What other news related to online casino gambling and the United States would you expect these days other than news related to the recent Unlawful Gambling Act legislation which effectively has ushered in a new era of government-sanctioned Prohibition? Glowing predictions probably won't do the trick, for Washington has defied all expectations by passing anti-online casino provisions with little resistance sooner than anyone might have thought possible. What will the future bring online gambling in North America? That's a really good question.
And the thing is, no one has a good answer right now - or, at least, no one has an answer that is good enough right now. Not all forms of online gambling were banned, because state lotteries, horse-track betting, and other limited contests are allowed depending on how and where they are regulated. But the online casino industry has now lost a major market for its products, and you can literally bet that online casino companies are scrambling to figure out what to do next.
U.S. online casino gamblers are not the kind of people who are generally vocal about their hobby. This isn't because gambling in the U.S. carries a stigma - specifically, it is because online gambling carries a stigma. Americans critical of online casinos see a difference between a land-based casino in Las Vegas and an online casino based out of Aruba. Nevada has a Gambling Commission; Aruba is not subject to the laws of the United States, and so consumer protections are not as solid. What this means is...online gambling has a ways to go to gain the trust of the U.S. |
