On Black Friday, only a few days before the Gambling Ban was supposed to come into place, the US government released a notice that it will delay the implementation of this law for another 6 months. The delay was brought about due to inconsistencies and uncertainties regarding the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006 but had a time limit that expired on December 1st 2009. The news quickly spread throughout the entire web and both casino operators and slot players were thrilled to know that they can continue as usual.
This comes as a big “bonus” for US players. According to the law, the US government could prosecute any financial institution that is making payments or allowing transaction from and to online gambling. This would have made it extremely difficult for USA players to deposit and much more for them to receive their due winnings. Fortunately for them, the ambiguity of the Gambling Ban made it confusing for banks and other financial institutions to determine what it means by “illegal gambling”. There seems to be some forms of online gambling that are allowed while others are restricted. Such debate was one of the reasons the Treasure of the USA and the Federal Government stated that another 6 months period will be needed to clarify these points.
US slot players are delighted and will probably push for an even longer extension or even a revocation of the UIGEA. Some Democrats are pleading to eliminate the law in exchange for a new legislation that would allow online gambling in a regulated form. The new legislation would provide a tax scheme for online gambling industries, such as a 2% tax for every deposit. With a majority of Democrats in Congress, it does not seem so unlikely for this change to happen prior to June 2010.
For now US players can continue to play at slot machines and online casino games throughout approved sites.
