Legal Age To Gamble In Oregon

Although Oregon was one of the last territories in the “Wild West” to be fully explored and “civilized,” many of those old outlaw traditions cling to life in the spirit of their residents. As such, a deep love and fascination with gambling permeated Oregon culture through and through. No one has to tell anyone who has ever played a hand of poker or blackjack that when enjoyed responsibly, gambling can offer both fun and thrills that few other hobbies can match especially when done with safety in regards to the Oregon gambling laws.

Oregon Gambling Resources Oregon Legal Gambling Age - In Oregon you will have to be 21 before you start to gamble, as the Oregon legal gambling age has been established at this lofty height. Oregon's legal gambling age is 21 in order to prevent those who cannot afford the gamble from participating.

While not everyone may prefer to take part, there are even more who choose not to participate due to a poor understanding of the laws governing the hobby, or a false belief that even the slightest bit of betting or wagering can land them in jail. This page was written to help dispel these notions.

Federal law which governs every state in the US declares that while the unsanctioned facilitation of gambling is highly illegal, it is actually perfectly within any citizens’ rights to place any bets or wagers. Although some states choose to add their own legislation, most follow this template as a guideline for establishing rules and regulations regarding gambling in their homelands.

Sit back, as OregonGamblingLaws is standing by to provide all the help Oregon residents will need when navigating through the complicated legal landscape surrounding gambling in their home state. This website will also help steer them towards the safest possible direction when it comes time to get to gambling, and educate readers about the benefits (and drawbacks) of the options Oregon residents have at their disposal.

• Legal Gambling Age in Oregon Most casinos in Oregon sell alcohol on their game room floors. For this reason, all casino gambling is limited to patrons, who are twenty-one years of age or older.
• Commercial casino proposals. In 1972, John Haviland, owner of the Paramount Theatre in Portland, proposed converting it into a state-operated casino. In 1978, a group proposed legalizing casinos on the Oregon Coast, which it said would stimulate jobs in the economically depressed area, while providing money for schools statewide. The 1984 ballot initiative that authorized the lottery.
• Barring a few exceptions, you will have to be 21 in order to legally gamble. This is the case in nearly every single state. Some states allow 18 year olds to gamble. Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming all have gambling ages of 18.

Gambling Legality in Oregon - Is Gambling Legal In OR?

For those who seek to gamble legally in Oregon, there is both good news and bad news. First for the bad: unregulated gambling, in accordance with state legislation, is in fact illegal. Chapter 167.122 subsection 1 of state law defines “gambling in the second degree” as when a person “Places a bet with a bookmaker; or… Participates or engages in unlawful gambling as a player.” Right here, just about every form of popular gambling is taken right off the table. In accordance with subsection two of this same chapter, this crime is considered a class A misdemeanor, which could result in a fine of up to $6,250.

After this piece of news, one could be wondering what the good news as it relates to the legal landscape of gambling in Oregon could possibly be. While it’s true that the state of Oregon carries some steep penalties for those who would be convicted of gambling, residents may rest assured that this crime is never prosecuted. In fact, never in the history of the state of Oregon has an otherwise honest citizen ever been brought up on charges for simply placing a bet or wager in their home state, whether they win or lose or how high the stakes were.

The spirit and intent of these laws is and always has been larger organized crime syndicates. In most cases, the law takes no umbrage with honest citizens who merely wish to place bets, and these legislations are only used to levy more charges against career criminals. In fact, Oregon is one of the few states that even includes legislation against internet based gambling in chapter 167.109 of the state constitution, but even this law is only aimed against those that may be defined as “in the business of gambling,” and not necessarily those who simply partake in placing a bet on an event or a game of chance.

However, one should not take this to mean that all gambling activity is safe for Oregon residents. If one is guilty of gambling in the first degree in accordance with chapter 167.127, they not only face much steeper penalties, but are almost assured of facing prosecution from state courts. If one is found guilty of gambling in the first degree, they are guilty of a class C felony, which can result in a fine of up to $125,000 and up to five years in prison. It goes without saying that any resident of Oregon should be incredibly careful to avoid charges of first degree gambling.

Difference Between Gambling In The First Degree vs. Second Degree

With such a huge disparity in the punishments between these two crimes, it’s a good thing that the acts themselves are incredibly distinct. Whereas second degree gambling consists of merely participating in a gambling event, gambling in the first degree involves facilitating that gambling event. When one wishes to gamble, it generally involves two parties. The first person has to make a bet whereas a second person needs to take the bet. In the eyes or Oregon law, the first person will probably walk away free, but the second would most likely be guilty of gambling in the first degree, and hence susceptible to that huge felony charge.

There is usually one more stipulation that goes along with gambling in the first degree in Oregon: the party must also make a profit off gambling. This does not mean placing bets and wagers and coming out ahead, profiting off of gambling requires the offender to put themselves in a position where they can profit off of a gambling event even if they do not place any bets or wagers during the event at all.

This can be hard to visualize, but some popular examples include operating a sportsbook in which the offender assumes responsibility for paying out winning bets and collecting from losing bets, (usually taking a cut in the process,) hosting a poker game where they charge admission for the privilege to play, collect a “rake” (a small percentage of each pot gathered as profit to the house) or even sells food and drink, or operates any casino game as the “house,” which by definition of traditional casino games always has the greatest chance of winning, usually by a significant margin.

These laws and distinctions also apply to gambling via the internet. While it ranges from unlikely to impossible that anyone would be prosecuted for merely using the internet to place bets or wagers or play any games of skill for money, those who operate a website with that intent and purpose will usually face serious criminal charges.

Just as long as Oregon residents avoid these highly specific criminal acts, they will avoid that big legal penalty associated with gambling in the first degree, or indeed, any legal penalties at all for violating Oregon gambling laws.

Oregon Gambling Statutes + Restrictions

In 1992, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) passed into federal law. This is significant because it is the only example of the federal government passing a law that could override states’ decisions as they relate to sports betting. Upon passage of the act, the sanctioned facilitation of sports betting was banned throughout the United States with the exception of four states. The good news is that Oregon actually was one of these states, the bad news is that the state or Oregon has yet to take advantage of that fact, and has indeed even written legislation against the act of “bookmaking.”

This is why thousands of Oregon residents who have shown in interest in sports betting turn to legal online sportsbooks every day. Through the use of these websites, players are able to bet on any sports games they please, and since the State of Oregon does not prosecute those who merely participate in gambling (online or otherwise) they are able to do so safely and free from fear of legal penalties.

If one wants to play casino games in the state of Oregon on land, they may be distressed to learn that the state legislation has not sanctioned any casinos. However, there are a couple of federally exempt tribal casinos found throughout the state. On the positive side, these facilities do offer opportunities to play casino games in a social environment. On the negative side, not only are the offerings in these casinos quite restrictive, (many only offer electronic games and very few tables for live games) but for a state as large as Oregon, they are indeed few and far between.

Perhaps this is why many Oregon residents have turned to legal online casinos for their gambling needs. Whether a resident wants to play the slot machines or come blackjack, it can all be found online with no legal risk or risk to financial wellbeing.

By far, the most popular means to gamble in this or any other state in the union is poker. Luckily, despite the restrictive status of other casino games in Oregon tribal casinos, there are many functional poker rooms and tables found within. These can include special tournaments for guaranteed cash or sit and go’s played for cash in hand.

For those that do not want to make the long drive to the tribal casinos spread throughout the state, Oregon preserves the sanctity of the home game. This includes both private games among friends and beers as well as games played online from the comfort of a plyer’s own home. When it comes to poker, several options are open just as long as residents are careful about selecting their venues carefully.

Age To Legally Gamble In Oregon - How Old To Bet In OR?

While gambling in Oregon is not completely outlawed, it is certainly a complicated subject. The last thing any Oregon resident interested in gambling should want to do is make the subject any more complicated than it absolutely has to be. All Oregon residents who gamble underage do just this. Luckily, Oregon has the lowest gambling age in the country, meaning that all legal adults over the age of 18 may participate, so waiting should not be a terribly drawn out ordeal.

However, is any minors get any cute ideas about gambling underage, not only will they face stiff penalties from whichever facility they are caught gambling in, (kiss any money and winnings good-bye!) but they will also face steep legal fines from the state, and probably a lot of court ordered community service. Parents who knowingly allow their children to gamble underage against Oregon gambling laws are subject to punishment as well.

Gambling Locations in Oregon

On-Land: If one wishes to legally gamble in the state of Oregon, there are plenty of options so long as they want to play poker. Oregon is home to many legal poker rooms, and if someone living in Oregon wants to play a game of poker, they are probably no more than a two to three hour drive away from a state licensed facility. Tournament entry fees within the state range from low stakes games at $5 all the way to $250. Some of these tournaments lead to big guaranteed money, provided you can make it out to the poker room at the set time the tournament is to begin.

Online/Web-Based: A far preferable method for regular gambling rather than making regular trips to poorly stocked, remotely located tribal casinos is to merely use the internet. While the law will not bother anyone who merely wishes to place bets or play games for money online, there are stringent laws set up against owning or operating a web domain for the purpose of facilitating gambling. How then are the legal gambling networks shown here on OregonGamblingLaws able to operate legally and legitimately? Because they are physically located in countries where operating an online gambling website is perfectly legal…not in the United States.

Legal gambling websites are run out of the likes of Canada, Costa Rica and Panama. This puts them well outside of not only Oregon but federal jurisdiction, and allows Oregon residents all the convenience and security of gambling from home with a fully legal enterprise. While the idea of gambling with foreign companies could make some Oregon players nervous, the benefits of gambling with a legal business should make up for any trepidation several times over. These legal Oregon gambling sites are held to rigorous standards when it comes to both fair play and handling payouts, meaning that member never have to worry about their money disappearing the way it may if it were being held by a criminal syndicate. The legal status of these foreign websites also assures financial security, with these sites featuring more secure accounts than even the likes of some of the major online retailer

Best Gambling Sites That Are Legal For Oregon Players

Bovada - #1 Sportsbook For Oregon & Oregon State Fans

When you live on Oregon and you want to choose just one legal gambling network to invest your time and money in, you want to be sure you choose the very best the internet has to offer. If over 20 years of service to Oregon players, miles of customer testimony, and the endorsement of several American media giants like CBS and the USA Today mean anything to you, than Bovada could be your gambling network of choice.

This Oregon gambling site offers the very best sportsbook, busiest poker room and flashiest online casino all in one tidy package, and all backed by the best online cashier in the business. When it comes time to collect your payout from Bovada you should be pleasantly surprised to find that not only will your money reach you speedily and efficiently, but that Bovada will cover all the fees associated with sending you a check as often as once a month. Lower fees mean more money for you, which means more money to bet with, which means more chances to win, and earn bigger payouts! Rinse, repeat, and love Bovada!

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What's The Legal Age To Gamble In Oregon

While the information on our websitehas been thoroughly researched and has proven to be accurate at the time of writing, none of the staff here at OregonGamblingLaws.com is a legal professional, nor are they permitted to practice law in the state of Oregon. Therefore, the content on this page cannot be considered as official legal consultation. We always recommend that readers be comfortable before gambling, especially given the Oregon gambling laws, and should seek further information if they have reservations. OGL suggests all visitors to directly any further questions towards a lawyer licensed to practice in the Beaver State, or by going to the Oregon legislature, found at https://www.oregonlegislature.gov, in order to obtain the exact language found in the statute books.