New Jersey USA May be First to Legalize Online Gambling

In the USA there are many contradictions in regard to the idea of legalized online gambling. The USA has many venues to gamble, such as the world class Las Vegas and of course the well known Atlantic City casinos, and in many states online betting on the horses and lotteries is common. New Jersey, the host of much gambling activity may be the first state of the union to offer legal online gambling to it's residents.

A sports wagering bill is being considered by Atlantic City lawmakers that if approved could result in New Jersey being on the leading edge of changes coming rapidly in the country. Competition is strong with Pennsylvania and California currently planning their own forms of legalization of online gambling within their respective borders.
Which state will offer legal casino gambling favourites such as poker, blackjack, roulette or slots, is anybody's guess at the moment with each state waiting to see what the other does and how they do it.

Reasoning behind the proposed bill is that the law does not reflect the reality that exists now. According to statistics there are currently 500,000 online poker players in the state of New Jersey. State Senator Raymond Lesniak says, "we're missing out on around $100 million in revenue". Adding, "It would be a big boost to the casino industry in Atlantic City. It's a bold move, and in this economy we need bold moves." With an estimated annual tax bite of twenty percent on the gross revenues from online casinos that would add significant revenue for cash strapped jurisdictions. There are the usual concerns that online gambling in New Jersey will lead to more problem gamblers but there are those who think that once regulated it would be easier to help those with troubles. The New Jersey Casino Control Commission said it would open a new online division to oversee licensing and operations for the new operators.