Online Gambling is an internet based activity that allows gamblers to play games of chance at virtual casinos and poker rooms. It is growing in popularity around the world.

In 2005, Online Gambling generated over $4 billion in revenues globally. It includes casino games, sports betting and online poker.

There are numerous online casinos, all with different types of games and a variety of bonuses to attract new players. These bonuses can range from 5% to 20% of the initial deposit amount.

Most of these sites are regulated and offer fair play, dependable payouts and player protection measures. They also are regularly tested to ensure that their Random Number Generators are working correctly and provide fair results.

The most common type of online gambling is a game of poker. This is a popular form of internet gambling because it allows players to interact with other users in real time via chat or emails.

This type of internet gambling is considered legal by most states. However, there are a few state laws that make it illegal to play at an online casino.

Washington has the toughest law against online gambling and anyone caught gambling online in Washington can be prosecuted for a class C felony.

In addition to these laws, most major credit card companies refuse to accept payments from gambling Web sites because of the UIGEA, which prohibits banks and other financial institutions from transferring money to online casinos and payment processors that are associated with online casinos.