Federal bills to expand online casino gaming have not gained traction in Congress, leaving it to state legislatures to decide whether to allow their citizens to bet on casino games online. This was the message delivered by NTRA president and CEO Alex Waldrop at the International Simulcast Conference earlier this week.
Numerous federal bills to expand Internet gaming have failed to move through Congress for the past several sessions. This is despite a 2011 Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion that opened the door for a potential explosion of online gaming at the state level. It was widely believed that the potential for expansion at the state level would spur Congress to preempt state online gaming efforts by passing its own comprehensive online gaming bill.
The lack of federal legislative progress can be traced to opposition from several sources including state legislatures who want the power to tax and regulate online gaming in their states. To date, only Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey have legalized intrastate online gaming.
Waldrop assured the group that the NTRA’s top legislative priority remains the preservation of horse racing’s unique right to conduct interstate advance deposit wagering online.