What is the Legal Gambling USA Situation?

What is the legal gambling USA situation at the moment? Especially after the dreaded UIGEA that was passed years ago. Gambling laws change regularly in the USA and there are sites that promote legal online casinos. Read more about those sites.

First the passing by the New Jersey legislation of an online poker and gambling bill and its subsequent signing into law by Gov. Chris Christie. Then the launching of the first fully legal online poker operation in Nevada may have given new hope for people rooting for the cause of legal US online casinos and poker in the US. But but since, the failure of PokerStars to follow through on a plan to acquire a live gambling operation in New Jersey as a way to secure a foothold in the budding legal US market, has indeed ruined the overall outlook.

The worst thing about the above said PokerStars failure was that – no longer opposed by the state – it was brought about by other online gambling interests, looking to throw a wrench into the plans of the world’s largest online poker operator to return to the US, thus forwarding their own interests.

There was an initial push that the online poker and gambling law received from Politicians. This included its main sponsor, State Sen. Raymond Lesniak. It came with the understanding that the eventual passing of the bill would allow PokerStars to set up shop in the Garden State. Thus quickly and efficiently turning it into the epicenter of the newly legalized online poker and gambling market in the US. Other states would doubtlessly follow in New Jersey’s footsteps.

American Gaming Association

One of the entities opposed to PokerStars’ presence in New Jersey is the AGA (American Gaming Association) . They filed a brief with the authorities a while ago. In this brief they listed its arguments against the PokerStars-Atlantic Club Casino transaction. The AGA’s moves resulted in the indirect blocking of the PokerStars deal by authorities.

Regardless of the apparent setback however, the Garden State pushes forward with its online poker/gambling law.

The proposed regulations set a clear framework within which future online poker/gaming companies are expected to operate. Setting at the same time a road map for other states who may wish to go down the path of legalization as well. There are a couple of regulatory proposals which have online gaming supporters like the PPA worried. Like the provision requiring online players to go through an elaborate login process.  Moreover, the one stipulating that player accounts without activity for a year will be considered dormant. This is because the funds within them shall be forfeited.

In their current shape and form, these regulations only represent a draft version of the final document. This, however,  means improvements may be forthcoming. Michigan is the Newest USA State to launch Online Gambling.