As it stands right now, individual states are absolve to prohibit or practice gambling within their borders while significant rules and limits are placed on interstate which activity. Recently, online video games has seen harsher restrictions. With the Unlawful Web Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIEGA), it was not explicitly banned but instead it was online financial transactions which were outlawed. This meant that all online financial transactions from gambling providers were now illegal which led to many offshore gambling operators excluding US consumers from their services.
Existing in this legitimate grey area, it is no more a issue of if online gambling will enter in the US market but when and perhaps how. As recently as this month, three states have got legalized online gambling and intend to begin offering bets by the finish of this year. Naturally, a gaming company in Las Vegas referred to as Ultimate Gaming was the first to offer online poker but for now restricting it to sole players in Nevada. NJ and Delaware also have legalized online gambling and so far ten other states are considering legalizing it in a few form or another.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Video gaming Association has explained that “Unless there is a federal bill passed, we will have the greatest expansion of legalized gambling in the United States. I don’t believe that’s what anyone intended, but it is what we’re witnessing.” This poses lots of questions and of course concerns for most existing commercial casinos along with American policy makers. Will legal online gambling mean fewer persons in brick and mortar casinos? Will this create a new way to obtain revenue at the state and national level? Think about taxes and regulations? An increase in gamblers?
Win1 of people including Arnie Wexler, former chairman of New Jersey’s Council On Compulsive Gambling features voiced concern that with the good this could do to create income and revenue for unique states there could be problems with an increase in compulsive gambling. There’s particular concern regarding social media in the US as some spots like Zynga have already begun taking real-money bets.
Taking in mind the questions and concerns, many resort casinos are already making ideas to extend into online gambling to complement their actual physical casinos. Geoffrey Stewart, general supervisor of Caesars INTERNET POKER has said “Like any other business, you’re always searching for what is another distribution channel.”