Online Gambling
Casinos on the Internet
There are plenty of online casinos that allow players can enjoy casino games, such as Roulette, Blackjack, Craps and many other. The games are play ed against "house", which makes profits due to the fact that the odds are somewhat in its favour. Unscrupulous websites may offer rigged games that are less mathematically fair than they seem.
Online poker
There are a large number of poker rooms on the internet that offer a variety of games like Poker, most commonly Texas hold 'em, however, there are also Omaha, Seven-card stud, and other game types. The players play against one another and the "house" making money through the "rake".
Betting on sports online
Fixed-odds betting is offered by a variety of major bookmakers on the internet. Gamblers often bet on sporting events.
A relatively new internet innovation is the bet exchange which lets people make bets on each other (with the "house" taking a small commission).
Transfers of funds
Typically, gamblers upload funds to an online gambling company, place bets, or play the games it offers, and then cash out any winnings. European gamblers typically are able to deposit money into their accounts using the use of a credit or debit card, and then withdraw any winnings back onto their account.
Because of the unclear legality of online gambling in America, U.S. credit card applications are usually rejected. However, several intermediary firms - like Firepay, Neteller, and Moneybookers provide accounts which (among other items) online gambling can be funded. Online poker operators and casino rooms often offer incentives for using these 'alternative payment options'.
played games can pay via wire transfer or by cheque.
General legal issues
The legality of online gambling is controlled in a variety of countries that include the United Kingdom, and many nations in the Caribbean Sea.
The United States Federal Appeals Courts have ruled that the electronic transmission of information for wagering on sports that crosses state lines is prohibited under the Federal Wire Act. There is no law prohibiting gambling of any other kind.
Some states have laws that prohibit online gambling of any type. Gaming operations online that aren't licensed would be illegal. Presently, no state grants licenses for online gaming.
Antigua and Barbuda's government, which is licensed Internet gambling companies, has submitted a complaint to the World Trade Organization regarding the U.S. government’s attempts to restrict gambling online.
While web site won the initial ruling, the WTO's appeals committee partially reversed its April 2005 decision that was favorable. In essence, the appeals decision allowed gambling to be prohibited in Louisiana, Massachusetts and South Dakota. The appeals panel further concluded that the United States could be violating international trade laws because its laws regarding horse-racing betting were not equally applied to foreign and domestic online gambling firms. A panel found that restrictions on gambling online in US federal law were incompatible with the GATS's service agreement.
John G. Malcolm, deputy Assistant Attorney General presented evidence before the Senate Banking Committee in March 2003 regarding the particular challenges that gambling online can cause. Money laundering on the internet is a major concern for the United States Department of Justice. Online money laundering transactions are difficult to track because of the anonymity of the Internet and encryption.
Google and Yahoo! announced in April 2004 that they would eliminate gambling-related advertisements on all of their web site s. The move followed a United States Department of Justice announcement which, according to some consider to be a contradiction to the Appeals Court ruling, the Wire Act relating to telephone betting applies to all forms of Internet gambling, and any advertisement that promotes gambling "may" be deemed to be aiding and encouraging. Critics of the Justice Department's decision claim that there is no legal basis for pressuring businesses to take down advertisements and that the advertisements are protected by the First Amendment. As of April 5, 2005, Yahoo! has offered advertising for "play with money" online gaming.
check this of Representatives approved an act in February 2005 to regulate and legalize the operators of online casinos and gambling sites. one player games of Paradise Poker, an online poker website, testified before the State Senate and promised to move to the state if the bill became law. The State Senate defeated the bill in March 2005. Jim Kasper, the Representative who authored the bill, plans a 2006 ballot initiative on the topic.
Problem gambling
Online gambling brings gambling into the homes of players, raising concerns about the possibility that it may cause an increase in gambling problems. The National Gambling Impact Study in the United States examined the relationship between problem gambling and availability. It found that having casinos within 50 miles the player's home can double the number of problem gamblers. This suggests that problems with gambling could also be increased because of the accessibility to online gambling.
The report also stated that "high-speed instant gratification offered by Internet games, as well as the privacy they provide could lead to addiction and pathological gambling." Bernie Horn of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling testified before Congress that gambling online "magnifies" the addictive potential of addiction.
