Online gambling is a form of betting on sports, horse racing and other forms of chance. It is legal in some countries and is banned in others. It is regulated on a state by state basis.
In the United States, many states have laws that prohibit certain forms of gambling. Some of these laws are specific to casinos, while other laws are directed toward players. Most of these laws were written in the 1990s, after the first online casinos became available.
In the United States, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is one of the most notable laws governing online gambling. It limits the ability of banks to transfer money with illegal gambling sites. It does not define what constitutes an illegal online gambling site, but it does set up certain regulations to ensure that they are operating legally.
PASPA, or the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, is another law that made betting on sports illegal in the United States. In the end, the law was declared unconstitutional.
In the US, there are currently several different bills that would modify the UIGEA. One bill, HR 2046, is introduced by Representative Barney Frank in 2007. This bill would change the UIGEA so that it would allow casinos to operate in the US and allow the director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to license them.
Other legislation has been introduced in the House since 2007 to try to block the use of websites that advertise online gambling. Despite the changes, the federal government is still hostile to online gaming.