2017 May See Online Gambling Legalised in the U.S.
Posted by Harry Kane on Monday, January 16, 2017
When the U.S. state of Delaware finally legalised online gambling in 2013, it was thought that a number of additional local authorities would follow suit in the months ahead. This proved to be little more than a false dawn, however, as proposed bills in New York and California have since broken down while law-makers have struggled to legalise online gaming in a host of other states too.
2017 may finally be the year that this changes, however, with the potentially seminal state of New York shifting towards the acceptance of gambling in all forms. Just weeks ago, for example, the first traditional casino opened in the Upstate region of the Big Apple, bringing the previous dominance of New York-based tribes to an end.
What Has Happened in Upstate New York?
At first glance, it may seem strange that the opening of a bricks-and-mortar casino should be considered as good news for the online gambling industry. After all, these two entities are considered to be entirely separate, while respective establishments often compete for business.
In general terms, however, the move suggests that New York authorities are warming to the notion of gambling and its potential tax benefits for the state. This signals a significant shift in attitude, and one that may ultimately provide the necessary momentum that enables online gambling to thrive.
The construction of this new casino has been a long time in the making, with the monopoly of the tribes having first being challenged in 2013. At this time, New Yorkers voted for the construction of up to four casinos in the Upstate regions, and in the three years since the newly-commissioned Gaming Facility Location Board have organised licensing for three facilities (with the final one in the pipeline).
The Path to Legalisation and What 2017 May Bring in the Industry
The desire to leverage gambling and create additional tax revenue appears to be behind the move, while this is also the primary motivational factor for legalising online gameplay in the States. The construction and monetisation of a bricks-and-mortar casino in New York, therefore, appears to have broken down one of the primary barriers preventing legalisation, while also forging a clear path that other states can follow in 2017.
The state of New York can also no longer claim to have a moral objection to the widespread popularisation of online gambling, either, negating one of the main stumbling blocks that has been existed since 2006.
The latest developments in New York also seem to be part of a wider trend in the U.S., with the sunshine state of California looking to push through a legalisation bill at some point in 2017. Pennsylvania Senator Jay Costa has also confirmed that he will introduce a brand new, online casino bill later in the year, after separate legislation failed in each of the last four years.
Whisper it quietly, but these events could have a cumulative impact within the sector and finally drive the legalisation of online gambling in the States.