During the late 1990s, the popularity of online gambling increased. Around this time, there were fifteen or so gambling websites in the United States and approximately 200 in the world. In 1998, a report from Frost & Sullivan revealed that the global market for online gambling had reached $830 million. Several countries have restrictions on the use of the Internet to place wagers. These countries include the US, Canada and some of the Caribbean islands.
A federal bill was introduced in the US Senate in 1999, called the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. This bill was similar to the one that has been discussed in the House for the past several years. However, it did not pass.
In 1999, the Department of Justice began settlements with several online businesses that accepted money to advertise and operate virtual gambling operations. The Department also announced the Wire Act applies to all forms of Internet gambling. The United States government has seized assets in many online gaming cases.
A lot of people believe that gambling is illegal in the U.S., even though dozens of states have laws on the books that allow for it. It is true that in certain cities and states, such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas, betting is illegal. But, in many other places, betting is legal. These are the states where you will find casinos and racetracks.
In April 2007, Representative Barney Frank introduced a bill that would regulate and license online gambling. This legislation, HR 2046, is formally known as the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. It would impose new regulations on the legality of internet gaming, including the licensing of gambling facilities by the director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
Since then, Congress has been studying the regulatory structure of the Internet and the legality of online gambling. The House is considering several similar bills. Bob Goodlatte and Jon Kyl, both Republicans from Virginia, have introduced bills to the Senate that would limit Internet gaming. These bills would have limited activities like online poker, casino games and sports betting.
Although the government has taken some measures to try to curb the illicit online gaming industry, many people believe that it is unlikely that these laws will make it to law. In fact, the most recent news regarding online gambling is that Google has banned the advertising of online gambling from its Web sites.
In 2013, New Jersey became the first state to authorize an online casino. The state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement is responsible for regulating and enforcing online gambling in the Garden State. The state has already generated over $80 million in tax revenues from its Internet casinos. It is also the first state to approve internet wagering on horse races, fantasy sports and lottery games.
In the last few months, there have been several initiatives in New Jersey to encourage lawmakers to consider the possibility of legalizing iGaming in the state. This is a step in the right direction, as iGaming is growing in popularity in the United States.