The United States has been reluctant to adopt online gambling, but as many states struggle with limited budgets, they are beginning to change their tune. The New York Times reports that Washington, D.C., is looking for a way to boost revenue, and online casinos may be the way they choose to do it.
The inspiration for the change in policy stems largely from the fact that many area residents are going to casinos in neighboring states, thus spending their money elsewhere. Lawmakers hope to introduce the practice by as early as the end of this year.
“They can do it from Starbucks, a restaurant, bar or hotel, or from a private residence,” Buddy Roogow, executive director of the D.C. Lottery, told the Times. “That’s real money in D.C.”
Roogow believes the casinos could bring in as much as 9 million a year, and while the measure might pass in the D.C. online casinos still faces a uphill battle at the federal level. Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl recently wrote a letter to the Justice Department urging it to prohibit gambling over the internet.
