Yes, online gambling is big, and yes, online gambling is illegal in the United States, but that has stopped a host of entrepreneurs and businesspeople from starting online gambling sites. The way the founders of these online gambling businesses get around the legality issue in the United States is by basing their companies overseas in countries where online gambling is not illegal. The operators then claim ignorance when residents of the United States, where most of the revenue for online gambling comes from, play at their sites saying that they cannot control who and from where people are playing. So far, this little loophole has been working for these companies and, with all the profit being made in this industry, it is not surprising that someone from within the United States has tried to find a way to skirt the law so that an online gambling business could be run within the country too.

Foxwoods, a huge casino located in Connecticut, is a perfect example of a company looking for, and then using, a loophole in the law, in order to operate an online casino. The casino has set up an online gambling promotion whereby people can play slot machines and cards online without impacting the actual game or slot machine outcome. The money wagered by the online players is not actually bet at an online casino but, instead, is used by a surrogate, on behalf of the online player, at the Foxwoods casino. Foxwoods is arguing that this method is all perfectly legal and is comparing it to how some people will give a friend or relative some money to bet at a land based casino on their behalf. The state of Connecticut doesn’t agree with this argument, however, and has demanded that Foxwoods shut down their site. Foxwoods has thus complied, but it is probably only a matter of time until another land based casino gets the same or similar idea. After all, where there is money to be made, even if it is illegal, people will always try to find a way to get around the law.