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Internet Gambling Laws
by Jerry "Jet"
Whittaker
May 21, 2006
Internet gambling laws:
Online gambling is growing at a staggering rate, while
the history of the industry is still as new as the
Internet itself. The world's first virtual online
casino, Internet Casinos, Inc. established operation on
August 18, 1995 with 18 different casino games, online
access to the National Indian Lottery, and plans to
launch an Internet sports book. A second gambling site
is also presently operating with an active sports book
and plans to launch an online casino in the spring of
1996. The Interactive Gaming & Communications Corp. is a
openly traded company listed on the NASDAQ Bulletin
Board. The companies agree to bettors' sports wagers
phoned in to Antigua on a toll free line via satellite.
Few of the foreign governments have also entered the
business holding their sites out to people worldwide.
Site users can either send cash through one of the
companies proffering secure payment systems for the
Internet or open an offshore account, a requirement for
Americans to use ICI's site. Bets can be as low as a
nickel for some slot machines and go into the thousands
of dollars.
State Laws
More presently, many businesses have become the subject
of litigation by states. The state required an
injunction, a declaratory judgment, and damages. A memo
available by the attorney general's office sets out the
jurisdictional basis for prosecuting Wager Net and other
entities like it. Once again, the
laws vary on a
state-by-state basis and can be quite complex.
Consulting an attorney prior to the operation of any
gambling oriented site is highly optional.
Federal Law
There is also federal legislation leading gambling
sites. Particularly, Federal law prohibits those in the
business of betting or wagering from knowingly using a
wire communication facility for the transmission in
interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers, or
information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers,
on any sporting event or contest. Violation of the
statute endow with a penalty of a fine or imprisonment
for up to two years and potential asset seizure under
racketeering statutes. In addition, the common carrier
transmitting the signals can be planned by the
government to refuse further services to the operator.
As such, few of the companies set up an 800-number via
satellite rather than wire-line transmission to avoid
the auspices of the statute.
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