Internet Gambling Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Abstract:   Internet gambling has become one of the hottest areas of the web, both in the sheer volume of sites and quantity of money involved.   Increasing controversy is accompanying this new industry, as federal and state government officials scramble to update legislation that restricts interstate wagering.   This paper examines the roots of Internet gambling and exposes some of the motivations driving the heated debate over its legitimacy. The business-to-consumer sector of the Internet commerce arena contains the most lucrative and fastest growing web-based industry: online gambling, which includes sports wagering, casino-style games and lotteries [1].   In a September 11th article from last year, Wired on-line reported statistics from Websense, which tallied over 21, 000 websites devoted to gambling - a figure up 169% from the total just six months prior [2].   Later in the article, web research specialists Christiansen Capital Advisors predict that Internet gambling sites will earn $2.2 billion in 2000, double the figure from 1999 and four times the 1997 sum [3].   The number of Internet gamblers continues to rise above its 1998 mark of 14.5 million [4]. Not surprisingly, the increasing presence of the Internet gambling industry has generated tremendous legal controversy, since residents of states that outlaw gambling partially or entirely can access gaming servers located anywhere.   In 1998, Republican Senator Jon Kyl from Arizona brought the controversial Internet Gambling Prohibition Act to the Senate, which would "make it unlawful for any person engaged in a gambling business to knowingly use the Internet or any other interactive computer service to: (1) place, receive, or otherwise make a bet... ...From http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-344707.html?tag=rltdnws) [12]. Marinaccio, Wendy.   New York gambling ruling sets precedent.   July 29, 1999.   (From http://cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-345504.html) [13]. Krigel, Beth Lipton.   New York court rules Net gambling illegal.   July 26, 1999.   (From http://news.cnet.com/news/0,10000,0-1005-200-345356,00.html) [14]. Farmer, Melanie Austria.   Nevada to permit sports gambling on the Web.   October 13, 2000.   (From http://cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-3183887.html?tag=st.ne.1002.bgif.ni) [15]. Mariano, Gwendolyn.   Atlantic City makes a gamble for online betting.   January 19, 2001.   (From http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-4537570.html) [16]. Beyer, Andrew.   Internet Gambling Bill: All Bets Are Off.   July 25, 1998.   (From http://washingtonpost.com/wpsrv/national/longterm/intgambling/stories/opinion072598.htm)