As it stands right now, individual states are free to prohibit or practice gambling within their borders while significant rules and limits are put on interstate which activity. Recently, online games has seen harsher rules. With the Unlawful Net 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 dealings from gambling providers were now illegal which resulted in countless offshore gambling operators excluding US customers from their services.
Existing in this legitimate grey area, it is no more a concern of if online gambling will get into the US market but when and perhaps how. As lately as this month, three says possess legalized online gambling and plan to begin offering bets by the end of this year. Naturally, a gaming organization in Las Vegas known as Ultimate Gaming was the first ever to offer online poker but also 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 Games Association has mentioned that “Unless there is a federal bill passed, we are going to have the greatest expansion of legalized gambling in america. I don’t think that’s what anyone intended, nonetheless it is what we’re viewing.” Dolar138 poses a great deal of questions not to mention concerns for many existing commercial casinos in addition to American policy makers. Will lawful online gambling mean fewer men and women in offline casinos? Will this create a new way to obtain revenue at the state and national level? What about taxes and regulations? A rise in gamblers?
Lots of people including Arnie Wexler, ex – chairman of New Jersey’s Council On Compulsive Gambling possesses voiced concern that with all the good this could do to generate income and revenue for particular states there could be problems with a rise in compulsive gambling. There is 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 plans to expand into online gambling to complement their actual casinos. Geoffrey Stewart, general supervisor of Caesars Online Poker has said “Like any business, you’re always searching for what is another distribution channel.”