Online gambling is a form of gaming. It includes betting on sports and other events, as well as casinos and virtual poker. The industry is regulated at the state and federal levels.
The first legal online gambling venue was the Liechtenstein International Lottery. This was the first venue that allowed the general public to bet on sports online.
There have been numerous instances of shady online casinos, but the industry is slowly becoming more transparent. One of the most transparent online gambling operations is the Slothunter Casino. The site’s transparency is a key factor in rational planning on the part of the gambler.
While there are many benefits to online gambling, it can also be dangerous. Gambling addiction is a real problem that can lead to financial ruin. The best way to avoid this is to be responsible and not get into an online gambling frenzy.
There are several federal statutes that are implicated by illegal Internet gambling. The CRS Report RS22749, titled “Internet Gambling: Overview of Issues,” lists the most notable, albeit obscure, of them all.
The UIGEA, for example, prohibits the acceptance of financial instruments in connection with illegal Internet bets. Although not a perfect solution, this legislation can help to discourage illicit gambling on the Web.
The Commerce Clause has raised some interesting questions. However, attacks on the clause based on free speech and due process have proven ineffective.
The same is true of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. The court did not specifically rule out the potential for legalizing Internet gambling, but did acknowledge that there are some legal precedents to be found.