Online Gambling is an Internet-based activity that allows users to place wagers on a variety of events and games. These may include sports betting, lottery tickets, and casino games. Some sites also offer online poker.
Online gambling is illegal in most countries, but it is legal and regulated in some countries, including most of the European Union and several nations in the Caribbean. It has been contested on constitutional grounds, and federal enforcement of online gambling laws has often been challenged on grounds of the Commerce Clause, free speech protections, and due process.
The 1961 Wire Act prohibits using a wire communication facility (including the Internet) in interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of facilitating sports betting or transmitting information assisting in the placing of sports bets. This act, however, does not apply to online gambling Web sites maintained on offshore computers.
Another law that has been used to prosecute online gambling is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which outlaws the use of credit cards or other electronic payment systems for the purposes of playing at an online casino. This law is controversial, as it is not based on any particular crime or fraud; rather, it is a regulatory measure intended to prevent money laundering.
Those who play online gambling should set a budget and avoid spending money they cannot afford to lose. They should also be aware of the risk that they will become addicted to it and start chasing losses instead of playing for fun.