Delaware authorized online gambling today, as the state Senate approved a bill by a 14-6 vote to allow online betting in the state.
The bill narrowly passed the required three-fifths majority. The measure heads to Gov. Jack Markell for his signature. The law is one of the first that shows a turnabout in sentiment about the legality of online gambling, and this change might prove to be interesting to companies such as Zynga that make online casino games such as Zynga Poker, where players cannot bet and win real money, for now.
In December, the Justice Department reinterpreted an online gambling law to allow skill-based gambling games played online. That prompted Nevada to allow it, and it has now led to the Delaware law. The trend could sweep across the nation and make nationwide online gambling legal at some point across the country. That would put the U.S. on part with Europe and generate a lot more tax revenue for states. Federal law limits online gambling to players within states for now.
It could also be a shot in the arm for social casino games, played with real money or with virtual currency. Markell is expected to approve the big since it could lead to the creation of a couple of thousand games. But some are concerned about the social ills that come with online gambling, such as extreme addiction. So the anti-gambling forces could still arise and stop laws in from being enacted in other states.
via Venture Beat
