Did Someone Say Gambling in the US?

It is taken for granted that ever since the United States passed the ban on online gambling, there is no legal way for Americans to play casino games for money online. Think again.

An American website, WorldWinner, based in Massachusetts, enables players to compete against each other for cash, what was assumed to be illegal.

How Is That Possible?
The website mixes games with gambling, without taking any revenue from bets lost, other than an entry fee, usually about $2. In other words – there is no house.

Over 30 million players are registered to the site, some for free games, which do not require any fees, and many for real-money action. In total, the site operates millions of tournaments every month. Games include Dynomite, Solitaire, and many more.

The games require downloading the software from the site, registration and little else. Cash game winnings show up in the player’s account, and can be withdrawn at any time. The average payout is about $6, though larger payouts are possible.

How Is This Legal?
The games and tournaments at the site are skill games. That, and the fact that there is no house profiting from players’ losses, makes it unlike a traditional gambling site, and more like charity golf tournaments, to borrow the analogy offered by Peter Blacklow, the operating company’s president, or like a video arcade hall.

Gambling, in essence, but by another name.