Iowa Vs. Online Gambling Affiliate Marketing

Well, as I have stated several times on these boards, with regulation comes problem in our industry. Looking at it from a federal/Las Vegas level, I have always said that entry into the industry by Las Vegas will bring restrictions with it — I would imagine that government law will have specific rules and regulations, forbidding use of off-shore gambling operators. The EU and WTO will scream about this, and of course, the US govt will turn up its deaf ears to the situation. This article points to the state of Iowa attempting to impose such restrictions.

What does this all mean ??????

Well, I think gamblers will be gamblers, and they will always continue to gamble, whether federal, state, or local laws prohibit it or not. So, what it comes down to will be the following:

1) Will the average player enjoy his/her playing experience more or less in these
government-controlled rooms ?

2) Will the sophistication of technology be as good in these state-controlled rooms, as
they are currently throughout the industry ?

3) Will it be more lucrative for a player to play in these tax-controlled rooms ? Will
players warm up to the idea of having their winnings taxed ?

4) One showstopper in my eyes is having to physically collect winnings from an online
entity. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of being able to play at home ?

If these government-run rooms cannot compete with existing off-shore operators in the areas above, the government will flop here. If it can compete, then it may very well be the deathknell for all but the biggest off-shore brands (and this will have a negative effect on the affiliate business, as we know it, as well).

All interesting stuff, of course. It will be interesting to see where this all leads.