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Online Gambling Laws
Online gambling, also known as e-gambling, is the practice of betting on casino games, sports, or any other activities that are conducted through the Internet. It is a popular activity, and has become a growing industry due to technological advances in the field. There are various types of online gambling sites, including casinos, lottery, sports, virtual poker, and bingo. Among the most popular of these is online poker.
A number of states have adopted their own legislation to regulate the gambling industry. While some state legislatures have explicitly prohibited online gaming, others haven’t. Still others have imposed specific restrictions on it. For example, the Public Gambling Act, 1867, prohibits gambling in a “physical place”. The Free Trade and Processing Act (FTPA) has granted licensing to online gambling companies. However, state officials are concerned about how the Internet can be used to transport illegal gambling into their jurisdictions.
The federal government has a clear togel singapore definition of illegal Internet gambling, which is defined in 31 U.S.C. 5362(10) as using the Internet to receive bets or place them, and/or transmitting them. In addition, the Wire Act and the Illegal Gambling Business Act (IGBA) make it illegal to gamble over the Internet. Other statutes include the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which prohibits illegal gambling businesses, and the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wire Act, which prohibits gambling by electronic means on any interstate or foreign communications service.
The CRS Report RS21984 lists many of the relevant statutes and their citations. Additionally, it provides the text of each statute. Some of these include:
Section 1956, a part of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), creates several different crimes that can result from unlawful Internet gambling. These include: laundering for international purposes, laundering to conceal or prevent tax fraud, laundering to disguise or promote illicit activity, and laundering to evade taxes.
Another statute, the Travel Act, is applicable to Internet casinos. This act prohibits gambling on a sporting event, contest or any activity involving interstate commerce. Nonetheless, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) has criticized the Travel Act, stating that it does not provide sufficient protection to the Commerce Clause.
Other statutes cited in the CRS Report RS21984 include: the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Wire Act, the Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), the Internet Fraud Prevention Act (IFPA), the Wire Act, the Criminal Code of the United States, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Despite these criminal statutes, there are some exceptions for certain types of online gambling.
There have been numerous legal disputes related to the laws and regulations of gambling. Most notably, the federal courts have challenged the constitutionality of certain of the laws. Several of the lawsuits involve the First Amendment. But attacks based on the guarantee of free speech have been unsuccessful.
Finally, there are a number of questions about whether the FCC and FTC have the power to enforce the laws against the illegal internet gambling industry. Some argue that it is a matter of state sovereignty. Others suggest that the FCC and FTC have the power under the Commerce Clause.