While the Federal Wire Act prohibits the sale of lottery tickets over the Internet, this act does not prohibit individuals from visiting a state’s online lottery agent. However, the sale of lottery tickets online is still subject to certain restrictions. This article will explore these restrictions and their effects on the legality of online lotteries. The Department of Justice clarified its position in 2011 and opened the way for more states to offer lottery tickets online.
Most online lotteries use geolocation to track the geographic location of players. This makes it possible to buy lottery tickets from any location without having to travel to the state to purchase them. This feature is most convenient when purchasing online but not always necessary if you want to play in person. Additionally, it’s important to remember that some states require players to be residents of their state to play. You should also be aware of this requirement before purchasing tickets from a lottery site.
While it’s still illegal to buy lottery tickets on an illegal website, there are several state-regulated lottery websites. In Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, you can purchase tickets through the state lottery’s website directly. In the remaining states, you can buy online lottery tickets via major third-party courier services. In New Jersey, this option is explicitly permitted. In the meantime, other states are developing their own regulations to govern the online lottery market.