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US states eye Internet gaming, but Vegas is divided
2010 could be the deciding year for online gaming in the U.S., according to analyst GamblingCompliance. A report from the firm says: “More than three years after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, restrictions on Internet gaming are facing crucial tests in 2010, with federal and state governments making moves that will have a significant impact on the future of the U.S. gaming industry.”
State budget deficits are forcing legislators to consider permitting online gaming, mindful of the tax revenues it would bring.
And GamblingCompliance believes that the state lotteries, already proven revenue earners, “will lead the next wave of U.S. development toward regulated online gambling in 2010”.
There are still hurdles, however. The owners of land-based casinos in Las Vegas are divided on the merits of going online, despite the potential for leveraging their powerful brands on the Internet; the U.S. Justice Department is intensifying its investigations into offshore online gambling; and attempts to legalise online Poker in California have foundered thanks to the reluctance of some Indian tribes to support legislation which might limit their sovereignty.
