As it stands right now, individual states are free to prohibit or practice gambling within their borders while significant restrictions and limits are put on interstate and this activity. In recent years, online games has seen harsher regulations . With the Unlawful Net Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIEGA), it was not explicitly banned but rather it had been online financial transactions that were outlawed. This meant that online financial transactions from gambling service providers were now illegal which led to numerous offshore gambling operators excluding US clients from their services.
Existing in this lawful grey area, it is no more a concern of if online gambling will enter the united states market but when and perhaps how. As just lately as this month, three states have legalized online gambling and plan to begin offering bets by the finish of this year. Naturally, a gaming firm in Las Vegas known as Ultimate Gaming was the first ever to offer online poker but for now restricting it to only players in Nevada. NJ and Delaware have also legalized online gambling and so far ten other states are thinking about legalizing it in a few form or another.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association has mentioned that “Unless there exists a federal bill passed, we will have the best expansion of legalized gambling in america. I don’t think that’s what anyone intended, but it is what we’re seeing.” This poses plenty of questions and of course concerns for many existing commercial casinos and American policy makers. Will legal online gambling mean fewer people in brick and mortar casinos? Will this develop a new way to obtain revenue at hawaii and national level? What about taxes and regulations? An increase in gamblers?
Lots of people including Arnie Wexler, ex – chairman of New Jersey’s Council On Compulsive Gambling features voiced concern that with the good this could do to generate income and revenue for personal states there may be problems with an increase in compulsive gambling. There is particular concern regarding social media marketing in america as some places 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 grow into online gambling to complement their physical casinos. Geoffrey Stewart, general manager of Caesars INTERNET POKER has said “Like any other business, you’re always looking for what is another distribution channel.”