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Thursday, October 05, 2000 Scene    WWW.LOSEYOURMONEY.COM     Internet gambling just a credit card number away   tried gambliing.com? Some advice: Don't bet on the Bengals Internet gambling has grown into a multi-million dollar business, providing users around the world with virtual casinos and sports books   Don't roll snake eyes: The Senate doesn't like it, but online casinos appear to be here to stay   Janet Chui CONTRIBUTING WRITER   Do you feel lucky?   All you need is a computer and an Internet connection, and you have access to thousands of online casinos, sports books, online sweepstakes, lotteries and sites that give you free "best bets" for the NCAA and NFL, among others. Pick from blackjack, slots, roulette, poker, baccarat, craps, keno, Lotto, horse racing, dog racing, football, basketball, hockey...the list goes on.   Online gambling is not that different from real gambling. The money is real, even if you don't see any colored chips or green bills changing hands. With secure web servers accepting MasterCard and Visa transactions (some sites even accept bank drafts and wire transfers off-line), Internet gambling sites are raking in more than $1 billion in bets per year.   Sportsbooks work like online bookies that accept credit cards; these and Web casinos don't give you interaction with any human dealers. And in casino gambling, you're playing against a computer program. You can choose to play at a "table" where you can chat with other online gamblers from around the world, or you can have a private game. Many sites set minimum deposits to start an account for gambling, usually around $20. Minimum wagers for card games and roulette can start around 25 cents, while those for sportsbooks around $10.   If you're apprehensive about dishonest sites, giving away your credit card number and playing with real money, many sites provide a "demo version" where deposits are not required. Of course, no cash is won either. There are also online lotto games and sweepstakes that don't require money to play but still promise cash prizes.   However, not everyone is enthusiastic about Internet gambling. In February, the Senate approved a bill called the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and passed a version to the House of Representatives for their approval.   The bill would make it illegal for anyone to engage in a gambling business to use the Internet to make bets, or to exchange or invite information assisting in the placing of bets. The bill failed to get sufficient votes from the House in July, but is likely to come up again.   Even if the law passes, most gambling sites are based in off-shore places like Antigua and Costa Rica to avoid the reach of U.S. laws.   Such Internet bills are trying to protect people from problems like addiction and bankruptcy. Bill supporters might be forgetting, though, that at the same time the Internet provides vices, it provides sites for gambling addicts to get help as well. So right after you lose all your money, you're just a click away from an addiction program.     Current Headlines Scene

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