Land based casinos look to legalise online gambling

2006-05-23 18:00:00

A group of gambling giants, including casino operators MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment, is currently lobbying Congress in the United States to legalise online gambling.

As some lawmakers continue to push for tighter nationwide controls on the gambling industry, casinos are keen to stress the economic and leisure benefits.

The gambling companies are taking advantage of a recent congressional backlash fuelled by the Jack Abramoff scandal raised questions about connections between lawmakers and overseas casinos.

The land-based casino giants are arguing that the best way to monitor and regulate the internet gambling market is to legalise it, Bloomberg reports.

Senator John Ensign, a Nevada Republican, commented: "The argument the industry is making is, if it is being done offshore, why not bring it in to the US so it can be regulated? It doesn't look like you can ban it."

Harrah's and MGM Mirage have contributed more than $900,000 to congressional candidates and are calling for a federal commission to study the issue of legalising online gambling.

According to the group of casino managers, the internet gaming industry, worth an estimated $12 billion a year could bring in lucrative tax revenues. The industry is growing rapidly and is predicted to be worth up to $24 billion a year by 2010.

Millions of American gamble online and supporters of the industry claim that the US government is missing out in millions of potential tax dollars by refusing to legalise it.