The United States has been grappling with the issue of online gambling for decades. However, there has been relatively little progress in legalizing online gambling. This is largely because laws take a long time to catch up with emerging technology. Furthermore, government agencies often ban things before they become legal. Despite this, in the 1990s, online gambling grew in popularity. During this time, millions of dollars were wagered every day on illegal online gambling sites. As a result, Congress and the Department of Justice began investigating online gambling laws.
Regulation of Internet gambling should focus on preventing problem gambling and creating a responsible gambling environment. There are numerous benefits to regulating Internet gambling, such as enhanced consumer protection and increased taxation revenue. While internet gambling is still relatively unpopular, participation is growing quickly in regulated sites. However, a responsible environment for online gambling should be the focus of all stakeholders.
Further research is needed to determine the effects of online gambling on the risk of gambling problems. Researchers have observed that internet gamblers are more likely to develop gambling problems than offline gamblers, but there is no evidence that internet gambling is responsible for the increased prevalence of problem gambling. Consequently, online gambling should be included as a part of any research into gambling problems.
While gambling is legal in the United States, the states have the power to regulate and ban online gambling within their borders. This means that every state has different rules for regulating online gambling. Online gambling is therefore illegal in states where it is not legal.