Nevada is the only state thus far that allows its residents to play online poker, and it will likely soon be followed by a great deal more. However, the question of whether or not the industry will boost revenue in states is still up in the air, according to Governing.com.
The American Gaming Association estimates that legalizing online poker could create approximately $2 billion a year in new tax revenues for the country. Other states, like Iowa, have a more modest outlook, but believe it will still produce a great deal of revenue, according to the news source.
When it comes to online roulette, blackjack or slots, it is easy to identify how the creator of the online casino and the state would make money. However, it is not as clear with online poker.
"[In casinos that have poker], the casino takes a rake, or small percentage of each pot," David G. Schwartz, the director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, told the news source. "The percent varies from 2 to 5 percent of each pot. That’s how they make money. If states did it online, a state lottery corporation could run a poker room and take a portion of the pot. But it’s not like this is free money. You have to market the site. You have to develop the site."
The news outlet reports that intensive regulation may be the most important issue when it comes to protecting individuals in each state. This way, the state comes out with specific rules players must abide by in order to play.
The latest news to surround online gambling in the U.S. was Washington D.C. rejecting online gambling, according to Online-Casinos.com. It was dismissed after the council felt that a previous bill that was passed, which included provisions to allow new types of gambling, was underhanded. Many in the city are now disheartened, as it could have saved the state millions of dollars in upcoming years.
Do you think that online gambling will produce the revenue that is expected of it? Do you think it will be legalized in the U.S. as a whole or will each state slowly approve it?
