The United States itself is one of the big hubs of gaming, including Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and many casinos on the water in Louisiana. But what happens behind the curtains? How gambling is regulated on a legislative level? And why can opening one's own casino in the U.S. be a real challenge? Well, if you want the convenience of playing, best mobile casinos will be a nice alternative for gaming on the go.

Gambling in the U.S. – It's Legal, But There’s a Catch...

Is gambling even allowed in the United States? Yes! According to the federal law in the U.S.A., gambling is legal. So where's the hitch? In practice, it tends to get much more complicated.

In the present day, commercial casinos are allowed to exist in these following regions: Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, United States Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia. Meanwhile, gambling activities in American Indian territories have been made categorically illegal, with the exception of their own establishments.

There are certain exceptions, though. In two states, you can open a casino anywhere – in Louisiana and Nevada. In all the others, restrictions on the granting of licenses to certain areas where casinos could operate are established by local governments and authorities. Like in New Jersey, casinos can be found only in Atlantic City, while in South Dakota they are to be found only in Deadwood.

The operator or businessman should, therefore, proceed with caution as to review all state laws, besides federal ones, there being sixteen states within which it is legal to run a casino. Local legislative acts, however, prevail above any federal decisions on matters relating to local governance.

Tribal Casinos in the U.S.: A Unique Phenomenon with Complex Legislation

At present, over 40% of Native American tribes operate their own casinos. For them, it is a source of work, fairly predictable income, and development opportunities for their local areas. But that hasn't always been the case.

Let’s take a step back in time.

The history of commercial gambling among Native Americans dates back to 1979 when the Seminole tribe started running bingo games. This was indeed a first step into the world of small-scale gambling activities. Later, tribes like the Iroquois, Ojibwe, and Menominee started betting in a local game called "snow snake." They were able to commercialize these games over time, drawing in bettors. By the early '80s, nearly one-third of all tribes were running some sort of local gambling enterprise. However, at that time, the phenomenon was virtually unregulated according to the laws set forth.

Federal regulation of Native American gambling was determined by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, signed by President Reagan. Since then, there has been a three-part classification of Native American gambling.

1. Traditional Native American games that are part of ceremonies or rituals and offer nominal prizes.
2. Bingo, poker, and other card games where players compete against each other, excluding blackjack and slots.
3. Blackjack, roulette, slots, craps, and other "traditional" gambling entertainment typical of commercial casinos.

You need to have the National Indian Gaming Commission's approval, consent of the tribal leaders, and the go-ahead from the state where the reservation is situated to start a casino on an Indian reservation.

Among the legislation concerning Native American casinos, one very important aspect stipulates that gambling venue owners cannot keep the profit entirely to themselves. These funds must be dedicated to social and economic growth on the reservation, and a part of them must be given to the state they are located in. Even with these restrictions, the gambling business is fast-growing among the Indians and rakes in great profits. Most often, these funds are put to use for really invaluable projects. The California Mission Indians of the San Manuel tribe donated $4 million towards establishing a Native American studies center at the UCLA School of Law. That same tribe gave $1 million toward forest fire relief in the state.

Interesting, Strange, and Even Absurd Laws and Rules Regarding Casinos in the U.S.

In the U.S., throughout different sectors, you have probably heard or read about some really strange laws. The legislation regarding gambling is, of course, no exception.

While one must be 21 or older to gamble in a casino in the U.S., it’s nothing you would not expect. Also quite common is for anyone under the age to actually not be allowed entrance into a gambling establishment. A general interesting take, however, comes with a consideration of casinos set up in hotels: in some states, those casinos have separate doorways and passages which people under the age of 21 must pass through; furthermore, they are not allowed to stop or linger while on the way.

In many casinos, photography is not allowed. Some are said to offload mobile phones, tablets, and other devices from the visitors at the entrance.