Law Prof in CA Raises Minimum Gambling Age Query

Professor I Nelson Rose, a Law Professor at the Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California, says he is asked about the age requirements for online gambling at least twice a month - "What is the minimum gambling age on the Internet?" Really, nobody can give a straight answer. Surely, this question piques the interest of government and law enforcement agents, including police, prosecutors and gaming regulators.

It seems as if no one can give a definitive answer to this question. With gambling within the confines of the United States still outlawed, lawmakers have not concentrated on this part of gaming. It has been primarily left up to the operators of the online casinos. Some jurisdictions have set the minimum gambling age at 21, while others have set the legal age of gambling at 18.

Casino operators claim that it is virtually impossible to keep track of the age of players because there are so many participants in the huge global online gambling industry. The operators contend that it is the obligation of the player to check the age limitations as imposed by the jurisdiction of play. Even attorneys are hard pressed to say where local law stands on the minimum gambling age issue.

In the State of California, for example, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to play a game of chance. However, under California state law, charities are permitted to run poker tournaments. These laws do not apply to offshore operators. It appears that young people playing poker online have better odds at winning than they do of being prosecuted for playing in the poker game itself.

 

 

 

 

 

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