The Wire Act against Gambling

Gambling is one of human’s biggest passions. Las Vegas casinos are popular all over the world and are the main center of attraction. Nowadays, however, online gambling seems to be more popular. What is more, it’s rather convenient, as one can play without leaving home or office. There’re online casinos with real players, high bets and huge jackpots.

Nevertheless online gambling is strictly prohibited in the United States. In 1961 the US Government implements the Wire Act (The Federal Wire Act) against any gambling activities via telephone or any other electronic means. It says:

“Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

The Act also regulates any advertising concerning the online gambling. The two leading search engines, Yahoo and Google announced their plans to remove all the online gambling advertisement. Within a short time all the gambling ads were removed from these sites.

Many credit card issuers like PayPal, American Express, and Western Union do not accept any payments made from their cards on any kind of gambling sites. The banks of the United States do not allow any kinds of transactions that involve any payment for gambling activity.

Though, the efficacy of the Wire Act may be questioned. The Wire Act is spread all over United States and that’s all. It doesn’t include other countries, which means there aren’t any gambling online bans for other countries. That’s why most of the online gambling corporations moved their activities to the other countries. As for American players, they still play online on the gambling sites that aren’t US based.