Today we closely observe the development of the situation with online gambling in the USA. The problems began back in 2006, when the Congress passed the bill UIGEA, which restricts the opportunities for wagering. Four years have passed, but the arguments around this issue are still very acute. It is connected with the fact, that each state has its own point of view to the matter and tries to implement its own amendments to the law. So what are the latest news from U.S. online casinos?

Let’s start from bad news. The very bad news came from Massachusetts, where the authorities are close to making online gambling illegal. They decided to open two land-based casinos and thus to prohibit playing online games. Soon the residents of Massachusetts will be prohibited to wager for virtual gambling by using any means like phones, cellular phones, the Internet and local networks. The punishment is very strict and it may be either up to two years of imprisonment or a fee up to $25,000. The bill is not in the force now, but the situation may change very soon.

New Hampshire is also in the news today. The situation there is also ambiguous. Its Governor John Lynch made a decision to legalize online gambling to raise a budget. He even started to implement it in life, but came across the difficulties and pitfalls. The problem is that at the same time the Governor made an effort to decrease the number of slot machines and table games at online casinos in order to prevent spreading of gambling. Such controversial actions resulted in people’s indignation. The owners of traditional gambling houses were especially outraged and they protested by saying that legal online wagering is the shortest way to the spreading of gambling. That’s why today there is no progress with this bill in New Hampshire.

At the same time good news came from New Jersey. In fact, this sate is the second largest place for gambling in the USA after Las Vegas. And perhaps it is going to be the first state, which will become the largest centre of online gambling. Its Senator Ray Lesniak came forth with the suggestion to make online casino wagering there legal. His bill is now under consideration of the authorities and the progress is noticeable today. Consideration of the bill is moving quite quickly, what gives us a hope for the best.

According to Lesniak bill, land based casinos will be allowed to offer online casino gambling to the residents of New Jersey. In fact, the authorities are ready to make Atlantic City a centre of licensing jurisdiction. The Division of Internet Wagering is going to appear there and this city may become the centre of traditional as well as online gambling in the USA. Certainly, there is a certain opposition, the representatives of which suppose, that it’d better to wait for federal approval, but nobody knows when it will come into force. Beyond the doubts people are waiting for the legalization at all levels, but the legalization at least at the level of a state will be a great step forward.

Let’s see together what is waiting for us in the future.