Internet gambling, as most of us know, is any form of gambling that makes use of the Internet. There are various Internet gambling companies that offer users the option to play games and gamble online. Users can sign up to their websites and bet money through electronic transactions. Online casinos, online poker, online sports betting, among others, are some of the common forms of Internet gambling. Once lured by the money that can be made through such activities, it's not unnatural for a user to get addicted to this form of gambling. However, if one is to think about the waste of productive time that online gambling results in, and the other problems that it can lead to, it becomes clear why one should stay away from online gambling or at least restrict the time spent on it. Facts ▸ Gamblers seen around the world can be classified under a few basic categories.

• For professional gamblers, it is their major source of income.
• Casual social gamblers engage in gambling activities for the purpose of entertainment.
• Serious social gamblers involve in gambling with great sincerity and may end up spending huge amounts on it.

▸ Some gamblers engage in gambling activities for escaping from the stress in their life. In this case, it can lead them to compulsive gambling wherein a person feels compelled to engage in gambling activities for which he/she sacrifices his family and career. ▸ It is said that money-laundering activities are common in case of online gambling. However, there is no evidence to prove this, as casinos and race tracks are a more common and prominent reason behind the rise in money laundering. ▸ It is commonly believed that there are higher chances of people getting addicted to Internet gambling than to other forms of it. A majority of children and youngsters are attracted to online gambling. ▸ The Interstate Wire Act of 1961 is a federal law of the United States that prohibits the operation of certain kinds of betting practices in the country. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States has proclaimed that the Federal Wire Act applies only to sports betting. ▸ In 2004, Google and Yahoo! declared the removal of online gambling advertisements from their websites. ▸ In most members of the European Union and the nations that surround the Caribbean Sea, different forms of Internet gambling are legalized. ▸ The Internet gambling industry is one of the most profitable ones today. People who have never gained any exposure to land-based casinos or local bookies find online gambling enjoyable. One of the most important advantages of Internet gambling is that it does not require you to leave your home. Your favorite game is just a few clicks away. Problems The problems with Internet gambling mainly include the risk of addiction and that of the emergence and spread of illegal practices in society. ▸ An excessive exposure to Internet gambling activities can lead to addiction. One instance of winning money is sufficient to tempt a user to bet more. A few occurrences of winning good amounts of money is enough to lure him into risking more. But one cannot get lucky every time. In an attempt to win more and more money, one continues staking it, even thoughtlessly at times. Losing big money results in heavy financial losses, which can in turn lead to frustration. ▸ Internet gambling lacks a centralized regulation. As no government authority regulates online gambling, it can lead to the spread of several illegal practices. The lack of regulation makes online gambling a prey to network hackers. Hackers gain easy access to confidential information of the users. ▸ Gambling activities that involve online money transactions are a greater risk. Lacking regulation, these sites are vulnerable to attacks by network hackers. With one's money involved, there is also a risk of one's financial or account information being hacked. One of the major Internet gambling problems is its detrimental effect on society. For more on this, you must read about the impact of Internet gambling. It can lead to addiction among youngsters. It leads to a waste of resources (time and money). And it results in a splurge of money that can rather be utilized for better reasons.