An Overview of Legal Gambling Age Regulation in the United States

When it comes to gambling regulation, the US is an interesting case, since unlike many European countries there is a far greater difference in the accessibility and legitimacy of placing bets as a pastime in different states.

With that in mind, here is an overview of how age is regulated in relation to gambling across America and the impact that this has on the industry across the pond.

The basics

Before delving into this matter in more detail, it is worth setting down a framework for understanding legal gambling age regulation in the United States.

In the gambling ages broken down by state according to legalgamblingage.com, the most common lower limit is 21. This is in line with other age-related restrictions, such as that on alcohol, which effectively means that for Americans the concept of adulthood only truly gets underway from 21 onwards.

The exceptions

While it is safe to assume that the states in which different forms of gambling are allowed are restricted to people aged 21 and over, there are plenty of variations to this rule. These largely depend on the kind of gambling activity that is being considered, as certain forms are more accepted than others.

For example, in the state of Alaska you need to be 21 or over to visit land-based casinos, but you can participate in bingo games from 19 years onwards. In California, 18 year olds can enjoy both bingo and lotto games, and this is also true of a number of other states including Illinois and Maine.

Because each state has the ability to control the way that gambling regulations are implemented, there are actually some fairly stark differences in terms of legal age. However, even in the most liberal states, no gambling activity is legal for anyone under the age of 18.

At this point it is also worth mentioning that there is only one state where all forms of gambling are entirely illegal for people of all ages. Utah has the strictest laws relating to this issue and shows no sign that it will change its position in the near future.

The activities

Having briefly touched upon how the type of gambling impacts the age restrictions in the US, it is worth delving into this matter with a little more detail. In is particularly interesting given that while teenagers can make millions as e-sports professionals, they are still largely excluded from participating in superficially similar digital gambling experiences.

For example, online poker is only legal in 6 states, in spite of the fact that it is now generally agreed to be a game of skill rather than one which is purely based on luck.

This seems once again to be a case of legislation failing to keep pace with the rate at which changes are being brought about by the advance of technology. As with other forms of online gambling, whether or not web-powered poker platforms are legal is irrelevant, since tech-savvy users can easily find a way to play and win regardless of the rules in their specific state or nation.

The issue of sports betting has also been debated for decades in the US, with the recent relaxing of federal regulations meaning that placing online wagers on the outcomes of events is now possible in a handful of states. New Jersey has led the way in this respect, with anyone 21 or over able to bet online or at physical bookmakers. While this has not followed in the footsteps of state-owned franchises adopted in other parts of the world, it is interesting to see how America’s acceptance of gambling is morphing over time.

The future

It is difficult to predict how gambling regulation in the US will change going forwards, in relation not only to legal playing age but also to the overall legitimacy of certain types of activities which are currently not widely supported or only just beginning to gain traction.

Even so, if a nationwide shift in the law meant that every type of gambling was legalised and every state got onboard to embrace this policy, it would still be safe to assume that age restrictions of either 18 or 21 would still be in place.

The most prominent arguments against gambling advertising in Europe are focused on its impact on children, and it is certainly considered an adult activity in the US for the same reasons. If you intend to gamble on a trip stateside, being aware of state-level gambling regulations is sensible even if you are over 21.