On October 13, 2006 President Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act.This act makes it illegal for banks or credit card companies to process transactions relating to online gambling. How this law will be enforced remains to be seen, as congress has been given till July 2007 to draft enforcement regulations.

On October 13, 2006 President Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act. This act makes it illegal for banks or credit card companies to process transactions relating to online gambling. How this law will be enforced remains to be seen, as congress has been given till July 2007 to draft enforcement regulations. The impact within the gaming industry will be huge. Even before the signing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act several online gambling companies filed for bankruptcy protection. With the potential of over $6 billion dollars vanishing, the continued viability of online gambling is at a serious cross-road. Critics of the law contend that its passing and enforcement will result in online gambling being pushed underground. For individuals with problem and compulsive gambling issues, aka gambling addiction this also represents a serious set of cross-roads. For individuals with a gambling addiction the internet has already proven itself to be an incredibly accessible venue, providing instant feedback and gratification. Before online gambling a gambler had to either rely on local quasi-legal venues or travel to regions where gambling was legalized. If casino gambling was gambling's gateway substance, then online gambling is gambling's equivalent of crack. So we are faced with two unanswered questions: What is the online gambling industry's next move, and what is the online gambling addict's next move? Critics of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act claim that its passing will make it easier for a dishonest gambling website to cheat online gambling users. While this could and probably will occur to a small extent I think this will not be the big picture scenario. Online gambling operations will make a big effort to stay in contact with their existing customers. They will promote and push dialog meant to encourage their players to explorer alternate means of funding their accounts and collecting their winnings. In the long run Online gambling operations may actually benefit by taking advantage of the slowness and difficulty of paying out winnings to US gamblers and in the process utilize the unpaid monies for investment purposes. For the US gambler the next move is a choice between two options. 1. How do I quit? 2. How do I continue? If the gambler decides to pursue the continued use of online gambling sites then they will start on the path that many others have taken in pursuit of something deemed unlawful. The passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act is significant not only in its impact on the Online gambling business, but in how problem, compulsive, and addiction labels are utilized in reference to gambling. A behavior that was at the very least self-sabotaging now has the potential of carrying legal consequences at a much higher level. Those who could be labeled gambling addicts now face a significantly more difficult set of obstacles if they choose to pursue their online gambling addiction. It is still too soon to tell what impact the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act will have upon gambling addiction. A positive outcome would be a greater examination of gambling addiction and the increase of individuals seeking assistance in their gambling addictions.