If it's illegal, why can't my bank give me my money back?

Question

I've transferred hundreds of dollars from my account to a gambling website. I just now found out that the Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act prohibits US banks from tranferring money to gambling websites. If it's illegal for them to do, why can't they give me the money back that I transferred to the site?

Answer 1

I will almost guarantee you that the transfer was actually to a subsidiary site, which then transfers the money to the gambling site.  It's a loophole, but allows the banks to cover their tales.

Even if that is not the case, the bank did not institute the transfer, you did.  The fact that they processed it may open them to fines from the government, but they have no liability to you for processing a transaction your requested.  

The simple fact is that these sites pop up and down so quickly that no institution can be reasonably expected to know every one at every time.

Answer 2

Because that would provide you with a benefit when you also broke the law. If they did that, you'd get to gamble as much as you want and not risk losing anything. The bank, if charged, will have to pay a fine to the government, not to you.