Outrageous - War Against Online Gambling In U.S

Among the various issues that attract the attention of legislative bodies for their potential to ‘impact’ society, online gambling and bingo in the U.S has been of huge concern to the government. The latest development in this regard was a vote on account to stop US citizens from gambling on the Internet by the US House of Representatives. Whether it is just a casual act, curiosity or a morose addiction that grows by the day, in the larger spectrum, online gambling is believed to burden cash strapped citizens even further. Policy makers have taken note of the fact that mobile telecommunication networks and Wi-Fi networks present opportunities to Americans who can now engage in online gambling anywhere in the world.

Ironically, in spite of its prohibited status in the country, statistics indicate that a majority of internet casino gamblers are United States citizens. The urge for making ‘easy’ money through gambling being so strong, Americans are constantly on the hunt for innovative methods to communicate with bookies, so as to avoid detection. Laws make it unlawful for a credit card company or any other similar agency, to facilitate payments that are drawn in favor of betting sites. As per the Wire Act of 1961, amendments include betting via all communication networks and not just phone lines. Though exhaustive, the law does permit horse race betting and individual state lotteries. Though the time taken to pass bans on online gambling has taken a while, the US justice department has all along viewed online gambling as an illegitimate act. It has been observed that many online gambling sites that serve United States citizens are located in Europe or the Caribbean.

Ignorance Is Bliss

An interesting fact about casino gambling in the United States is that only 19 % of online gamblers actually understand or are prepared to accept that gambling is illegal, and their act makes them offenders of a federal law. The above is a computation provided by the American Gaming Association. Though lawmakers have perceived online gambling as an evil long before the law was passed, the number of online gamblers actually increased twofold in 2005. This actually indicates that a lot many people are callous and irresponsible when engaging in this illegal activity. The truth is that a lot of people are not even aware of the legalities involved in online gambling. Others who are aware of it are not really apprehensive because of the slow pace of government action against offenders. The activity is more or less accepted in American society and people continue to participate in Internet gambling because they are seldom fined or otherwise punished. This does not suggest a lapse in law and enforcement but does suggest that the legal system is just starting catch up. Another startling fact is that a characteristic U.S. online gambler is a male below the age of forty, has attended graduate school, and tends to be better off economically than other citizens. According to a Reuters report, around 4% of all American citizens indulged in Internet gambling in 2005. A contentious possibility that arises from these statistics is whether the rich and powerful flout policies because they have the means to get away with it.

A Means To An End

Apart from this, it is suggested that online gambling in the U.S is also on the rise in the middle and lower economic strata of society. This is because in casino game, luck and fate decide where one’s money goes. A large number of individuals, who are already living on a tight budget and are face difficulties in paying bills and maintaining favorable credit reports, often try their luck in online gambling. A separate survey group published its results recently that 70% of current online gamblers were introduced to this activity in the last 2 years.

As with all other avenues of online fraud, online gambling is a matter that is under scrutiny because of the opportunities of fraudulent activities that it presents. Most individuals who are engaged in online gaming speak favorably of it, in view of the fact that it is a very convenient mode of gambling. Apart from this, a majority of online gamblers are of the opinion that online gaming companies are always scheming and hatch new strategies to cheat users. Many Internet gamblers also believe that their fellow players cheat as well.

Gaming revenue in 2005 reached an astounding figure of $30.29 billion. This report was based on recorded earnings of 455 commercial casinos in 11 U.S. states. Considering this strong inclination that citizens have towards gambling, online gambling can get very difficult to control if immediate restrictions are not applied. Gaming experts comment that the proportion of US citizens engaged in online gambling is rather small but if not controlled could rise manifold in a short period. Of late, awareness regarding the war against online gambling in the U.S has caught the attention of the media, Congressmen and American citizens.

Virtual Law Enforcement?

As for policy makers, it is fairly difficult on their part to be able to enforce a legal ban on Internet casino gambling itself. For this reason, they are introducing legal limits that forbid American financial institutions from dealings linked with Internet casinos. There has been a spate of criticism against the US government, especially the Justice Department, as it has not yet been able to assert Internet gambling as illegal, though on a regular basis, it has continued to interfere with financial institutions that pass payments made to online casino companies.

Another argument against online gambling in the U.S is that it increases the risks of minors using their parent’s credit cards to engage in this illegal activity. However, the gravity of the situation lies in the fact that the use of a parent’s credit card by itself is illegal. The reason why it is used may not be illegal after all. Critics of the system argue that such propositions made by the government are baseless and don’t justify the war against online gambling in the U.S.

Money Talks

The strongest argument made in relation to the war against online gambling in the U.S is the fact that most online gambling companies do not operate within the country. For this reason, the government cannot tax or control these companies and is experiencing ‘opportunity loss’ in terms of estimated gaming revenue that they are likely to collect, if they had been in the U.S.

Convenient Target?

Gambling is an addiction for many and walking into a neighborhood gambling den is as convenient and accessible as online gambling. Therefore, the question that begs asking is why the ban and war against online gambling? The reality of the situation is that the more one harps on its illegal situation, the deeper will its penetration in the society be. This will only help online gambling operators to strengthen and build their nexus. Critics of the legislation argue that just as gambling has thrived on the economics of demand and supply, online gaming in spite of facing turbulent and unpredictable situations will continue to exist. They suggest that the war against online gambling in the U.S. will continue to be debated just like the ‘war on drugs’ and ‘war on alcoholism.’ Whichever way the decision goes, it is important to find ways to deal with it other than making amendments to state laws.