Online gambling is the practice of playing games of chance or skill for money using a computer or wireless Internet connection. There are a number of different forms of online gambling, including sports betting, casinos, online poker, and virtual poker.
Some countries allow online gambling, while others prohibit it. The United States has a number of federal and state laws that prohibit gambling.
A federal law that has been recently proposed would require all Internet gambling sites to have a license from the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This would include platforms that primarily use cryptocurrency. It is expected that more states will soon follow suit.
Another upcoming law is the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, or HR 2046. Introduced by Rep. Barney Frank in April 2007, the bill is designed to make sure Internet gambling sites are not used for illegal activity. In the past, the Federal Communications Commission has indicated that it might discontinue providing facilities or leasing them to gambling companies.
The bill also has several other interesting features. For example, it requires internet gambling sites to certify that they have age verification in place, and it includes appropriate data security standards.
It also comes with a Congressional report about the potential impact of the law on interstate commerce. These findings are intended to help lawmakers craft a comprehensive bill that will actually protect consumers.
It is important to note that the law has already been challenged on constitutional grounds. One of these cases involves a gambling company named Seals with Clubs. As of April 2017, the owner of the site had been sentenced to two years of probation and a $25,000 fine. He argued that his site was a social gambling venue that should not have to pay taxes on its revenue.