Illinois Approves Online Gambling

Lawmakers in the US state of Illinois approved this week a bill to allow residents to gamble and bet online.

The new regulation will allow wagering on horse racing at online betting sites.

The state House passed the bill by a strong margin of 87 in favor and 27 against, after it had already been passed by the senate.

However, the House rejected a bill that would have expanded casino gambling.

Lawmakers are still uncertain as to how the new rule will be affected by the federal 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which effectively banned Internet gambling by outlawing the transfer of funds from a financial institution to Internet gambling sites.