Online Casinos Protest Protectionism
The United States is surely a diverse marketplace and there are constantly
changing laws and legislation in the country in regards to the online casino
gambling industry. One of the big concerns has always been the fact that the
UIGEA bans foreign internet gambling companies from processing transactions with
US gamblers, yet has carve-outs in place that do allow certain US companies to
process internet gambling and betting. That is a key sticking point for why the
US has consistently loss any and all debates and stands off with the European
Union or the World Trade Organization. The US is not wholly opposed tot eh
online casinos, just those operating outside of the US; and it’s that sticking
point of protectionist policy that has the community up in arms this week.
The state of Illinois has announced that laws regarding online gambling on the
horse races is about to change. Basically, Illinois gamblers will soon be able
to visit one of the licensed internet betting sites and place their bets. The
state plans to circumvent the federal legislation banning many types of internet
activity by not offering the online casinos, and also by keeping all of the
accepted bets limited to in-state Illinois residents. The UIGEA is argued by
lawyers and experts to only apply to intra-state betting and as long as the
companies do not process bets from out-of-state, then the activity should be
free and clear.
But what does that mean for the foreign online casinos that argue that they have
a right to compete with US-based companies for a share of the horse betting
public. These companies are willing to play by any rules that the US and the
state governments establish, but they are demanding equal rights to the small
legal US internet gambling market that does exist. |