Among the most popular forms of Internet gambling are gambling on sports events and casino games. There are also scratch card games, which are available online from various gambling providers. Most online gambling sites have policies in place to help responsible players, as well as self-exclusion programs that allow players to set limits on their gambling.
Online gambling is not illegal in most countries, and is only restricted by law in certain countries. The United States has no federal law prohibiting Internet gambling, but individual states may pass legislation superseding federal statutes. Some states also provide assistance for people who are suffering from a gambling addiction. There are several organizations that provide referral services for local programs. In addition, some of these organizations have local listings, so it is easy to locate a program near you.
The Annenberg Public Policy Center tracked young people’s gambling habits in 2010 and found that 16.0% of college-aged males used the Internet for gambling at least once a month. This was an increase from 4.4% in 2008, but the frequency of use remained at around 3% a week.
Online poker is an estimated $6 billion industry from U.S. shores, and is officially up and running in Nevada as of May 1. Poker is not available in Delaware, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, but the state of Nevada has several online gambling sites. These sites include sports betting and poker. Poker players can use any major credit card to deposit or withdraw funds.
Daily fantasy sports is also an Internet gaming option, and allows players to draft teams and place wagers on sports such as the NBA, NCAA basketball, and NHL. These games are available almost any day of the year. These games can also be played against one opponent, or in league format.
Fantasy sports have been a staple in the skilled gaming industry for many years, and have long been dominated by ESPN and Disney (DIS) subsidiary Yahoo! (YHOO). Many lottery corporations have added adult versions of these games to their scratch cards.
Internet gambling is not without its risks. In fact, some online gambling sites have withdrawal penalties that can reach as high as 20%. Some gaming sites delay changes for 24 hours, and some of them set limits on deposit increases. Online poker players must also have a stable Internet connection to play. If you think you may have a gambling problem, you should talk to your doctor. If you have a problem, you may also want to consider a referral to a local support group or an organization that provides assistance for gambling addiction. You can search for “Internet Gambling addiction help” and the name of your city to find a program that can help you.
A new federal law on Internet gambling is inevitable. It will create uniform standards for online gambling and create a new office of gambling oversight, which would be located within the Treasury Department. A new federal law could help to make legalizing Internet gambling easier and less costly for states.