Worldwide Online gambling revenues will top $10 billion in 2005 for operators of virtual casinos and bookmaking, a market research firm said.
The report by the firm eMarketer said the 10 billion dollars represents only the "Vig," or house cut - which means there was likely well over 200 billion dollars in play over the year.
"Fuelled by a poker craze, the growth of broadband, and television coverage, online gambling is quickly moving to the mainstream," says Ben Macklin, Analyst at eMarketer.
Online gambling is considered by US authorities to be illegal, but that does not prevent many Americans from visiting Internet gaming sites, which are mainly based offshore.
The eMarketer report said various research shows 20million to 30 million US Internet users visited gambling or sweepstakes sites in February 2005, representing about 15 to 18 per cent of all us internet users.
"US consumer spending on gambling is roughly 20 times the amount they spend on digital music downloads," the report noted.
In Europe, the report found 14 million Internet users visited gambling or sweepstake sites, with Germany having the largest number of users.
As a percentage of Internet users, however, France and Sweden top the list.
Macklin said TV coverage of poker tournaments, and the $ 2.5 million win of American online player Chris moneymaker in the 2003 world series of Poker, gave the sector a lift.
The report by the firm eMarketer said the 10 billion dollars represents only the "Vig," or house cut - which means there was likely well over 200 billion dollars in play over the year.
"Fuelled by a poker craze, the growth of broadband, and television coverage, online gambling is quickly moving to the mainstream," says Ben Macklin, Analyst at eMarketer.
Online gambling is considered by US authorities to be illegal, but that does not prevent many Americans from visiting Internet gaming sites, which are mainly based offshore.
The eMarketer report said various research shows 20million to 30 million US Internet users visited gambling or sweepstakes sites in February 2005, representing about 15 to 18 per cent of all us internet users.
"US consumer spending on gambling is roughly 20 times the amount they spend on digital music downloads," the report noted.
In Europe, the report found 14 million Internet users visited gambling or sweepstake sites, with Germany having the largest number of users.
As a percentage of Internet users, however, France and Sweden top the list.
Macklin said TV coverage of poker tournaments, and the $ 2.5 million win of American online player Chris moneymaker in the 2003 world series of Poker, gave the sector a lift.
