There has been some talk of legalized online gambling in recent months. I'm a little skeptical we'll see this happen any time soon, but if it does, this approach seems problematic from a trade perspective:
With every sign pointing to the eventual regulation of Internet gaming in the US, insiders are beginning to wonder what the new geography of the online gambling industry will be. Some observers are predicting that influential land casino operators may use their powerful political lobbies to get a competitive edge in earning licensing for online casinos.
Companies such as MGM Mirage, Harrah's Entertainment, and Las Vegas Sands may cry poverty to Congress, using their largely self-generated economic woes as reason to favor them in any licensing procedure, says gaming expert Anthony Riello. The gaming companies employ thousands of US citizens, and can plea the need to keep them viable as an excuse to provide protectionist cover for them.
On the other hand, Riello notes,"European online gambling sites will not sit still and see the largest market in the world given to competitors while they are blocked out. The current protests of the Remote Gaming Association and the EU would be nothing compared to the outrage felt should the US reopen gaming markets but exclude foreign operators."
