Federal Laws Governing Online Gambling

Several federal statutes impose criminal penalties for illegal Internet gambling. These include the Wire Act, the Travel Act, and the Illegal Gambling Business Act. The law can result in fines of up to five years in prison. In addition, owners of illegal gambling businesses can be prohibited from receiving payments from customers who place illegal bets.

The Travel Act prohibits facilitating, promoting, or advertising unlawful gambling in interstate or foreign commerce. The statute can be applied to gambling facilities and telecommunications services as well as illegal Internet gambling sites. The law is also applicable to sports betting sites.

The Illegal Gambling Business Act prohibits a gambling business from knowingly accepting payment from an illegal Internet bet. Owners can be incarcerated for up to five years and fined up to $500,000. However, some states have passed laws to regulate and monitor illegal Internet gambling sites. These laws include the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which is designed to regulate gambling on Indian lands. Other states have created their own laws to regulate Internet gambling sites.

The Travel Act’s most notable feature is the prohibition against illegal gambling in interstate or foreign commerce. This statute also prohibits money laundering and the promotion of illegal gambling.

The law also prohibits illegal Internet gambling sites from selling or advertising products to help users place their illegal bets. The law also requires that a gambling business be located in a single state. In addition, the law prohibits the use of gambling devices in connection with illegal Internet gambling. This title also includes appropriate data security standards.