Online gambling is a form of gambling in which bets are placed on sports and casino games over the Internet. The activity is illegal in the United States under several federal criminal statutes, including the Wire Act, the Illegal Gambling Business Act, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) provisions.
The Internet has transformed the world of gambling. It allows people to play poker, blackjack, roulette, and other games for money. In some cases, these players are from different countries. However, the laws in each country are different.
Online gambling began in 1994, when the World Wide Web was commercialized. The first online casino venue for the general public was the Liechtenstein International Lottery. After the Internet’s popularity exploded, gambling became a popular pastime. Several countries in the Caribbean have already legalized the activity.
The problem is that gambling laws vary from state to state. For instance, some states prohibit gambling activities entirely while others allow them for certain games. Likewise, some states have adopted a state law on online gambling.
This means that the act of entering a bet on the Internet is considered gambling in New York State. Meanwhile, the same act is considered a crime in another state.
In addition, the Travel Act applies to a player who uses interstate facilities for unlawful activities. Thus, state officials are concerned that the internet can be used to transport illegal gambling to their jurisdictions.
One way to address this issue is to pass legislation that would appoint an authority for the regulation of online gambling. This would ensure that the activities are regulated in a legal manner. Examples of such legislation include the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.