The Present State of the US Gambling Industry

The big issue, of course, is the present state of the US gambling market. With news of the bill being passed, many big players in the market were forced to consider their future in the United States. Many companies had already divided their interests and had started to seek out other markets in locations such as Asia, Europe and Latin America.

With the introduction of the bill and its subsequent signing by President Bush, many public companies were faced with a huge dilemma. If they stayed put in the US market and continued with a ‘business-as-usual’ attitude, they ran the risk of their executives being arrested on American soil for illegal gambling activities. However, if they left, they would lose one of their greatest markets. After a lot of legal consultation, many of the major players in the industry such as Party Gaming and 888 decided to block US players from playing at their sites and many other companies followed suit.

The gambling watchdog organization, eCOGRA (eCommerce Gambling Regulation Assurance) has warned that if all the reputable gambling sites close camp, the void that they leave in the market will be filled with shady and unsA?"?e?crupulous sites that will not have the consumer’s best interest at heart. Players have been continuously warned to beware of businesses that promise things that seem too good to be true and to hand over money without checking licensing, software and special terms and conditions.

The media has played a huge role in creating the impression that all is lost to online casino players in the United States and that all the gambling doors have been slammed in their faces. Many desperate gamblers have been emailing gambling sites and portals, requesting up-to-date information about the new law and asking where they can gamble now that ‘all the sites have left’. This is definitely not the case. While it is true that most of the publicly listed companies have temporarily suspended their business dealings with US consumers, many other reputable companies are operating on a ‘wait-and-see’ basis and are welcoming US players with open arms. Many sites are proud to have stayed put in such an erratic market and are marketing themselves on this basis. US players can certainly find plenty of sites to play their favorite games and are enjoying great bonuses to boot.

• The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
• What Does the UIGEA Really Mean?
• The New Bill Doesn’t Mention Players
• The Present State of the US Gambling Industry
• Long Term Effects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
• The English Reaction to the New US Bill
• Conclusion of the Gambling Bill