They Feel Threatened
The negative reactions from the land casinos stems entirely from the fact that
the land gambling industry feels threatened by the success of online gambling.
In a time when some land gambling venues in the U.S. and other countries are
feeling the pinch of a slowing global economy, the online casinos are expanding
exponentially and the industry continues to rapidly expand. A recent
international meeting of delegates in Switzerland last week underscored the
fears and concerns coming from land gambling trade unions and others affected
fluctuations within the land gambling sector. The members at the UNI Global
union meeting all seemed to center on one main issue – the threats facing the
industry due to online casino and mobile gambling.
In addition to concerns for the mobile and online casino gambling industries,
the delegates really focused on the growing potential in the Asian gambling
industry. Macau is one of the most lucrative land gambling meccas in the world –
surpassing Las Vegas just recently to generate the most revenue and process the
most gambling monies. As Macau indicates, the Asian gamblers are primed and
ready for more exposure to land gambling. The online casino gambling industry is
also vying for entry into the Asian gambling industry, but at this point there
are really only a few regions that have legalized either land or internet
gambling.
The delegates though stressed that the market was slowly opening as the Asian
governments begin to slowly liberalize their gambling legislation. But even the
excitement of more land gambling revenues from the Asian gambling industry could
not outweigh the looming threat of online casino gambling. The Unions feel that
online and mobile gambling provides gamblers with unmonitored access to
gambling, which then leads to abuse from underage and addictive gamblers. The
delegates and unions left the meeting in Switzerland though with little
resolution as to how to stem the flow of land gamblers increasingly using
internet gambling sites. |