4 Responses for "Is Online gambling, (sports and casino, poker, bingo, etc played online) legal in UK and France?"

1. LuckyLove8 December 17th, 2008 at 12:44 pm 1

   I know sites like betfair are accepting UK and French residents.

   One thing to note, there hasn’t been a case yet of an actual player being charged with anything. It is mostly the operators that are being targeted by the FBI.

2. Jacques Strappe December 20th, 2008 at 3:57 pm 2

   Hi there. There is a common misconception that gambling online is illegal in the US. There is no federal law that makes it a crime to gamble with a foreign online gambling site. There is a bogus law that limits the way banks transact with gambling sites. There is no means of enforcement in its current state, and likely will never be! There are a few states that make gambling online illegal, but at this point, there is no means of enforcement and there have not been, nor will there likely be any prosecutions.

   That said, any site that does not accept US residents does so at their own will. For a list of great sites that still accept US residents, check Hope this helps!

3. Potsie December 22nd, 2008 at 5:54 am 3

   It is perfectly legal in the UK, sites apply to the government for their endorsement.

   There is NO federal law that makes the act of wagering online illegal. The only federal law that addresses gambling is the wire act from the 1960’s which makes it illegal to place wagers via the telephone. The US government passed a port security law and tacked on provisions (UIGEA) that make it illegal for BANKS, not players, to fund or accept payment from gaming sources. The only problem (for the govt) is that there are dozens of third party methods available for funding and no way to trace ACH credits. In other words, the new provisions are only for show and the end result is a waste of ink. I still use my VISA check card and e-check on my favorite sites. Online gaming will be impossible to completely eliminate from the US. The best they can do is make it inconvenient. Eventually I see the industry being regulated and taxed.

   The only states with laws directed towards online wagering are Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana, Oregon, Wisconsin, Washington, Indiana, Nevada, New York, New Jersey and South Dakota. Although these states do have specific laws pertaining to online gaming, there has not been any charges laid and those laws are vague and currently being challenged.

   Some sites have decided, on their own, to no longer accept American players. These are the publicly traded companies and most have returned to private owners. There are still many highly reputable sites that welcome and cater to American clients.
   I have wagered online for years and make good money betting on sports and playing poker. You can get free sports betting tips, poker tips, matchup stats, tools, sports picks, stats, and reviews of only highly reputable gaming sites at
   The recommended sites all offer top customer service, security, and fast/free payouts.

4. Tuffy A December 23rd, 2008 at 10:24 am 4

   US residents can play at online casinos so long as the casino supports it and a small minority of online casinos do transfer winnings to your bank account directly. For others, you will need to use a 3rd party payment account, to transact winnings as well as make deposits.

   Because most banks do not support online gaming directly, it makes no diff your citizenship or not, and for funding purposes, will need to go thru a 3rd party payment account like firepay, neteller, entropay etc…