It seems that as the matter stands now, the online gambling industry is in a delicate state of balance, in an extremely delicate state. The recent laws in the United States have reduced the number of American players greatly, and many begin to fear whether other governments will pass laws similar to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in solidarity with the superpower. The United States passed the law in order to close the tap on an industry that was fast getting out of control. A sort of panic legislation, if you will.
However, not all countries are as trigger happy as the United States. The British government feels that prohibition is not the answer, but regulation rather. This shows a great deal of difference between American and British thinking. The American government seems to be burying its head in the sand, rather than recognizing that technology and public interest will dictate the future of online gambling, rather than the laws of one country. Statistics from the year ending June 2007 have revealed that 8.6% of adults in Britain placed a bet online, which is an increase on 7.4% from 2006.
The results of the survey are not that surprising, given the digital revolution taking place. No longer are people to content themselves with going to smelly, smoke filled casinos for a chance at the ring, but they will play at home, simply because they can. Once the technology was ironed out, it seems that people really do prefer to gamble online.
The British are leading the way with their handling of the phenomenal growth in online casino gambling. They are providing careful analysis, regulation and licensing to ensure that both players and operators are protected and can thrive in this industry.
The Gambling Commission is a regulator and license provider in the British online gambling industry. Their most recent survey included over 8,000 interviews, making it one of the largest surveys on its kind. Information about the type of players, where they play, the technology they prefer and account funding practices will be used to help develop further regulation and online gambling policies.
Analysis of licensing of online casino sites revealed that players prefer and trust online casino sites that are licensed locally, rather than those overseen by overseas governments. It showed that players are more interested in having fun in a safe, secure environment rather than exploiting generous offers from smaller overseas casinos purely for financial reward.
It seems that as the matter stands now, the online gambling industry is in a delicate state of balance, in an extremely delicate state. The recent laws in the United States have reduced the number of American players greatly, and many begin to fear whether other governments will pass laws similar to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in solidarity with the superpower. The United States passed the law in order to close the tap on an industry that was fast getting out of control. A sort of panic legislation, if you will.