European Union effects on US Internet Gambling Law

The Commission for the European Union (EU) today demanded that countries who do not allow out of country sports betting, or Internet gambling activities, yet promote in-country gambling such as government run lotteries and casinos, must open up their borders to gambling or the EU can take them to court. The Commission explained that these countries, specifically Denmark, Finland, and Hungary, cannot claim that they are protecting their consumers from gambling since they promote certain kinds of gambling within their country. Those countries brought up on complaints by Internet gambling sites to the EU were given two months to comply with the Commission ruling or they would be facing further charges. However, the real significance of the EU ruling is how this will effect the future of Internet gambling in the United States. There is not a country in the world that has a stronger rate of gambling growth than the United States and there is not another country who more forcefully pushes out other countries from entering their market, which clearly goes against WTO and EU rules. Every day new bills are introduced to state house and senate committees offering various gambling expansion ideas. These bills either promote more slot machines at already existing slot parlors in a particular state, or they promote table games at places where only slots are allowed, or they promote the introduction of casinos in states where there are currently none. Commercials for state run lotteries can be seen daily on television and heard every hour on the radio in the US. Las Vegas and Atlantic City are the nation’s adult playgrounds and part of the culture. No other country sees gambling as a part of its past-time as much as the United States. So it can be logically deduced that the EU will eventually go after America for the same reasons they just went after Hungary, Denmark and Finland. No remarks have been attained as a reaction from anyone of significance at this time in the US, but stay tuned as this is sure to be an interesting story to watch unfold.