Online Gambling Resurrection in the U.S.

Posted 2 May 2009 in Latest News

Is There Still Hope for the United States to Legalize Online Gambling Now that there is a New Administration?

In 2006, the U.S. Congress banned gaming online in the United States, localizing online casinos in offshore locations such as Antigua and the Isle of Man. But now, rumors are going around that European casino companies may actually get another shot at the U.S. online casino scene, while a lot of European countries are now loosening their bans regarding the legalization of online gaming because they can largely benefit from the revenues that they can get from sports betting.

This is especially beneficial to the U.S. In fact, Massachusetts Democrat Representative Barney Frank is expected to introduce a new legislation overturning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. This will be his second attempt in doing so, after failing in 2007. Online gaming advocates are relying on President Barack Obama and the rest of the Democrats in the congress to repeal the said law.

According to a study done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the U.S. government can raise over $50 billion in 10 years just by legalizing and applying taxes in online casino games, such as online roulette, online blackjack, and online poker for instance.

But then, things will not be resolved easily since there are still those organizations who oppose repealing the law, such as the Christian Coalition of America and National Football League.

Different sport leagues in the U.S. are also worrying that accessibility of online gambling may lead to increase in game-fixing. Hence, the legalization of sports betting may be highly unlikely.

At present, several European online casino companies are still in talks with the U.S. Justice Department, waiting for developments. Meanwhile, they have decided to extend their services to Europe and Asia.