The Wire Act: What is The Wire Act & How Does It Work?

The Wire Act is a major betting law that was passed in 1961 to stop sports betting across states using different forms of wire communication. However, this sports betting law is constantly evolving.

Becoming familiar with the law and the legality of sports betting in the US is a good first step toward making the most of sports betting and all that it has to offer you. The act still influences the sports betting industry today in a big way by limiting how states can offer wagering services to people in the US.

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The Wire Act Key Facts

• Was founded in 1961
• Updated for modern interpretation
• Prevents states from offering sports betting outside of their borders
• Constantly evolving and changing

The Wire Act is a sports betting law, and sometimes considered to be a gambling law in general, that influences in the sports betting industry in a big way. This major wagering law simply says that gambling can’t occur across state lines, and if it does it’s a violation on the Federal level. This is a big deal to most of the sports betting industries, and it has a major impact on different operations around the country today.

The Original Wire Act compared to the Modern Day Act

No Interstate Sports Betting

Gamblers that want to place sports bets today will have to do so within their own states. The Wire Act makes it no longer legal to place sports bets at facilities that are outside of the current state the resident is in. Even gamblers that are from the home state offering the wagering, can’t place wagers in that state when they’re outside of it without breaking the law according to the Wire Act. This is the reason that gambling facilities use location tracking software today.

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Sports Betting Legality in the United States

PASPA or the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was preventing states from legally running sports betting operations for many years. When that law was overturned in 2018 it became legal for states to start offering sports betting to their citizens once again. That’s when many states began building up their sports betting presence and designing facilities for their citizens to use.

Today it’s legal for any states that want to offer sports betting to their citizens to do so within their own state lines. They can’t legally offer their services to players in other states because of the wire act and how that law works though. Bettors that are interested in placing wagers on different sporting events can feel free to do so, but they will have to limit those wagers to facilities that are within their current state.

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Conclusion: The Wire Act Has a Big Impact on Mobile Betting

The Wire Act was defined more than 50 years ago, but it’s still controlling the sports betting industry in a big way. The law is continually being looked at and examined for legality, but it’s unlikely to go away any time soon. Interested bettors can still place wagers as long as they live in one of the states that have legalized sports betting.

Fortunately, more and more states are beginning to legalize sports wagering, and even residents that don’t live in a state that allows it might live close enough to another state that does. It’s easier than ever to travel from one location to another, which means that taking part in sports betting is as simple as hopping in the car or on a flight, heading to a legal state and placing those wagers. To learn more about how to effectively wager, see our staking strategies guide to learn about how to wager effectively over time for profits.

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