onlinegambling

__**Online Gambling**__

"..Can be done in the bathroom."




 * History**

The history of gambling can be traced back thousands of years, but the history of online gambling only just started in the 1990s. Although the online gambling industry was still in it's premature stage at that time, it became a multi-billion dollar industry very quickly.

This promising industry truly took flight when Antigua of Bermuda passed a legislation enabling online casinos to operate within their jurisdiction, or better known as the Free trade and Processing Zone Act. Two brothers took this opportunity and created CryptoLogic, a company responsible for creating and designing the very first fully functional client software to safely handle online financial transactions (eCash). Following the introduction of this software, InterCasino, one of the first online casinos, was established on October 1996 by the very same company.

Online gambling took a further step with the Texas Hold'em poker boom, introduced by various companies such as Paradise Poker and Party Poker. At this stage of the online gambling industry, the annual revenue was approximately $835 million dollars. In 2002, online casino produced it's very first millionaire, but it was Chris Moneymaker's win at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) from a Party Poker buy-in that made online gambling, especially online poker, public.

As we speak, there are millions of people gambling online this very moment, all with the same dream, to strike wealth and strike fame overnight.


 * Legislature**

The US Congress passed a bill in October 2006, making it illegal for banks and credit card companies in the US to process gambling payments. This has been done to reduce the large amounts of debt that many 'gambling addicts' fall into each year. This has lead to a spiral effect, and most recently, on the 30th of November 2006 South Africa issued punishments for operators offering online gambling. These punishments range from fines up to R10 million and/or 10 years in prison.


 * Facts**


 * Graphs**

(Source onlinecasinocafe.com)



(Source: onlinecasinocafe.com)


 * Literature and Online Gambling**

(Source: highstakes.co.uk)


 * Who is the targeted market? (How and why?)**

The targeted market of the online gambling world are people between the ages of 21+, more specically, men. There really is no age limit in a casino, and the same can be said for online. But, for those who take a keen interest in horse race betting, cards games, and slot machines, online gambling is targeted at you. The simple convenience of doing something you enjoy in the comfort of your own home is seen as a huge advantage and those with the credit to play, are wanted. Since the poker craze a few years back, younger male adults have become the main target. The mentality ' oh it's easy money' is the online gambling world biggest customer and usually, biggest loser.


 * Online Casino Advertisements and Marketing**



(Source 1)


 * __Are You Addicted To Gambling? GET HELP!!!__**
 * GamCare http://www.gamcare.org.uk/
 * http://sportsgambling.about.com/od/gamblingaddiction/a/Addiction_Facts.htm
 * Friends4Friends http://www.friends4friends.ca/
 * Know The Score http://www.knowthescore.ca/


 * __Types Of Online Gambling:__**
 * Sports Betting
 * Poker
 * Casino
 * Stock Market
 * Bingo
 * Lottery


 * __Works Cited__**

[|**www.online-gambling-blog.com/**] (image credits source 1 ) http://www.onlinecasinocafe.com/online_casinos_statistics.htm http://www.highstakes.co.uk/shop/product.php/2584/0/ http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=28315,1,22 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/guernsey/5400786.stm