Tennessee gambling fans are probably wondering what legal options are available. The many regulations put in place, Federal and stateside, can be tough to navigate. Legalese can seem like a completely new language to the nonprofessional. This disadvantageous relaying of the legal language has been the source of many rumors regarding the legality of gambling in America at large and Tennessee in particular. Misinformed citizens spreading conjecture can be libelous to the gambling business
In this page, we will give an extensive overview of the laws that surround Tennessee legal gambling. We will touch on the federal laws that dictate nationwide regulations, as well as the state laws that target specific wagering practices in Tennessee. You will see that there are many legal avenues available to gambling fans.
Basic understanding of Tennessee's laws put gambling in a grey area. However, this does not need to be the case. There is plenty of legal language surrounding illegal gambling practices, but most states do not criminalize games of chance, and Tennessee is the same way. There are penalties, small and large, associated with certain types of gambling practices, and we will make these clear.
“Gambling is contrary to the public policy of this state and means risking anything of value for a profit whose return is to any degree contingent on chance, or any games of chance associated with casinos, including, but not limited to, slot machines, roulette wheels and the like.”
39-17-501. (1) - This reads like a hard and fast rule against any type of gambling in the state. In addition, it does indeed carry charges for anyone indulging in illegal gambling practices. Further, down in the chapter on illegal gambling, it states that the definition of gambling does not include, “A lawful business transaction”. When you are playing on any of the legal online gambling sites, you are buying chips, or “points”, which you can use as you please. In this way, using a gambling site is legal because you are buying a product, which is a business transaction. What you do with the products you buy are your prerogative.
39-17-502. (a) - This section does indeed claim to charge any person who gambles with a criminal offense. The caveat is in the definition of gambling. Since business transactions fall out of that definition, it is tough to convict a person using a legal online gambling establishment. This is where statistics come in. Many states have similar language regarding gambling, but to date there has never been a conviction of a person involved in using a legal online gambling site. Therefore, these legal gambling sites for Tennessee residents have proven time and again to operate as safe venues for gambling aficionados in Tennessee.
39-17-503. (a), (1) - This section declares that the operation of a gambling site within Tennessee's borders is a crime. You will see sections like this in almost every state law in the nation. What this means is that you will not find a legal gambling establishment in your hometown. There are many legal online gambling sites functioning overseas, and they are legal to use. You might come across some underground gambling rackets in your city, but we recommend staying far away from them. These illegal businesses are raided all the time, and you money will not be safe. Stick to the legal online options for a safe gambling experience.
39-17-504. (a), (b), (c) - This is a harsher version of law detailed in 39-17-503. The difference is, this section attacks the owner of a gambling establishment. As with most gambling laws, the average bettor is not the target, only the owner of the wagering operation. We mentioned underground gambling rackets, and under this section, the CEO of any of these businesses could likely charged with a felony. You have nothing to worry about if you are using a legal online wagering site.
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Wire Act – The first major law to affect the gambling industry was the Federal Wire Act of 1961. Brought forth as part of a series of antiracketeering laws, the Wire Act attempted to suppress organized crime elements that pervaded the gambling industry. Although it did not affect mere bettors in the slightest, this law criminalized the use of wire communication devices involved with the business of wagering. Criminals frequently used wire technology to transfer illegal funds, launder money, and steal. The Wire Act was relatively successful in eliminating a large chunk of the dastardly deeds that were going on at the time.
PASPA – The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 passed through the senate in order to regulate sports betting. The PASPA found sports gambling to be a “national problem” in America, and banned bookmakers from operating sportsbooks in every state except for Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. These states were grandfathered in as exemptions to the law because they had legal sports wagering operations in place before Congress drafted the PASPA.
UIGEA – The last big federal law to affect players in Tennessee was the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006. During the internet boom of the early 2000’s, online gambling sites proliferated in the states. There were some legitimate businesses held in high regard, but there were many nefarious online operations conducting illegal gambling practices. The UIGEA effectively shut down almost every online gambling venue in America. This sounds worse than it is though, as it just means that you will not find an online gambling establishment in your hometown. The UIGEA holds no sway over other countries, where operating an online gambling site is legal. The federal government does not penalize players for using these legitimate gambling sites, and millions of Americans are doing so every day.
The legal age to gamble in the state of Tennessee is 18 years old. Most of the online gambling sites require you to be the same age, so there shouldn’t be any problem playing on any of them. Occasionally you will come across a gambling site that has a minimum age of 21, in which case it is best to wait until you are that age. Underage gambling carries harsh penalties, and you don’t want to end up as another statistic in the law books. A good rule of thumb is to check the online/state gambling ages, and always go with the higher number.
As you can see, the legal language is dense, but once you have a clear understanding of the definitions, they leave you with plenty of legal avenues. Tennessee residents will not find any gambling houses in the state, but online options abound. Check out any of the sites we review to find some great legal gambling action. These sites allow you to play for real money, and offer the best experiences in the business.
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