As it stands right now, individual states are free to prohibit or practice gambling of their borders while significant regulations and limits are put on interstate which activity. In recent years, online gaming has seen harsher restrictions. With the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIEGA), it had been not explicitly banned but instead it had been online financial transactions that were outlawed. This meant that online financial transactions from gambling providers were now illegal which led to various offshore gambling operators excluding US customers from their services.
Existing in this legal grey area, it is no longer a query of if online gambling will enter in the US market but when and perhaps how. As recently as this month, three states include legalized online gambling and plan to begin offering bets by the end of the year. Naturally, a gaming organization in Las Vegas known as Ultimate Gaming was the first to offer online poker but for now restricting it to sole players in Nevada. NJ and Delaware have also legalized online gambling therefore far ten other states are considering legalizing it in a few form or another.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Games Association has explained that “Unless there exists a federal bill passed, we will have the best expansion of legalized gambling in america. I don’t believe that’s what anyone intended, but it is what we’re viewing.” This poses a lot of questions not to mention concerns for many existing commercial casinos and also American policy makers. Will legal online gambling mean fewer persons in offline casinos? Will this develop a new source of revenue at the state and national level? Think about klubslot and regulations? A rise in gamblers?
Many people including Arnie Wexler, ex – chairman of New Jersey’s Council On Compulsive Gambling has got voiced concern that with the good this could do to generate income and revenue for specific states there may be problems with an increase in compulsive gambling. There is particular concern regarding social media in america as some spots like Zynga have previously begun taking real-money bets.
Taking in mind the questions and concerns, many resort casinos are already making programs to broaden into online gambling to complement their actual physical casinos. Geoffrey Stewart, general manager of Caesars INTERNET POKER has said “Like any business, you’re always searching for what is the next distribution channel.”