Many countries have laws restricting online gambling. However, there are also countries where it is legal. In the United States, many states and provinces are legal to gamble online. Most countries in the European Union are also legal to participate in online gambling. Several nations in the Caribbean have also made it legal to gamble on the internet. Some of these markets require online gambling service providers to have a license. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission are two of the many regulatory bodies that oversee the industry.
In the late 1990s, online gambling started to gain popularity. In 1996, there were only fifteen websites; by 1997, there were nearly two hundred. By 1998, a Frost & Sullivan report estimated that online gambling revenues were over $830 million. In 1998, the first online poker rooms were established. In 1999, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act was introduced in the US Senate. This bill would have prohibited all forms of electronic gambling for U.S. citizens. In addition, multiplayer and Internet casinos were introduced.
Legislation to regulate online gambling began in the late 1990s. In the US Senate, Jon Kyl and Bob Goodlatte introduced bills to limit the activity. Both bills excluded horse races and state lotteries, but were not passed. In 2007, Barney Frank and other lawmakers introduced HR 2046, a bill that would amend the UIGEA and require licensing of internet gambling facilities. Since then, several similar bills have been introduced.
The popularity of online gambling continued to grow in the early 2000s. In 1997, there were fifteen websites, and by 1998, there were almost 200. A Frost & Sullivan report reported that online gambling revenues had reached $830 million. The first online poker rooms were introduced. In 1999, the US Senate introduced the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, which would have prohibited online gambling for U.S. citizens. In 2002, multiplayer internet gambling was also introduced.
Online gambling legislation has several loopholes. As the industry grew, regulations did not keep pace with technology. Some countries, such as Finland, do not permit foreign operators to operate online casinos. This makes it difficult to prosecute these sites and prevent players from accessing them. The only protection a state has is the ability to block certain websites, which may lead to an influx of fraudulent activity. This can lead to a large problem in terms of money and time.
Despite the countless laws and regulations governing online gambling, there are still rogue operators who do not comply with them. These operators often take advantage of the lack of regulation and do not care about the well-being of their customers. Moreover, it is illegal to gamble if you are not an American citizen. In the United States, it is illegal to gamble for anyone except for those who are over 18 years of age. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is the agency that regulates online gambling in Mohawk Territory.