Internet Gambling
Internet Gambling

Author: Charles Doyle

Publisher: Nova Science Publishers

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 90

ISBN-13:

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This is a brief summary of the federal criminal status implicated by conducting illegal gambling using the Internet. It also discusses some of the constitutional issues associated with prosecuting illegal Internet gambling. Gambling is primarily a matter of state law, reinforced by federal law in instances where the presence of an interstate or foreign element might otherwise frustrate the enforcement policies of state law. State officials and others have expressed concern that the Internet may be used to bring illegal into their jurisdictions. Illicit Internet gambling implicates at least six federal criminal statutes. It is a federal crime to (1) conduct an illegal gambling business, 18 U.S.C. 1955; (2) use the telephone or telecommunications to conduct an illegal gambling business, 18 U.S.C. 1084; (3) use the facilities of interstate commerce to conduct an illegal gambling business, 18 U.S.C. 1952; (4) conduct the activities of an illegal gambling business involving either the collection of an unlawful debt or a pattern of gambling offences, 18 U.S.C. 1962; (5) launder the proceeds from an illegal gambling business or to plow them back into the business, 18 U.S.C. 1956; or (6) spend over $10,000 of the proceeds from an illegal gambling operation at any one time and place, 18 U.S.C. 1957. There have been suggestions that enforcement of these provisions against illegal Internet gambling raises constitutional issues under the Commerce Clause, the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech, and the Due Process Clause. The commercial nature of a gambling business and the reliance of the Internet on telephone communications seems to satisfy doubts under the Commerce Clause. The fact that illegal activities enjoy no First Amendment protection appears to quell free speech objections. The due process arguments raised in contemplation of federal prosecution of offshore Internet gambling operations suffer when financial transactions with individuals in the United States are involved. A bibliography, citations to state and federal gambling laws, and the text of the statutes cited above are appended.

Pathological Gambling
Pathological Gambling

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-09-03

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 0309065712

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As states have moved from merely tolerating gambling to running their own games, as communities have increasingly turned to gambling for an economic boost, important questions arise. Has the new age of gambling increased the proportion of pathological or problem gamblers in the U.S. population? Where is the threshold between "social betting" and pathology? Is there a real threat to our families, communities, and the larger society? Pathological Gambling explores America's experience of gambling, examining: The diverse and frequently controversial issues surrounding the definition of pathological gambling. Its co-occurrence with disorders such as alcoholism, drug abuse, and depression. Its social characteristics and economic consequences, both good and bad, for communities. The role of video gaming, Internet gambling, and other technologies in the development of gambling problems. Treatment approaches and their effectiveness, from Gambler's Anonymous to cognitive therapy to pharmacology. This book provides the most up-to-date information available on the prevalence of pathological and problem gambling in the United States, including a look at populations that may have a particular vulnerability to gambling: women, adolescents, and minority populations. Its describes the effects of problem gambling on families, friendships, employment, finances, and propensity to crime. How do pathological gamblers perceive and misperceive randomness and chance? What are the causal pathways to pathological gambling? What do genetics, brain imaging, and other studies tell us about the biology of gambling? Is there a bit of sensation-seeking in all of us? Who needs treatment? What do we know about the effectiveness of different policies for dealing with pathological gambling? The book reviews the available facts and frames the intriguing questions yet to be answered. Pathological Gambling will be the odds-on favorite for anyone interested in gambling in America: policymakers, public officials, economics and social researchers, treatment professionals, and concerned gamblers and their families.