As it stands today, individual states are free to prohibit or practice gambling of their borders while significant restrictions and limits are placed on interstate and this activity. Recently, online video games has seen harsher rules. With the Unlawful Net Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIEGA), it had been not explicitly banned but instead it had been online financial transactions which were outlawed. 1Win Brasil meant that online financial transactions from gambling providers were now illegal which led to various offshore gambling operators excluding US buyers from their services.
Existing in this lawful grey area, it is no longer a dilemma of if online gambling will enter the united states market but when and perhaps how. As recently as this month, three states contain legalized online gambling and intend to begin offering bets by the end of this year. Naturally, a gaming company in Las Vegas referred to as Ultimate Gaming was the first ever to offer online poker but also for now restricting it to just players in Nevada. New Jersey and Delaware have also legalized online gambling therefore far ten other states are considering legalizing it in some form or another.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Video gaming Association has said that “Unless you will find a federal bill passed, we are going to have the best expansion of legalized gambling in america. I don’t believe that’s what anyone intended, nonetheless it is what we’re witnessing.” This poses a great deal of questions not to mention concerns for most existing commercial casinos and American policy makers. Will legitimate online gambling mean fewer people in brick and mortar casinos? Will this create a new source of revenue at hawaii and national level? What about taxes and regulations? An increase in gamblers?
Lots of people including Arnie Wexler, previous 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 specific states there may be problems with a rise in compulsive gambling. There’s particular concern regarding social media in the US as some areas like Zynga have already begun taking real-money bets.
Taking in mind the questions and concerns, many resort casinos are already making ideas to broaden into online gambling to complement their bodily casinos. Geoffrey Stewart, general office manager of Caesars INTERNET POKER has said “Like any business, you’re always searching for what is the next distribution channel.”
