Using the Internet for gambling is a growing trend. In the last 15 years, the number of participants in online gambling has increased by almost a thousand percent, from fifteen websites in 1996 to over two hundred in 1997. This has changed the gambling environment in many ways. Unlike traditional casinos, where the betting options are limited, internet gambling provides a vast variety of betting options, as well as a great deal of convenience.
Despite these benefits, internet gambling can be a source of addiction. Pathological use of the Internet can be dangerous, and regulation can help to ensure that consumers are protected. In order to avoid problems, it is important to find a legitimate and safe site to play at.
Several federal criminal statutes are implicated by illegal internet gambling. In some cases, the Commerce Clause has been invoked to argue against prosecuting illegal internet gambling. But these attacks have not been successful.
In 1999, multiplayer online gambling was introduced. In 2002, a report entitled “Internet Gambling: Overview of Issues” was published. It provided an overview of the research conducted on the issue.
In addition, a number of states have raised questions about the scope of the law and whether the Internet can be used to bring illegal gambling into their jurisdictions. A group of attorneys from the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Journal has written about this issue.
The first online casino for the general public was the Liechtenstein International Lottery. In 2007, 6% of the British population used the Internet to gamble.