KTVN Channel 2 - Reno Tahoe News Weather, Video - Internet Gaming Takes A Jump Forward
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John Potter
Channel 2 News
The new bill, called the "Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act", passed a House committee Wednesday. It establishes guidelines for how broader Internet gambling would work in the United States. The laws as they stand now keep online gambling out of the U.S. There's now a possibility that could change. The next step would be another bill setting how internet gambling will be taxed. Then the full House and Senate would have to pass both. Surprisingly enough, some Nevada casinos see this, as an opportunity.
While casinos here have been struggling, the trip online is only a click away. And while Reno tries to bring back players, in cyberspace the tables are filled with them. But, it's neither legal nor regulated. David Schwartz at the UNLV Center for Gaming Research says, "Basically people are allowed to gamble, but they don't have any of the protections they would get from legal gaming."
When these sites first began in the 90's, Nevada casinos feared they would take away players. But now they're seeing the possibilities if this bill goes all the way. The casinos would likely be licensed before foreign-based sites, letting a big name like Harrah's through the door first. Schwartz says "Having legal on-line gaming would really help the strip casinos with their marketing it would help them find out who is gambling out there."
Hitting the internet table would no longer mean plane tickets and hotel rooms, but some gamblers say that's the fun. Still, would legal online gaming save Nevada casinos? Scwartz says "I don't think it would magically save everything it may help reverse the decline, but obviously they are going to have to get more people coming in here if they want to bring the revenues up."
As for the bill. With the House about to recess for August and November elections looming, it'll be a while, if ever, before Americans can wager online without banks and credit companies blocking money transfers. Till then, there's still fantasy sports.
