New rules on online gambling could also bring new developments to online poker in the United States, which is currently legal in only five states.
Mike Wargin, Best of Colorado, talks about the latest news on sports betting in the United States and the opening of various states to gambling platforms. An evolving market, that of North America, which has experienced many upheavals in the
“Following the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Betting Act (Paspa) in 2018,” says Wargin, “state governments have been allowed to create and pass laws on online gambling and in casinos. Since then, several states across the country have had their say on online poker, leading to the development of numerous betting platforms and technologies. ” With the introduction of new rules by other states, a further change is likely in the coming months, according to Mike Best of Colorado.
“To date,” Wargin recalls, “online poker in the United States is legal in only five states: Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey legalized since 2013 with special allowances, Pennsylvania, first legalized in 2017, and Michigan. , where it was first legalized in 2020 ”.
The next openings could come from West Virginia, which is already legislating on it, while Connecticut and Illinois also seem ready to legalize online gambling. Several other states have meanwhile legalized online sports betting, but have yet to introduce legalized online poker.
“Even though the numbers aren’t public in all states, the growth of online poker has been exponential over the years,” says Mike Wargin, “since it was first legalized. In Nevada, the first state to legalize online poker, the number of players and the amount of money wagered have both increased from year to year.
in particular, “Since the Covid-19 pandemic closed many casinos, gamblers have turned to the Internet to gamble, and in Delaware alone, online poker sites have seen their revenue increase to 45.7 percent. This growth will surely be replicated across the industry, ”continues Mike Best of Colorado, all the more so as new online platforms have sprung up to meet market demands.
Today, the market is dominated by five players, PokerStars, Wsop, BetMgm, 888 Poker and Borgata. The next to arrive could be major casino brands, such as Caesars and BetOnline. “But despite the unprecedented growth in recent years, the online poker industry still faces significant challenges, particularly at the legislative level,” said Wargin. In both Hawaii and Utah, online gambling is illegal under state law. In addition, the federal government still imposes restrictions that limit players’ access to online gaming platforms. “
Under the current Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (Uiges), the federal government has the power to limit card payments to gambling sites, a restrictive rule that leads many gamblers to circumvent it by paying with e- wallet. “To date,” Wargin continues, “it is unclear whether federal lawmakers will eventually change the restrictions, even if they seem to go against state rights to pass legislation on online gambling. For now, players will have to follow federal laws and find alternative payment methods to circumvent the rules. “
