The most frequent question we get from Americans is:

With online Cricket Betting, US bettors can choose from a variety of interesting betting options. For the novice bettor, a straight win/lose bet is the best option and requires nothing more than predicting which team will win the match. For the more experienced cricket enthusiast, there are the more exotic cricket bets that can be placed. Online American Cricket Betting. Although not as popular as American classics like baseball, hockey, basketball and football, cricket is enjoyed all over the world and actually does have quite a loyal fan base in the United States.

Is it legal to bet online in the United States?

It’s a hard question to answer. Here’s why.

There are laws that make sports betting illegal in most states. Old laws that are heavy handed enough that they kept states like New Jersey – who happens to offer legal online gambling – from being able to offer sports betting.

On the other hand, you can technically bet online and get away with it. And I’ll show you how in just a second.

So, the real question is this:

Are you willing to take the risk?

Because there is a risk to sports betting online in the United States. No doubt about that.

But keep in mind we’re not lawyers. So what you’re about to read is for ‘informational purposes only’.

If you agree to that, then let’s get started.

Recommended Cricket Betting Sites for US Players

Disclaimer

We must warn our readers that whatever you do, you do at your own risk. We will merely provide information as to how you can deposit money and bet on cricket online. I will not guarantee that you are without liability to fines or worse. Please do your own due diligence and make sure you stay on top of the laws in your jurisdiction.

What Makes Online Sports Betting Illegal in the USA?

There are a couple laws that make sports betting, online or otherwise, illegal here in the United States.

The first is the Wire Act of 1961.

This law prohibits how bets are made – namely by phone – which makes it a bit outdated in the day and age of cell phones and internet.

Here’s a snippet of The Wire Act:

“The term “wire communication facility” means any and all instrumentalities, personnel, and services (among other things, the receipt, forwarding, or delivery of communications) used or useful in the transmission of writings, signs, pictures, and sounds of all kinds by aid of wire, cable, or other like connection between the points of origin and reception of such transmission.”

It’s hard to say if this applies to the internet since it was made way before the internet existed. You could make an argument that it does.

Either way, it’s never been used to go after sports bettors.

There’s also the PASPA – the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.

This passed in the early 1990’s. It limited what states could allow sports betting within its borders. A few states were grandfathered in; this included Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana.

Those are the two biggest laws that apply to sports betting. There’s one more law, but it applies to banking. More on that in a few seconds.

One last point to make –

Even though the laws above may or may not make (online) sports betting illegal.

Again, we’re not lawyers

Each state also has their own laws which may or may not make sports betting okay. The only way to know for sure is to check your local laws, and perhaps speak with an attorney.

How & Why You Can Bet Online Anyway

Are you wondering how people can bet online anyway – especially if it’s looked down up and/or even illegal in the states?

Cricket Betting Tips

It’s pretty simple, really.

Most, if not all laws, target companies and not the customers.

The one exception I can think of offhand are in the legal states like Nevada or New Jersey – or upcoming states like California – that have laws that say customers are at fault for playing at off shore casinos.

Otherwise the laws speak to companies. And all companies that continue to accept US players are offshore. They’re out of the country, located in UK, Costa Rica or parts of Asia. Places the USA has no jurisdiction in.

Meaning …the US – as far as I know – cannot do anything about them.

On top of that most offshore sportsbooks use non .com domain names – like .lv and .eu. That’s because the US apparently has jurisdiction over .com domains, which is how they got ahold of PokerStars, Full Tilt, and all the others back in April 2011 (the day dubbed ‘Black Friday’).

That’s the simple version anyway.

Banking: The Hardest Part of Online Betting in America

A second ago I mentioned another law that affects online gambling. More specifically, it affects the banking side of things.

This law is called the UIGEA – Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act.

This was snuck in with another bill in 2006. Many congressman even claim not to have seen this bill. But it was passed nonetheless.

The premise of the bill is this:

Banks, credit unions and third party processors are prohibited from processing transactions to/from illegal/offshore gambling companies.

It does NOT make gambling illegal for you, like so many people tend to think.

Cricket Betting In Usa

The problem this creates is many banks will not work with these (offshore) companies. Or, they get found out and/or shut down.

This happens on both ends – for the gambling company and for you.

This results in processing delays, which means it can takes weeks – sometimes months – for you to get your money cashed out.

And because so many companies that operate in the US are shady, you never really know if it’s a processing problem or a we-don’t-or-can’t-pay-you sort of problem.

It’s also possible the company was seized by our government. Which means your money will also be seized.

Don’t worry – there’s a good chance you’ll get it back. In the case of PokerStars, players got their money back right away.

But if the company is insolvent then it can be years before you get your money back. IF you get your money back. Like with what happened with Full Tilt players. It took a couple years before they got their money back. And, that’s only because PokerStars bought them out.

And that’s not the only risk you face.

What Other Risks Are There?

I really need to point this out – we’re not lawyers. So you need to do your own due diligence.

But from what I understand, one of the biggest risks to playing online is that if you’re ever ripped off, you have no recourse. No way to get your money back.

That means gambling companies can take your money and run. Never pay you back. And that’s what many do.

It also means you may be doing business with gambling companies that are not licensed or regulated. So there’s no risks or consequences for any of their actions (good or bad).

Oh – and keep in mind you’re giving these companies semi-private information like where you live, your phone number, and possibly banking information.

And, while it may be slim, many states have laws against online gambling. So it’s possible you may face consequences if you’re ever caught (even though I don’t know of any cases where that’s happened).

Conclusion

The bottom line – things are pretty muddy in the United States. And I’d bet they stay that way for a while.

You can still play online if you want. There’s no doubt about that.

You just need to understand and be okay with the risks. And you should always play with money you can afford to lose, whether you lose it gambling, have it stolen, or seized.

Because those are all real possibilities.

Cricket might not be a traditional hobby in the USA, but sports bettors all across America are beginning to grow increasingly appreciative of this formerly foreign game. With the growth of international games taking place throughout the year, from the Ashes series to the ICC World Cup, it was really only a matter of time until those of us with a love for both sport and wagering began to see the potential in this sports formerly so underappreciated in the USA.

And that’s why we at USASportsBetting.info have, as with every other aspect of the business, collected all the best sports betting and bookmaker websites that cater to cricket wagers, and sorted them for your convenience. As a site dedicated to sports betting, we know there’s a great variety of taste among the individual bettor, and we want to make certain every one of you is catered to.

Simply put, we sports bettors of America have grown to love cricket because of how heavily built it is upon figures, averages and forms. This reliance upon numbers means that there are simply more ways for punters to wager on the outcomes – and, thanks to the world-changing advent of the internet, the USA’s sports bettors are no longer limited by the trivial fact that local cricket is rather limited – as long as you’re connected (and, really, who in the USA isn’t nowadays?), you’ll be able to place any wager of your choice on any game across the globe.

For sports bettors who are new to the cricket wagering game, or just prefer more traditional wagers, test cricket is probably what will suit you best. These games take place over a period of five days, and there is a big selection of cricket markets available for interested USA sports betting sites customers to peruse. Additionally, thanks to the frequent ups and downs of the average cricket match, and the propensity of any game’s odds to shift dramatically at any time, live betting has also become highly popular among cricket bettors – and, thanks to the miracle of mobile connection and sports betting apps, punters like yourself can place their wagers any time, anywhere – which, needless to say, is a blessing when you’re inclined to make a new wager midway though a match.

And if you’re a sports bettor interested in quicker returns, the one day cricket variety is probably the one for you. This form of cricket, which was given exposure by the World Cups, is currently offered to sports bettors of the USA in over 50 markets. It’s a short, sharp version of the game which offers our fellow sports bettors the excitement and thrill we know they love.

The high volume of runs and great batting that 20/20 cricket has brought into the public’s view has had great repercussions for cricket betting worldwide. The Indian Premier League, or IPL, is the most well-known of these games, and, thanks to the presence of celebrity athletes, they present a thrilling fanfare for spectators and bettors alike.

Betting Types for USA Cricket

Cricket is complicated, and so is betting. And because of this, there’s a whole lot of ways the average American punter can wager on a game of cricket – you might put money down on anything from athletes’ feats, awards and margins, winning teams for a game, or the number of runs a particular batter might rack up in a particular match. That, as any dedicated punter knows, is just one of the wonders of sports betting: the almost limitless options.

Of course, given how varied the cricket betting business can be, it might be best that you browse our selection of cricket betting bookmakers yourself, and find the one that caters to the particular wager you’d most like to place. We’re satisfied knowing that the sites you’ll be browsing will offer you the safe, convenient service our fellow sports lovers deserve.