Online poker is currently illegal in the United States. The United States Justice Department has started to seriously crack down on casinos offering online poker. This has led to a number of players going so far as to leave for Canada to continue playing online poker.
Past, Present and Future of Online Poker Regulation
For the past five years, online gambling has been illegal. Players have continued to participate in online poker tournaments anyways. Until a few months ago, they didn’t think they would have anything to be concerned about.
However, there may be some hope for online poker players. There is a lot of speculation that online poker will be legal soon. This will allow them to continue with one of their favorite pastimes, which has turned into a full-time job for many of them.
Even the Senate Majority Leader is betting that online poker will be legal soon. Senator Reid says the Senate will probably vote on a bill to legalize online poker soon. He says he isn’t sure when yet, but is confident that time will come.
Why is There Hope for Online Poker?
It’s easy to be skeptical about legalizing online poker. The Justice Department and law enforcement have argued that online poker plays a big role in crimes such as fraud and money laundering. Considering how much of a risk they think it is, one would think they wouldn’t want to legalize it.
On the other hand, politicians realize the benefits to legalizing online poker. They are looking for ways to close the national deficit. Rather than raise income taxes, they could tap into new revenue sources.
New Jersey To Offer Online Gambling
Estimates suggest Americans bet about $6 billion a year with online poker. Congress could raise a lot of new revenue by taxing online poker.
Many states are starting to adopt laws giving a fresh future to the online poker industry. Right now, the industry is eagerly waiting for approval by the federal government.
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Will Online Poker Be Legal Before 2013?
Opportunities for the Industry
The legalization of online poker would drive revenues for casinos up almost overnight. Online poker sites would stand to become much more profitable than any of their competitors in Las Vegas casinos. This leaves online affiliates eagerly asking themselves when their day will come.
For the time being, that question remains to be answered. In the meantime, many gaming firms are stepping up to take a part in the discussion. They hope to be able to speed the process along and influence the regulation process.
Some casinos are located in Nevada. They have a detailed understanding of how the regulation system works, both in their own state and in Washington. They intend to voice their opinions and raise arguments in front of the media. They hope their words will help get the message across to politicians in Washington.
The regulation of online poker has been a drag on players. They are eagerly awaiting the day when online poker is legal and they can go back to cashing in on the skills they’ve toned over the past few years.