United States has a long history of gambling in some form or the other. While gambling in its legal form has been around for a while, the illegal forms of gambling have been around as well. As one may expect, society has taken different stands toward gambling at different points in time. The various checks and regulations at various points of gambling’s colorful history bear testimony regarding this dynamic view.

To begin with, gambling did not originate in the US – it came to this country with immigrants from Europe, Asia – especially China, and other parts of the world. The immigrants adopted two differing attitudes towards gambling – those of Puritan origin and belief banned it outright while the other English settlers took a more liberal view. In the latter communities gambling was an accepted and popular activity.

The frontier spirit and the desire to explore new worlds have been likened to the gambling spirit. Both have elements of risk taking, the expectation of high returns, and opportunism. Despite being blamed for creating a problem in some of the early colonies, gambling and lotteries were also used by other communities to raise money. This was the first wave of gambling in the US and it lasted until the early 1800s, when it came under increasing attack from groups who were opposed to it.

Gambling in the United States – The Second Wave
The second wave started from the mid-1800s and lasted till the early 1900s. The exodus to the early Wild West and the Gold Rush were probably the cause for this wave. The early settlers on the west coast, notably miners, were people who personified the frontier spirit and they loved to gamble. The period between 1849 and 1855 was the high point of this resurgence in gambling and gambling establishments.

But this was not to last – public opinion and the establishment quickly turned against gambling and gamblers again, and soon it was banned in all the states where it had become popular. However, the irony of it was that all this did for gambling was to drive it underground. People found newer ways of circumventing the various laws that targeted specific gambling games. Some people adopted a very simple and highly effective approach: develop a variant of the banned game.

During the second wave, the regulations were intended to target the professional gambler more than gambling itself. There was a desire throw around society a cloak of respectability and also a general attempt to make people aware of the various ill effects of gambling. Despite these issues, the early laws against gambling were weak and not properly enforced. However, by the 1900s, stronger laws were framed and authorities also went about enforcing these laws strictly. Penalties were introduced both for running as well as playing gambling games. This made it difficult for people to associate themselves with gambling or gamblers.

However, this period lasted for just a while. By the 1930s, there was a gradual resurgence of gambling and gambling establishments started springing up again.

Gambling in the United States – The Third Wave
The period from the 1930s to the current time is the third wave of gambling, and the current wave is stronger than either of the earlier waves. The 1930s was when the state of Nevada legalized gambling. The Depression also led to a general atmosphere that was tolerant of legalized gambling, as many saw it as a way of reviving the economy. At the same time, there was a crackdown on illegal gambling, which had reached monumental proportions by then.

From the 1930s onwards, it has been a slow but steady process of consolidation for the gambling industry, a process that has taken the industry to dizzying heights. For instance the total gaming revenues in the US during the year 2005 was in excess of $30 billion.

The advent of the Internet has been one of the main causes for the huge upsurge in gambling. Online gambling has become very popular across the world, but in the United States it is a banned sport. However, offline gambling continues to remain popular as ever, with the traditional casinos doing roaring business. There does not seem to be any looking back for the industry.