Should the United States restrict online gambling because of its attendant potential for criminal money laundering? In 2002 Congress appointed the U.S. Government Accountability Office to study the issues, and it produced this informative report.

Here, discover:

. the legal framework for Internet gambling domestically and abroad
. the credit card industry's policies regarding the use of credit cards to pay for Internet gambling, and actions taken to restrict such usage
. the views of law enforcement, banking regulators, and the credit card and gaming industries on the vulnerability of Internet gambling to money laundering.

Anyone interested in the unexpected ways in which the Internet is impacting crime and society will find this an intriguing read.

The GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE was established in 1921 as the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress.