News

Wednesday, 09 June 2010 08:50

Las Vegas could lose out to Atlantic City which is set to become the new Internet gambling centre in the United States.

With the prospect of big upheavals coming to the United States with regard to online gambling, there is some good news for residents of New Jersey who want to gamble online. The Intra-State Internet Gambling Bill has just been voted for approval by the Wagering and Tourism Committee of New Jersey by a hefty margin of 3 to 1. The full Senate will now have to vote on the bill at a later date before it becomes law, but the industry are quietly confident that this will come about without any hitches. Jim Whelan, the committee’s chairman, said that more than half a million residents of New Jersey are already using the Internet to play poker, so this is really an attempt to set out a way to regulate something that is already actively taking place within the state.

Under the terms set out in the bill, the casino owners and gambling operators based in Atlantic City casinos will have to be licensed in order that they can offer internet based gambling versions of the many casino games they currently provide in their brick and mortar establishments. The kinds of casino games that would be offered include poker, baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette, slots and many other casino favourites. All players would have to be at least 21 years of age and permanently reside in New Jersey State.

Joe Brennan Jr. who is the chairman of iMEGA stated that although the industry is buoyant with the news, they are keenly aware that the finish line has not yet been crossed, although the committee vote represents significant progress. He added that this point has been reached by the debate by not only emphasising the significance of gaming revenue taxes that would be made available, but also stating the case for capital investment, the creation of local jobs and the very real chance for New Jersey State becoming the national as well as global hub for the industry. Those numbers just go to show how compelling an option this is for the legislators of New Jersey to consider.

The plans set out by the state illustrate that New Jersey has the potential to supersede Las Vegas as America's top gambling spot by becoming the internet gambling hub. The expectation is that New Jersey will see annual gross revenues for the state in excess of $7 billion with the potential for the creation of more than 50,000 jobs if the Bill gets the vote of the full Senate.