Then, two years ago, the Cranston, R.I., resident got hooked. I don't have to leave home. I don't even have to get dressed. I don't have the time to think about the fact that I'm going to throw my money away when all I have to do is walk into the other room and turn the computer on. The trend has caught the attention of those who worry about a new generation of addicts and gambling's accessibility to minors.
Federal law prohibits the use of the Internet for sports betting.
A bill that passed the Senate last year also would make it illegal to bet on casino-style games online. The number of online casinos has mushroomed from 15 in 1996 to more than 700 today, according to industry research. Cybercasinos accessible to U.S. players have headquarters offshore, from the Caribbean to Europe to Australia. The 4 million Americans who are expected to gamble online this year account for about 50 percent of the industry's revenues, analysts said.