Get The Facts About Internet Gambling – Forget The Hype

When you first heard about internet gambling, you may have been surprised by the fact that it was allowed to happen. When live gambling in casinos is so heavily regulated, how could internet gambling be legal? And even if the law allows gambling, the statistics would have to show that only fools would play, right?

Forget the hype, but get the facts.

Gambling online: is it legal?

The answer to this question? Depends. There are two important federal laws related to Internet gambling:

• The Interstate Cabling Act of 1961
• The Illegal Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006

The first law prohibited the use of wired communications for gaming purposes. But, in 1961, legislators could not have imagined the Internet. So even though the internet uses ‘cables’, the exact meaning of the term allowed for too many loopholes.

Then, in 2006, the second law was passed. It focuses on the online gambling business more than the player. It is a crime for any business to accept money related to online gambling. That is why the companies you can gamble with online are located outside of the US, where it is difficult to prosecute. But the government also hopes that US banks will stop money from going to these online businesses. Because of this, you may eventually have trouble paying for online gambling with your US bank account or credit card, however this is not a problem at the moment.

So while the federal government won’t go after internet gamblers, they could still be breaking the law. The UIGEA leaves it up to the states to determine whether or not Internet gambling violates the laws of their state. Experts believe that any law states could pass would make online gambling a misdemeanor rather than a felony. And again, there is no expectation that states will seek out the player rather than the gambling company. But if you have any concerns, you should check with your state gaming commission to understand if you are violating any state laws.

Basic facts about online gambling

There are several different types of online casinos, and we can only hope that they become more elaborate as online gambling evolves. Today, the main three are:

• Web-based casinos – These casinos allow you to play without downloading software and the possible pop-ups or spyware that may come with it. These casinos will require you to have a higher speed internet connection than the other types as you will be transferring the games and graphics over the web as you play.
• Download-Based Casinos – These sites require you to load their software onto your computer before you can gamble or play. They are generally faster, which makes them popular with gamers. Of course, you have to go through the initial setup process and you are risking the possibility of downloading software from an ‘unknown’ source, which always includes the possibility that you may also get a virus.
• Live Casinos – Here, you are actually playing in a ‘live’ or ‘chat’ environment. Nowadays, there are even webcam-based casinos where you can see a live dealer and even other players. This is the closest thing to a walk-in casino you can find on the internet.

Security is probably the biggest concern that online gamers have, but when it comes to gambling, statistics show that trust in the industry continues to rise. This is evident in the increase in the number of players and funds invested between 2000 and 2006. It is estimated that the industry grew from around $ 10 billion to more than $ 14 billion in just these six years. You can gamble online safely if you take the time to research your options. Before investing your money in gambling, check out ecogra.org, an independent non-profit agency that rates and approves online gaming sites.