New USA Report Highlights Opportunities For Growth Amid Proposed Regulation

28 January 2010

Published by GamblingCompliance

GamblingCompliance is delighted to announce the publication of its new landmark report ‘Market Barriers: US Internet Gaming’.

More than three years after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, restrictions on internet gaming are facing crucial tests in 2010, with federal and state governments making moves that will have a significant impact on the future of the US gaming industry.

An entirely new and independent study, GamblingCompliance’s ‘Market Barriers: US Internet Gaming’ provides a comprehensive understanding of the political and legal factors in play as federal and state officials plot moves towards regulated internet gaming.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with over 60 US-based experts, the report concludes that as states across the country struggle with mounting deficits and falling tax revenues, legislators are looking beyond land-based casinos and racinos, and towards the benefits of expanding online gambling.

The report also highlights how:

• The Las Vegas casino industry remains divided over the wider fiscal implications of federal regulation, calling into question initiatives to regulate online gambling such as that proposed by Congressman Barney Frank. This is despite the fact that Las Vegas’ leading players are arguably best positioned to take advantage of extending their brands onto the internet.
   
• US Justice Department investigations into offshore internet gambling are currently intensifying and widening to target casino and poker sites, as well as operators offering sports-betting to US citizens.
   
• Efforts to approve internet poker in California have stalled over the reluctance of politically-powerful Indian gaming tribes to back any initiative that might limit their tribal sovereignty.
   
• Foreign interests face frustrations, as opportunities for-non-US companies are restricted to business-to-business and – in particular – business-to-government deals.

“There is clearly a recognition by some leading policymakers that expanded online gaming offers tremendous revenue potential to states,” said Andrew Gellatly, GamblingCompliance’s editorial director.

“We expect that US state lotteries – which have proven their revenue generation abilities and settled their online payment concerns – will lead the next wave of US development toward regulated online gambling in 2010.”

This in-depth 70,000-word report is the product of six-months of research by GamblingCompliance’s impartial analysts based in London and the US, and draws upon extensive interviews with commercial casino operators, tribal gaming interests, state lottery directors, lawyers and lobbyists.

To order a copy of the Report or for more information on GamblingCompliance visit www.gamblingcompliance.com.

For more information or for interviews, please contact:

Andrew Gellatly
Editorial Director
GamblingCompliance.com
Tel: +44 (0) 207 921 9980
Email:andrew@gamblingcompliance.com

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