Mississippi seeks to join Nevada and Delaware as the only states in the US to offer legalized internet gambling to their residents and travelers. With the US Department of Justice mandating that each individual state in the US should be able to dictate their own online gambling laws, some Mississippi lawmakers have been aggressively pursuing a legalized online gambling package for the Magnolia State. Their 2012 proposal did not survive, and they are back pushing for a 2013 effort.
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Nevada Senator Reid Selling Fed Poker Bill to New Jersey
First, a quick chronological breakdown of the evolution of online poker and online gambling in the United States the past couple of years. Up until late last year, it was illegal for American-based companies to offer online poker and online casinos to American residents. In December the US Department of Justice reversed their decision regarding online lottery ticket sales and online poker. They dictated that interactive gaming could legally be policed at the individual state level. Since then Nevada and Delaware have both passed a legislative package allowing online poker and online gambling respectively.
US States Ignore Federal Delays With Their Own Online Gambling Regulation
In what many industry analysts saw as one of the best opportunities for a federal online gambling legislation package, the 2012 lame duck session has come and gone in the US. After the ruling by the United States Department of Justice in late 2011 that many forms of online gambling were no longer considered illegal, the door was open for a follow-up announcement of a federal interactive online gaming package. That never occurred, and with the election and fiscal cliff doom and gloom hanging over American’s heads, federal passage of online gaming legislation in the United States was pushed to the back burner.
Interstate Online Gaming Bill Hits Nevada Legislature
Thanks to the Department of Justice changing their long-held opinion regarding online gambling in the United States, each individual state can decide their own online gambling destiny. Since that changed late last year, both Nevada and Delaware have passed legislation which allows online gambling for residents and visitors when located in those state boundaries. A recent interactive gaming bill just hit the Nevada legislative branch that, if passed, would allow for players in other states to enjoy online poker and other online gaming options offered by the Silver State.
NJ Senate Says OK to Online Gambling – Governor Christie’s Turn Once Again
New Jersey online gambling proponents are holding their breath. In 2011 a legislative package which would legalize online casino gambling in New Jersey passed through the State Assembly by nearly a 6 to 1 margin. The Internet interactive gaming bill was then easily approved by the state Senate, and needed only to receive Governor Christie’s okay and signature to make the Garden State the first US state at that time to legalize an online gambling package. It didn’t happen.
NJ Assembly Says Yes to Online Gambling Bill
Just last year the New Jersey State Assembly okayed an online gaming legislation package by a nearly 6 to 1 margin. The assembly approved passage with a vote of 63 to 11, but that was still not enough to convince Governor Christie that online gambling was right for his state. He vetoed that legislation, and pro-internet gambling lawmakers were forced back to the drawing board. A revised package recently made its way to the Assembly, and on Monday, December 17, that online gaming bill received an early holiday present when it was okayed by a vote of 48 for, 25 against and 3 uncommitted votes.
Nevada Brick-and-Mortar Casinos Apply for Virtual Poker Licenses
During this wonderful holiday season, Americans generally take a moment to reflect on the past year and count their blessings. Online poker players in Nevada, as well as travelers to The Silver State, can be thankful that Nevada was the first state to pass online poker legislation in the United States this year. Delaware is the only other state to follow up on the United States Department of Justice allowance that each individual state choose their online poker destiny, but it appears Nevada is the clear front runner to officially shuffle up and deal online with the legal blessing of the United States government. Currently 12 operators have been approved for online interactive gaming licenses in Nevada, but the list of applicants continues to grow.
Lame-Duck Session in Congress Good or Bad for Online Poker
Is the possible passage of gambling laws in the United States more favorable or less favorable now that Congress is in a lame-duck session? With the inability of Congress to agree on just about anything, it is hard to envision any situation that would guarantee a clear-cut legislative victory which would allow Internet gambling in the United States. But whether you voted for him or not, Obama’s reelection actually speaks volumes for the possibilities of getting some nationwide gambling laws passed before Congress reconvenes in 2013, possibly in 2012.
Casino Players Position Themselves for $10 Billion US Gambling Market
Gambling industry analysts expect the United States online gambling marketplace to reach $10 billion in annual sales as early as 2017. That estimate comes in spite of the fact that no state in the US has yet to actually offer any form of legalized online gambling since the Department of Justice changed their stance on the legalities of gambling online. Nevada and Delaware have each legalized online poker and a full slate of online gambling offerings respectively since that the DOJ flip-flop, but both states are still in the approval and licensing process currently. But that has not stopped major US casino operations from rushing to understand and fully embrace Internet gaming.
Northern Nevada Future Bigwig of US Online Casino Games
Sometime in the next couple of months, the Reno based software developer 3G Studios will debut their online poker site. They recently launched their SlotALot.com online slots room, and just became the first video game company to apply for an online poker license in the United States. And until Nevada works out all the kinks in their online poker infrastructure, the up-and-coming software and video game developer will have to be happy with allowing players to gamble with free tokens. But that is still an incredibly lucrative undertaking, as virtual gambling with fake money or tokens created $2.4 billion in 2011.