Leading Casino and political leaders recently met at the East Coast Gaming Congress to discuss the future of internet gambling in the U.S. They concluded that online gambling is set to become legal on a state-by-state basis and probably will become a reality on the near future. The U.S. online gambling market is currently in a no man’ land after the U.S. Justice Department changed its stance on the wire Act of 1961 which up to now was the main stumbling block for legalized internet gambling.
With election year in full force, Congress is full with politicians who are looking to legalize online scratch cards as a favored alternative to the unpopular tax hikes. It is hard for politicians to remain apathetic to the obvious benefits of online gambling like lottery,scratchcards and poker. In essence the law now currently allows individual stats to legalize internet gambling within their state borders except that of sports betting. While there is still not any clear position adopted it is becoming clearer and clearer that it is not a question of if but when gaming will become a reality in the U.S. again.
Legalizing internet scratch cards and poker would fund many state projects that otherwise would not get off the ground. Gaming revenues from social scratch games are a guaranteed income generator which in recession times is essential for economic rejuvenation.Panelists at the Conference agreed that the U.S. Congress is not able to decide on legalizing gambling and it will therefore be up to the individual states to introduce legislation that legalizes and controls online casino gambling.
The potential for online gambling is unlimited as Chairman of US Digital Gaming, Richard Bronson pointed out that there are over 40 million people who play social games on Facebook daily while “only” 40 million people visited Las Vegas to gamble in an entire year. With millions of daily social gamblers on Facebook it is not hard to see how they could be converted to real money scratch card or online poker players. The line between social games and socially based gambling like scratchcards is narrowing the whole time.
They predicted that New Jersey will become the Silicon Valley of Internet gambling. As we have reported New Jersey is among the leaders in preparing legislation to make it a reality. It seems an inevitable certainty that in the very near future the U.S. will become part of the global internet gaming industry and will join the ever growing list of countries who embrace legalized gambling like that of scratchcards and online poker. There are daily reports of progress which without a doubt lead to the conclusion that legalized online scratchgames will are set to become a right and not a privilege.