FBI agents have visited casinos within Second Life, the online virtual world, at the invitation of its creator Linden Lab, but the US Government has not decided on the legality of virtual gambling.

Ginsu Yoon, Linden Lab’s business affairs vice-president, said that the company was seeking guidance on virtual gaming activity in Second Life, but had not yet received clear rules from American authorities. The FBI and the US Attorney’s Office for Northern California declined to comment. Second Life is a popular online virtual world, with millions of registered users and its own economy and currency, known as the Linden dollar, which can be exchanged for US dollars.

Hundreds of casinos offering poker, slot machines and blackjack can be found easily in Second Life. While it is difficult to estimate the total size of the gambling economy in Second Life, the three largest poker casinos earn profits of $1,500 (£760) each per month, according to casino owners. (Reuters)

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