Developments in US Online Gambling Ban

The United States government has made various attempts to stop American-based companies from offering online gambling services to its residents, including the signing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006. These actions have not only caused American online casinos to shut down but have even forced international websites to close their doors to U.S. citizens. However, there are still many online casinos that are “American-Friendly”, while passionate gamblers all over the country continue to fight the Act.

Gamers in America aren’t the only ones who are upset about the ban; casino operators in Europe are beginning to feel the harmful financial effects of banning online gambling in the U.S. The ban has excluded European casino operators from the profitable American market, and they are beginning to lose a great deal of revenue while watching their stock prices plummet. Representatives are currently in talks with members from the U.S. Trade Commission, but if nothing is solved then the EU will take their case to the World Trade Organization.

The Poker Players Alliance has also created a petition that is personally addressed to President Obama, pleading for the regulation and legalization of poker, as well as it’s exemption from the UIGEA. The petition was originally planned to obtain 200 000 signatures, but it has surpassed its goal with over 320 0000 signatures. The petition reads ‘Poker Is Not A Crime’, and will be presented to the President on July 22, 2009, during National Poker Week.

The movement is gaining support rapidly, as such big names as The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, the World Trade Organization and Harrah’s Entertainment join the fight. Many gamers feel that the ban is an infringement on the rights of people who simply want to enjoy gambling from the comfort of their own home, and with growing support, the government just might see their side of things soon.

Tags: internet gambling, online casino, online gambling, online gambling laws, online gambling news, UIGEA

This entry was posted on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 1:41 pm You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.