The Scope is Small
Debates are raging in the United States about the online casino gambling
industry – so much so that there is not likely to be much of a change any time
too soon despite the hopes of the gambling sites. There is so much controversy
surrounding the internet gambling industry and the current Obama administration
has a lot on its plate where healthcare are concerned so the internet gambling
industry is taking a backseat to some of the more pressing issues. But that is
action at the federal level; the online casinos are taking baby steps forward in
the individual US states this month as the state of Illinois votes on new
gambling laws that would greatly expand the scope of land and internet horserace
betting in the state.
Several US states have begun to consider legalizing forms of online casino
betting and poker within the state borders as a way to bring in more cash
revenue into the state budget. Illinois is the first of the US states to make
such a bold move that is only theoretically legal; some experts still believe
that the in-state internet gambling sites may not be legal under the UIGEA. The
problem is, the UIGEA is so ambiguous that it’s hard to know just where legality
lies.
Although the online casino gambling and poker industry is riding a fine line of
legality, there is a very real chance that Illinois will start a rampant trend
in the US. Budgets are tight and internet gambling is popular, with the proper
regulations and controls in place the state governments believe that there is
enough revenue potential to justify the licensing and regulation of internet
betting operations that will operate only for gamblers within that state’s
borders. This may be only a small step but it is the closest thing to progress
that the online casino industry has seen in the past several years. |