• States that have legalized gambling closely monitor the activities of casinos to guard against illegal activitygambling image by MateiA from Fotolia.com
  
  Gambling laws are enacted in all states and U.S territories, establishing rules about how people may place bets on certain events and play games of chance for monetary gain. The federal government also enacts gambling laws with the goal of eliminating criminal activity and the funding of organized crime through gambling.
  
  

State Gambling Laws

• Some states in the United States ban gambling in any form. For example, Alaska considers gambling a class B misdemeanor, which can incur fines and possible imprisonment. Other states, such as Nevada, have legalized gambling with certain restrictions; these include allowing gambling only for those that are over the age of 21 and not permitting people under the age of 18 to be on the gambling establishment's premises. States that have legalized gambling also impose restrictions on employees that include thorough background checks and mandate that all casinos be registered with the appropriate state authorities to ensure business is being conducted in a fair manner.
  
  

Federal Gambling Laws

• The federal government takes a particular interest in gambling where it concerns organized crime and racketeering. According to attorney Chuck Humphrey, legislation passed by the federal government from 1970-1992, such as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, was aimed at stopping syndicated gambling by organized criminal associations where money was laundered and unlawful debts were collected across state lines. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act prohibited states from adopting new gambling laws that allowed betting on amateur and professional sports, though these laws do not force states that had existing sports betting laws to stop those practices.
  
  

Online Gambling

• The Internet has affected interstate commerce and prompted questions about whether individuals may gamble from home in a state that does not allow gambling. According to Humphrey, the rule of thumb for determining legality is whether or not the state you are in has legalized gambling. If you are in a state like Alaska that outlaws all forms of gambling, and you gamble online, you are breaking the law. The federal government does not outlaw internet gambling or placing a debt online.
  
  

Off-Site Betting

• Off-site or off track betting allows gamblers to place bets on sporting events such as horse racing without having to attend the event. According to the Horse Racing Act of 1878, gamblers are allowed to place a bet in a state where gambling is legal such as New Jersey on an event taking place in another state. Gambling need not be legal in the state where the event is taking place.