Fifty-two percent (52%) of respondents to a recent Rasmussen Reports survey on Internet gambling believe this emerging betting medium should be more strictly regulated than other forms of gambling. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree (see crosstabs).

Overall, 40% believe online gambling should be illegal and 41% disagree.

The U.S. Senate falls in the camp of those who believe online gambling should be illegal. Late last week the Senate passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act—legislation that would ban banks and credit card companies from processing payments for online gambling bets. President Bush is expected to sign the bill within the next two weeks.

PartyGaming and 888 Holdings, two leading U.K.-based Internet gambling companies, announced that they will suspend all gambling operations in the United States when the president signs the bill.

The strong attention to the issue comes despite apparently low traffic to online gambling sites. Only 3% of those surveyed say they’ve gambled on the Internet; 96% have not.

Comparatively, 71% say they have purchased lottery tickets and 34% report having participated in a sports betting pool or betting on a sporting event. The legislation approved by the Senate last week does not affect online horse racing bets, fantasy leagues or lotteries.

Men are slightly more likely than women to gamble online and purchase lottery tickets. The genders divide, however, when it comes to sports betting—46% of men and 23% of women say they’ve gambled on sporting events or participated in pools.

Techno-savvy gamblers are spending considerable dollars to build this emerging industry. Revenue from Internet gambling sites is estimated to reach $23 billion by 2009 according to Christiansen Capital Advisors. And for those who do like to try their luck online, there is no shortage of sites for them to visit. USA Today reports that the number of online gambling Web sites has increased from 30 in 1994 to more than 2,000 in 2005

Forty-seven percent (47%) of Republicans say online gambling should be illegal and 33% say it should not. Democrats are evenly divided with 41% on each side of the issue.

Crosstabs are available for Premium Members only.