US citizens still have options

by Peralis - With the recent passing of a new online gambling bill by the US Senate and the subsequent signing by President George W. Bush, many Americans are now confused as to the legalities of gambling online. We here at Reviewed-Casinos.com are here to help you muddle through the murky waters of online gambling.

We will provide you with any and all pertinent information regarding the passage of the new bill and what it means immediately, in the near future, and long-term. We will also provide tips and hints for finding the casinos that still accept US players, how you can deposit money into your casino account, and other useful information.

The official name of the act is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The Act is meant to curb or completely stop US citizens from gambling online, by making it virtually impossible to deposit money into their casino, poker room, or sports book accounts. It does so by making it illegal for banks and credit card issuers to process any payments from a casino or an e-cash service that processes gambling payments. In other words, you would no longer be able to use your credit cards, debit cards, or bank account to fund your gambling account, because your bank would automatically block it.

Despite how the Act tries to make online gambling difficult, there are two things that every gambler should remember: gambling online is not illegal and there are so many murky and grey areas in the text of the bill that some think it will be impossible for banks to completely enforce.

Built into the bill is a grace period for banks to adjust and try to figure out a way to implement the changes. Many in the banking industry have already intimated that they won't be able to keep up and that they will fall well short of the stated goals of the bill. Luckily for them, there are several loopholes in the wording that will likely protect them, if such a thing were to occur.

After this grace period ends, some of the bigger e-cash systems that process gambling payments will restrict payments from US customers, or have already done so. Amongst them is NeTeller, Moneybookers, and FirePay.

There are other ways to deposit money, though. You can use a wire service that is separate from your bank, such as Western Union. You could send in a money order that you would buy like any other at a convenience store or even the post office. Each individual casino has their own set of methods that will allow you to deposit money into your account. You should use the quick and convenient links here at Reviewed-Casinos.com to visit each site and see what they offer. Many who are still accepting US customers are trying to find new and innovative ways to allow you to fund your account, so that you can continue to be a loyal customer.

Also keep in mind that with all the loopholes and murky areas in the language of the bill, there will likely be new services that will sprout up to help you continue to gamble online. History has proved this to be so, especially in the world of online gambling. For example, PayPal is arguably the most-used online payment system in the world--and yet they do not accept gambling payments of any kind. They will not allow you to use your PayPal account to send money to a gambling website, nor will they accept any payments from one into your account.

In the Internet gambling scene's early years, PayPal did accept gambling payments. For this reason, there was no need for any other online payment system to be formed, as PayPal did it best and was already widely recognized and trusted. When they made the decision to cease accepting these type of payments, several others sprouted up to take its place, the most popular of which is NeTeller. There is no reason to believe that this will be any different. Most industry analysts are just waiting for the next crop of payment systems to crop up and get around the loopholes to allow you to legally and conveniently fund your online casino account. It would be a good idea to bookmark Reviewed-Casinos.com to come back often and get updates as to what these services may be.

Another piece of good news regarding the Act is that your money is safe with the current payment systems you use. Services like Moneybookers and NeTeller have customers from around the world. Although their stock shares may have taken a hit from the news, most will not fold or go under. The European and Asian online gambling markets are absolutely booming and with the exception of China, none will likely have such a widespread ban anytime in the near future. If you have money with a system like NeTeller, they will be happy to let you use your balance on a non-gambling payment. You may also cash out and close your account, with the money being sent to your bank account or in the form of a paper check to the address you have on file with them. You do not need to panic and clear out your account at this time.

As with anything that seems bad on the surface, there is always hope on the horizon. Though it may be a little more inconvenient to fund your casino account, it is not illegal nor is it impossible. There are also good things in regards to the ban, such as curbing potential underage gamblers. People with a gambling addiction will also find it harder to keep their dangerous habit going. But if you are just an average player who likes to indulge in some poker or blackjack, the gambling bill, as it stands, may only have a minimal impact on you.