Idaho – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations

Find the Best American Casino Online

If you are looking to play online as a resident of Idaho, then you must first be aware of certain risks involved. The law is clear and you will therefore be unable to take any legal recourse, should an issue arise. You will also need to keep yourself informed and remain vigilant whenever you come across a site you are not familiar with. One way to do that is by asking yourself a set of questions, creating a mental checklist to help identify the integrity of a site. Only after you have established the trustworthiness of a site should you begin looking at the quality of life features, like localization options and promotional eligibilities. Below are some example questions.

• Is the casino fully licensed?
• Can you find information verifying the trustworthiness of the site?
• Can players from Idaho register?
• Are US dollars a supported currency?
• Are your preferred payment methods available?

Finding the answers to all of these questions can be a time filled nightmare sometimes. The wealth of information found online can often be intimidating and full of inconsistencies. That is why it is sometimes best to find a trustworthy and easy to use source that you can rely on. This is exactly what we aim to provide here at GoodLuckMate, where our experienced writers compile heaps of information before presenting it to you in an unbiased and concise format.

Gambling Regulation

Idaho isn’t quite as strict in its gambling regulations when compared to other states like Utah. However, the legal stance has remained pretty clear since the state’s constitutional amendment of 1992. This amendment used specific language that incorporated online gambling into an effective ban. Participating in any of these illegal activities is considered a petty misdemeanor offense, however, from what we could gather there have been no recorded cases of this ever going to court.

Another big change happened in 2006 with the federal enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which mostly focused on the banning of online operations. The act is however unable to extend to overseas operations, which are still very much present in the entire US. Some states have moved away from tight restrictions typical of the entire nation, having recently loosened up the legislation around providing online gambling activities. The issue with Idaho seems to stem from the reverence of its own constitution, which is not a problem in itself but does prevent lawmakers from realistically looking at alternative methods to approaching the question of gambling.

Localized Online Casinos

Most overseas casinos on the web are headquartered in Europe, where it is not possible to provide a localized option for every supported country, with the various languages, events, currencies and cultures that have to be considered. This works out as an advantage for US players, as this means language options will primarily be set to English by default. Major events like the Superbowl and elections are also keenly watched by European residents, giving the casinos more than enough reason for making a big deal out of these US-centric events.

You may encounter disappointments when looking for an appetizing welcome offer or engaging promotional activities, as these may be limited to specific regions. As the US remains largely a restricted market, casinos tend to stay away from creating promotions that specifically target US audiences. That isn’t to say that there aren’t promotions out there for you to take advantage of, you will just first need to confirm that you are indeed eligible.

Gambling with US Dollars

Despite the vast majority of US states having clear bans on online casinos, most sites will still provide US dollars as a supported currency. The currency’s wide use and availability mean that sites will often resort to using it as a default currency selection when unable to offer up localized currencies for customers from around the world. In essence, US players have a huge range of choices when it comes to finding an online casino that supports dollars and appropriate payment methods.

Casinos in Idaho

A state-run lottery, race tracks, Native American casinos, as well as pari-mutuel and charity betting events are all present in a state that makes special mention of the banning of gambling activities in its constitution. It is this contradiction that seems to be doing the people of Idaho a disservice, as the facade of tough policy-making simply doesn’t hold up. People who are wanting to play online will find a way and prohibition doesn’t have a great success rate in the US. That is why we are hoping that states like Idaho will look to others like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as examples of what can be achieved by creating a regulated market. 

Until then, those of you still wanting to play at an online casino will need to take extra precautions. Not necessarily from the government and the law, but more so against illegitimate operations that tend to be attracted to restricted markets.