How old do you have to be to gamble online?
If online gambling just became legal in your state, you might be asking yourself this very question right now. You’ll want to make sure that you’re old enough to gamble at an online casino before doing it.
This can, however, be a little bit of a tricky question to answer. It tends to change from one state to the next, which is why you might not get anywhere even if you Google “how old to play online casino.”
Learn more about the minimum age for online gambling below.
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Only a Few States Have Legalized Online Gambling
First things first: Regardless of how old you are, there aren’t many states that have legalized online gambling just yet. The only ones that have started to permit people to play the best casino games online are:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
So you won’t have to worry about trying to answer the question, “How old do you have to be to gamble online?” if you aren’t currently in one of those states. It’s the first thing you should keep in mind when it comes to the minimum age requirement for online gambling.
They Require People to Be 21 to Gamble Online
There are some states out there that allow people to take part in gambling activities prior to their 21st birthday. People can, for example, bet on horseraces in these states at the age of 18.
But generally speaking, the answer to the question, “How old do you have to be to gamble online?”, will be 21 in the states we just mentioned. Even the best online casino is going to call for you to be 21 before you play any of their casino games.
You Could Face Penalties If You Get Caught Gambling Online While Underage
If you attempt to participate in online gambling prior to your 21st birthday, you might pay the price for it. States have come up with long lists of penalties for those who get caught doing it.
You might be forced to give up your license if you gamble while underage. You might also be forced to pay a fine. You could even face some jail time if you gamble when you’re still too young to legally do it.
It’s just not worth trying to gamble online illegally when you consider the potential consequences of getting caught doing it.
So, How Old Do You Have to Be to Gamble Online?
The easy answer to the question, “How old do you have to be to gamble online?”, is 21. But the laws governing the online casino industry are constantly changing.
You should keep an eye on what the laws in your state are with regard to online gambling. It’ll help you keep tabs on when you’ll be able to gamble.
Would you like to check out some more informative articles about online gambling? Find them by taking a look at everything else our blog has to offer.
