US Industry Group Pushes for Legal Online Gambling

US Industry Group Pushes for Legal Online Gambling

The iDevelopment & Economic Association (iDEA), an online gaming advocacy group in the US, is urging the states to allow online gambling in their respective jurisdictions. Going online will help casinos earn revenues while their brick-and-mortar establishments remain closed.

Quick legalization is the key

iDEA suggests that states should lift restrictions on online betting so casinos can earn some revenue which is being lost because of the closure of their establishments. The Wall Street Journal reported that iDEA suggested the states to exercise their option of gubernatorial emergency powers to legalize online gambling quickly. This will help casino set up sites and start running their offerings to make up for lost revenue. Note that the US is under the second week of semi-quarantine and many casinos are shut down, forcing thousands of people out of their jobs.

US Industry Group Pushes for Legal Online Gambling

John Pappas from the group, who earlier worked as the executive director of the Poker Players’ Alliance (now the Poker Alliance), said, “Is it going to be a panacea? No. But in the face of closures like this, it underscores the need for the industry to also have an e-commerce platform.”

Will casinos change their mind?

According to Yaniv Sherman, 888 Holdings’ head of commercial developments, the big casino operators have been reluctant about online gambling but they will change their minds soon. He added that the pandemic will change the gaming industry completely.

However, the group’s push has a series of doubters too. Problem gambling groups do not believe in the swift legalization of online gambling. The executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, Keith Whyte said that using emergency powers for legalizing gambling, which causes harm to its users, will be an “incredibly bad policy.”

Whyte suggests that the legalization of any gambling product should only happen after a debate from the lawmakers and must go through the regular legislative process. Fast-tracking iDEA’s plan will provide people easier access to gambling products. This could be more harmful considering that most people are already spending time at home.

Pappas noted that the gambling industry has always supported regulation and this is exactly what they are demanding now as well. If citizens are not allowed access to regulated and legal gambling, they will more likely to visit offshore websites that do not work under federal government oversight. This could eventually be harmful to the citizens as offshore websites don’t offer legal protections like regulated websites.

About sherlock

Sherlock Gomes loves to write and express his views on anything related to Gaming, Gambling, & Casino. He has been covering Gaming for more than two years now.