As it stands right now, individual states are absolve to prohibit or practice gambling of their borders while significant restrictions and limits are put on interstate and this activity. Recently, online game playing has seen harsher regulations. With Slot 777 Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIEGA), it was not explicitly banned but instead it was online financial transactions that were outlawed. This meant that all online financial transactions from gambling providers were now illegal which resulted in several offshore gambling operators excluding US consumers from their services.
Existing in this lawful grey area, it is no more a issue of if online gambling will enter into the united states market but when as well as perhaps how. As recently as this month, three claims have legalized online gambling and intend to begin offering bets by the end of the 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 sole players in Nevada. New Jersey and Delaware also have legalized online gambling therefore far ten other states are thinking about legalizing it in some form or another.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Games Association has said that “Unless you will find a federal bill passed, we are going to 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 discovering.” This poses a great deal of questions and of course concerns for most existing commercial casinos as well as American policy makers. Will legitimate online gambling mean fewer individuals 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? A rise in gamblers?
Lots of people including Arnie Wexler, ex – chairman of New Jersey’s Council On Compulsive Gambling offers voiced concern that with the good this could do to generate income and revenue for unique states there may 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 all the questions and concerns, many resort casinos are already making strategies to increase into online gambling to complement their actual physical casinos. Geoffrey Stewart, general office manager of Caesars INTERNET POKER has said “Like any business, you’re always looking for what is the next distribution channel.”