Besides casinos, online gambling includes virtual poker and sports betting. These gambling games offer higher odds of winning and can be played on your computer or mobile device. The popularity of internet gambling has increased over the years. A study by comScore found that online gambling was the fastest growing online category in fall 2011. The online gaming industry has grown to over $30 billion.
Using the Internet for illegal gambling can lead to prosecution and penalties. Several state and federal statutes implicate these activities. In fact, the United States marshals recently seized $3.2 million from a Discovery Communications operation in Costa Rica. PayPal has also been warned that it could face prosecution for accepting financial instruments for illegal Internet bets. However, the aforementioned laws do not extend to the home. A recent study by Columbia University Medical Center found that half of the 16 million Americans with gambling addictions are teenagers.
The first law in the United States to criminalize Internet gambling was the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). In this case, the term “moon” refers to a relatively small increase in Internet gambling sites. The number of sites that offered this service grew by 2.7% to 6.2%. The report also found that the average weekly frequency of use remained at 3%.
Another measure of online gambling popularity is the number of gamblers. Online gambling is a fun pastime for many Americans, and it has become a common form of adult entertainment. Besides being convenient, online gambling can be anonymous, so it can be used without fear of apprehension. Online gambling is also a good source of revenue for many users. The online poker industry is estimated to be worth $6 billion a year in the United States.
A study by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that college-aged males reportedly used an Internet gambling site on a monthly basis in 2010. This is actually more than the number of females using the site. The report also found that the most popular gambling sites for college-aged males were poker sites, casino sites, sports betting sites, and horse racing sites. In all, over 530,000 male students visited gambling sites each month. In addition, over 1.7 million male youth gambled for money on the Internet at least once a month.
The aforementioned law has been challenged on constitutional grounds. It is not clear whether or not it has been successful. However, the most recent study shows that the number of college-aged males using Internet gambling sites increased from 4.4% to 16.0%. The report also found that more than 400,000 male youth gamble for money at least once a week.
There are also several state laws that have been challenged. Several states have prohibited certain forms of sexual conduct in the home, including the infamous Lawrence and Earle laws. Others have enacted state-specific legislation aimed at limiting the ability of Internet gambling sites to operate. Other states have created age limits for Internet gambling, and have passed legislation limiting the number of online gambling sites.