| With the effects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling | | | | We'll see what takes place in the upcoming |
| Enforcement Act (UIGEA) making themselves clear | | | | Presidential elections, during which we may see a |
| one month after the bill was made into law, many | | | | promise to legalize online gambling and repeal the |
| are asking themselves 'What are its benefits?'. | | | | UIGEA. If politicians want to use online gambling as a |
| The US government says that it passed the UIGEA | | | | political maneuver, it will be more beneficial to promise |
| law because it was worried about a rise in online | | | | American billions in tax dollars and jobs. |
| gambling addiction. Since online casinos put gambling | | | | Although the negative aspects of the industry have |
| access into every home in America, they believe that | | | | been discussed to the point of nausea, few are |
| Americans are now at a severe risk of developing | | | | talking about what the online casino industry will do |
| gambling addictions. However, as the government | | | | for the United States. So what are the benefits of |
| shouts about an online gambling addiction epidemic, | | | | legalizing and regulating the online casino industry? |
| studies show that no major rise in gambling addiction | | | | After a year or so of the UIGEA being in effect, |
| exists. In fact no large rise has taken place in | | | | many of the 3,000 small online sites will have gone |
| gambling addictions over the last 10 years, almost the | | | | out of business (it's already started), and only the |
| whole lifespan of the online casino industry. | | | | largest online casino companies will be left standing. |
| Current speculation claims that the real reason behind | | | | The larger casinos will be out of the US market and |
| the UIGEAis that online casinos are not based in the | | | | American land-based casinos will be free to take over |
| USA and therefore are not taxed by the US | | | | if the ban is repealed. Legalized online casinos would |
| government. Also, since online gambling is not | | | | bring billions into the United States economy, and |
| regulated and monitored, Americans do not pay | | | | rumors already exist that Vegas casinos are pushing |
| taxes on online casino wins like they do on land | | | | to repeal the ban and take advantage of the wide |
| based casinos. It is estimated that the US | | | | open gap in the industry. |
| government is losing out on nearly $600 million in | | | | If the ban is repealed right now, not only will billions |
| taxes each year. | | | | flood the US economy, but Americans who are |
| Some rumors claimed that the UIGEA was an | | | | continuing to bet in online casinos, would be safer. |
| attempt by Republicans to hold on to a majority in | | | | The casinos that are refusing to leave the US market |
| this year's mid-term Congressional elections. The ban | | | | are more often than not the smaller and less |
| would have attracted the right winged Christian | | | | regulated casinos. This is putting Americans in danger |
| based voters. However the move obviously | | | | of identity theft. The risk is that unregulated casinos |
| backfired, and the Democratic party took the house | | | | that can disappear in an instant, taking players' funds |
| in an overwhelming win. | | | | with them. |