People are about twice as likely to be problem or pathological gamblers if a casino is within 50 miles of their home, the study found. But with Internet access, gamblers don't need to bother driving to a casino. No regulation Gamblers who wager in most land-based casinos can at least count on regulatory oversight by a government body. On the Internet, oversight and regulation is, for now, nonexistent. Some Internet gaming sites may be legitimate, said Allen.
Some sites refuse to pay a gambler's winnings.
Others calibrate their games so players can't win. Some sell players' credit card information, Allen said. Some online casinos simply disappear after taking gambling deposits from bettors, said Allen and Lewis Endlar, a researcher at Britain's Manchester Metropolitan University. In a single day last year, Allen said eight online casinos disappeared with wagers they collected. You might think you're a valued customer until, one day, you log on and the casino isn't there.