Historical Overview of Online Casinos for US Players
1990s: The Beginning of Online Gambling 🎰
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1994: The first online gambling laws passed in Antigua and Barbuda, allowing companies to operate online casinos.
Event Date First Licensing of Online Casinos 1994 -
1996: The first online casino, InterCasino, launched.
Event Date Launch of InterCasino 1996
2000s: Expansion and Regulation 🌐
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2006: The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was enacted, restricting financial institutions from processing transactions for online gambling.
Event Date UIGEA Enactment 2006 -
2008: New Jersey attempts to regulate online gambling in the state.
Event Date New Jersey Online Gambling Regulations 2008
2010s: Legal Battles and New Markets ⚖️
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2011: The DOJ clarified that the Wire Act only applied to sports betting, leading to the rise of state-regulated online poker and casino markets.
Event Date DOJ Wire Act Clarification 2011 -
2013: New Jersey became the first state to regulate online casinos, paving the way for other states to follow suit.
Event Date Launch of New Jersey Online Casino Market 2013
2020s: Growth of the Industry 💡
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2020: The COVID-19 pandemic leads to a surge in online gambling activity as brick-and-mortar casinos shut down.
Event Date Surge in Online Gambling Due to COVID-19 2020 -
2021: More states begin to legalize online casinos and sports betting, including Michigan and Virginia.
Event Date Legalization in Additional States 2021