Online gambling refers to any kind of betting conducted over the internet. This includes virtual poker, casino lucky days casino free spins betting, and sports betting. The first ever online gambling website was made available to the public in 1994. It offered lottery ticketing to the World Poker Tour in Las Vegas. Since then there have been online gambling websites which have provided a variety of gambling and gaming options.
Some of the most popular online gambling sites are: Betfair and Coral Sportsbook, William Hill and Intercasino. Unibet, Fairlay, and iPoker are some others. These businesses have made a major leap in just a few years. They provide a variety of online gambling. For example, there is the traditional form of betting, where people place bets on a particular bookie or an online casino. There are also lotteries and raffles that you can participate in for cash, tickets to events like music festivals, film productions as well as horse racing lottery draws.
Many states have taken an interest in online gambling because they are concerned that it is being used to promote illegal activity and traffic. Due to this, some state governments have been involved and have created regulatory frameworks. For instance such as the Department of Business and Professional Regulations and Delaware have created licensing programs and rules and set up databases for online gambling websites. Many internet users are familiar with the rules governing online gambling. Most states have provisions which allow gaming sites that are regulated by the state to continue royal plaza operating while they are being reviewed.
Many nations, including the United States, have taken an active role in the regulation of online gambling. International frameworks for policy and legal exist regarding online gambling. The US Congress, which controls interstate commerce, introduced bills to legalize online gaming and penalize those who gamble online. The European Commission and World Trade Organization are involved in the development of international guidelines for gambling online.
The problem with regulating online gambling on the federal level lies in the fact that the federal government is unable to control interstate commerce. Gambling is a local business right. State regulation falls under the interstate commerce power of the states. Although the power is given at the state level, it is never delegated to the federal government.
A simple lookup on Google will reveal that the leading gambling industries in the US include Las Vegas, Macao, Playtech, Commission Lodge, Bingo Palace, Coral Gables, Party Poker, Paradise Poker, Hollywood Casino and Poker Stars, Party Poker and Party Flip. Of these seven the most lucrative industry members include Las Vegas, Macao, Playtech, Commission Lodge, Coral Gables, Bingo Palace and Paradise Poker. The five most profitable members of the industry in Las Vegas are also the top five gambling cities. This makes Las Vegas a very attractive city for offshore gambling operators.
In the last Philippine elections, US President Barak Obama came out in support of a law which would allow online gambling in the Philippines. The reason why the US President has backed this legislation is the billions of dollars the local economy of the Philippines depends on its online gaming industry. Many politicians from the Philippines have been in favor of the initiative however the biggest issue is the lack of support from national leaders. The bill in question is the Bringing Back Gaming Control Act. It is currently being discussed in the House of Representatives. The main purpose of the bill is to tax online gambling and establish an all-national registry of gaming websites. This would force all internet casinos to register with the government and require that they open accounts here in the Philippines.
While the returning of the gaming control act may pass the House of Representatives, it is unlikely to become a law. National politics is blocking any legislation from becoming law in the Philippines because of fears that the bill will affect the Philippine economy. The previous attempts to pass legislation have resulted in major issues such as rising costs and cutting benefits to Filipinos. The House Majority leader however has stated that the measure will be passed by congress.