St. Louis - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT), Google (NASD: GOOG) and Yahoo (NASD: YHOO) have paid a combined total of $31.5 million to settle claims brought by the Justice Department that the companies promoted illegal gambling by serving online ads for the operations between 1997-2007.

Under the settlements, Microsoft will pay $21 million, while Yahoo will pay $7.5 million and Google $3 million.

Both Microsoft and Yahoo will additionally provide free online advertising space for public service campaigns, aimed at educating young people that online gambling is illegal under U.S. law.

"These sums add to the over $40 million in forfeitures and back taxes this office has already recovered in recent years from operators of these remote-control illegal gambling enterprises," said U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway.

"Honest taxpayers and gambling industry personnel who do follow the law suffer from those who promote illegal online behavior."

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