Gambling Bill Could Lead To US Domination Of World Market

New online casino laws will see US-based operators take advantage, says expert.

The US is likely to become the global centre of online gambling operations if its restrictive legislation is changed, an industry expert has claimed.

Warwick Bartlett, chief executive of Global Betting & Gaming Consultants, said that a new bill to legalise online casinos and poker rooms in the US could see the country emerge as "the leader in internet gambling".

With the European Union recently joining the dispute by claiming that American gaming laws are in violation of international trade regulations, pressure is growing on Barack Obama's administration over the issue.

Mr Bartlett believes that US-based online gaming companies will steal a march on their European rivals if the laws are relaxed.

"If the bill does pass, there is no doubt in my mind that the United States will become the leader in internet gambling," he commented.

"It's a pity because the UK had the opportunity to achieve that and the government has been slow, and therefore we have lost it again."

Approximately half of the world's online gaming customers are thought to be based in the US.