Online Gambling

There are many different forms of gambling. These include online casinos, virtual poker, sports betting and lotteries. Some of these forms are legal in the United States.

Other countries restrict online gambling. In Maharashtra, for example, the “Bombay Wager Act” makes it illegal for U.S. residents to gamble on internet casinos located offshore.

Online gambling is regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Many of the regulated online gambling sites use industry-standard 128-bit encryption. They are also audited by independent auditors to ensure payout accuracy.

Several states in the United States have passed laws prohibiting online gambling. Those laws are enforced by the Department of Justice. However, state officials have expressed concern that the internet could be used to bring illegal gambling into their jurisdictions.

Internet gambling has been linked to gambling disorders. It can disrupt sleep patterns, which can lead to health problems. Various studies have examined the prevalence of problem gambling in the Internet population. While most studies are cross-sectional, some indicate a causal relationship between problem gambling and the Internet.

A federal criminal case was recently filed against the founders of three of the largest online poker companies. The case alleges bank fraud, money laundering and violations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

The issue of online gambling has been debated on constitutional grounds. Attacks on the Commerce Clause have had little effect.

In 1999, the US Senate considered a bill that would have banned the use of the Internet for gambling. The bills introduced by Jon Kyl and Bob Goodlatte would have limited online gambling to horse races, except for those conducted in the state lottery.