In recent months, several federal agencies have stepped up their efforts to stop illegal online gambling. This includes the prosecution of individuals who are found to be using illegal online gambling sites as a conduit for illicit money. The United States Marshals Service, for example, has seized $3.2 million from the Discovery Communications company for accepting advertisements from Tropical Paradise, a Costa Rican casino operation. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have warned PayPal that they could face prosecution for facilitating illegal online gambling.
While online gambling sites provide easy access and anonymity, they also pose serious risks to players. Many are unregulated and difficult to trace in case of a problem. Many of them also suffer from cybersecurity problems, leaving their players’ personal data vulnerable. Hackers and scammers can access this information, and contact information is sometimes shared with third-party partners in order to promote gambling. Moreover, unregulated online gambling sites are unlikely to be trustworthy and may cause serious damage to a player’s credit score.
The US Attorney General has prohibited online casinos from accepting financial instruments from individuals involved in illegal Internet gambling. This decision was made following a lawsuit brought by the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Assn. Earlier this year, the United States Supreme Court decided that illegal Internet gambling sites violate federal law. This decision made gambling on the internet more difficult and less transparent, so state officials have stepped up their efforts to protect the public from these sites. Further, it has led to a host of other issues regarding online gambling.