Many rumors have been circulating regarding the legalization of online gambling in the United States. Many experts believe the US will legalize online gaming by the end of this year or early in 2012. Several states and the District of Columbia have indicated their intention to provide residents with legal online gambling. Since the online gambling would be limited to residents within these states federal law will be difficult to enforce and should the federal government intervene long court battles are expected. During the last five years many online bingo sites have reported a surge in the number of American players despite the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. (UIGEA)
Prohibitionist measures against online gaming in the United States have been ineffective. US citizens have made their desires known and online gambling revenues from players in the US continues to rise year on year. Proponents of legalization insist that new legislation will effectively tax and regulate all forms of online gaming and that gambling laws will protect players in the United States from rogue gambling sites. At the present time American players are unprotected and have no recourse in the event of unethical or unscrupulous practices by rogue gaming operators. So far the most promising piece of legislation has been sponsored by Representatives Barney Frank of Massachusetts and John Campbell of Colorado. Frank is a Democrat and Campbell is a Republican and both are hoping the bill receives bipartisan support in Congress.
Online players in the US overwhelmingly say it is time for the government to remove prohibitionist measures and allow American citizens the freedom to dispose of their incomes as they see fit. Sponsors of the ban in 2006 said that the UIGEA was designed to ‘protect’ the public against gambling ‘addiction’ and to prevent ‘money laundering’ even though there had never been one case of money laundering at any online gaming website. Legalization proponents point out that a regulated online gaming market in the US would protect players and be beneficial to the state in the form of increased tax revenues. Supporters of legalization also point out that the government will receive billions in new tax revenues from online gaming.
Most online gamblers in the US agree that paying a tax on gambling is a small price to pay for protection from criminal elements. Online gambling operations based in the US could create thousands of new jobs and put the unemployed to work. Clearly the positive aspect of legalized online gambling outweighs the negative aspects. Many American players at bingo sites are wondering when legalization will finally come. Hopefully the issue will be resolved this year!
