DoJ ruling raises expectations for the launch of legal iGaming in the USA in 2012

New York and Illinois lotteries’ online plans have been given green light on December 23rd when the Justice Department, to a surprise of the entire gaming industry, released a memorandum on the legality of non-sports gambling on the internet. Experts agree that the ruling is an important step that might facilitate the legalization of internet gaming in the USA.
 
“The Justice Department, by saying that the Wire Act only refers to sports wagering on the Internet, has clarified some issues related to Internet gambling, but other issues remain and new issues are still emerging”, says Michael Pollock, Managing Director of a gaming regulatory consultancy Spectrum Gaming Group.
 
2012 raises high expectations that internet gambling will finally come to the US. Various organizations on both sides of the Atlantic have for long been preparing commercially to capitalize on the potential emergence of the legal iGaming in the USA.
 
One such company is IGT, leading provider to land-based casinos worldwide, and also a significant supplier in the online and mobile gaming space. IGT, with its dedicated division, IGT Interactive, is well placed to assist US land-based casinos in their transition to regulated internet gaming by providing pre-regulatory and post-regulatory “brick-and-click” strategies.
 
IGT is the lead sponsor of the 12th Global iGaming Summit & Expo, GiGse, attended by US land-based businesses, leading gaming suppliers and iGaming experts who currently operate in regulated markets worldwide. GiGse will offer its audience a detailed analysis of the legal developments in the aftermath of the Black Friday and the December 23rd Justice Department ruling and a step-by-step plan for the launch of their iGaming efforts so they’re ready for when the market opens.
 
IGT executive vice president of Interactive, Gideon Bierer commented on their support for GiGse: “GiGse is the premier event that since 2010 has been contributing to the higher understanding of how internet gaming can drive land-based casinos in the USA. For that reason we have selected iGiGse as a perfect event to demonstrate our commitment to the emerging interactive gaming sector in the USA, and to offer our advice on how US casinos can harness iGaming to attract more visitors and appeal to new customer demographics. IGT has aligned interests with our land-based casino customers as we move towards a legalized USA.”
 
GiGse will take place on April 24-26, 2012 in San Francisco, CA, where IGT Interactive has its headquarters. Technology hub and home to many internet, technology and social gaming companies, San Francisco hosted GiGse in 2011 and, with iGaming efforts expected to be back on the agenda in the California legislature, is again poised to become an ideal platform for the industry debate in 2012.
 
More information on GiGse’s confirmed speakers and planned debates is available on www.gigse.com.
 
Media Enquiries: Yeemay Huang, Clarion Gaming | t: +44 (0)20 7370 8579 | e: yeemay.huang@clariongaming.com