Changes to law could benefit players and casinos alike
A new report has suggested that the online casino industry stands to grow by more than £14.5bn in one year should the laws on online gambling be relaxed or amended in key territories such as the UK, USA and Australia.
The report from gaming statistics specialist H2 Gambling Capital stated several key findings, of which the most interesting were:
- The US alone would contribute £14.5bn in its first year of legalised online gambling
- If sports betting was included, this could grow to £28bn by 2015
- More than 32,000 extra jobs could be created in the online casino industry
H2 report director Simon Holliday claimed that the amount of jobs and economic growth created would make changing the regulation an attractive option.
"This study should provide further incentive for the Obama Administration and Congress to act quickly to regulate internet gambling. Furthermore, the current situation where United States players use offshore sites causes billions of dollars to leak out of the economy each year and leaves tens of thousands of players without any onshore regulatory protection," he said.
The report spells good news for the burgeoning online casino market, which grew continuously over the second half of the Noughties as better internet connections - and gameplay offerings from sites - led to a huge rise in the popularity of the pastime.
With more and more popular US slots cabinet titles like Hoot Loot being released online, now would seem the perfect time for America to review its online casino law - after all, it's the players who would benefit most.