美国赌博业的未来在网上

　　随着美国网上赌博市场迅速扩大，美国司法部已经开始关注到网上扑克领域的最近的事态发展，这些事态发展使美国司法部开始思考美国网上赌博游戏的一些法律问题。相比之下，英国的网上赌博是有法律规范的，但在美国，普遍的看法是，网上赌博是一个灰色地带。

　　但我们认为，这是司法部对美国网上赌博合法化的另一轮宏观调控。这几乎是不可想象的，美国拥有如此发达的互联网，而且美国拥有的这个星球上最大最有价值的高科技公司，还有关于关于赌博的丰富历史，特别是扑克、宾果和体育博彩，美国民族是个喜欢承担风险的民族，所以，具有高风险的赌博游戏是美国根深蒂固的传统娱乐，其历史可以追溯到北美大陆上早期开拓者。美国人在游戏方面的专业知识是很丰富的。如今，只需要美国司法部为赌博业提供一个合法化的机遇。

　　互联网上的赌博是美国赌场业的未来，无论是否获得联邦或州一级合法化批准。

　　新泽西州国会议员预计将在明年公投，要求州居民修改国家宪法，允许互联网赌博。

　　互联网给美国赌博业提供了增长的最佳机会。目前有超过10亿人玩在线扑克，这个数字是十分庞大的。

　　美国合法化的互联网赌博行业的潜在年收入估计为80亿美元左右。可见这个数字十分可观。

　　许多人预测，其他国家将很快通过网上赌博合法化的法律。

　　新泽西州将成为美国第一个批准在其境内进行互联网赌博的地区。但克里斯克里斯蒂州长否决了一项草案条例。克里斯蒂建议，如果新泽西州立法者允许互联网赌博的合法化，那么他们应该在发表建议之前，先让选民决定是否修正宪法。

　　禁止网上赌博注定是要失败的，因为当中有太多漏洞。因此，我们希望美国能加大开放程度，允许网上赌博的合法性。

　　译文：

　　The Future of the US Casino Industry is Online

　　With all the recent developments in the US market, where more poker domains have been seized by the DOJ （Department of Justice） including Doyle’s Room, it’s easy to start thinking that it’s game over for online gambling in the US. In contrast to here in the UK, where online gambling is regulated and legal, in the US it is illegal to facilitate transactions for online gambling （well, it’s a grey area, but that is the prevailing view）。

　　But it’s our view that this is another round of jostling in the eventual regulation and legalisation of online gambling in the States. It’s almost unthinkable that the country that has done so much to develop the Internet, and that boasts most of the biggest and most valuable tech companies on the planet, and that has such a rich history of enjoying poker and casino games, bingo and sports betting （gambling is ingrained into the USA DNA for heaven’s sake- a nation of risk takers that dates all the way back to the early pioneers on the continent）， won’t at some point merge their tech skills and power with their expertise in gaming.

　　Las Vegas has suffered as a result of the downturn and there’s a new gambling capital called Macau that’s new on the block. Internet gambling is the future of the US casino industry, whether it’s approved at the federal or state level.

　　A New Jersey lawmaker predicted there will be a referendum next year asking state residents whether to amend the state Constitution to allow Internet gambling. With the tax take down, who’d bet against a positive result?

　　The Internet gives the US  gambling industry its best opportunity for growth. More than 10 million people currently play online poker. The numbers are already big in the US.

　　The potential annual revenue from legalized Internet gambling in the U.S. has been estimated at around $80 billion. That’s no small number for a country which turns sheepishly every year to China to feed its ravenous appetite for debt.

　　Many predict that individual states will approve online gambling soon. Then the federal law will follow.

　　New Jersey was on the cusp of becoming the first state in the US to approve Internet gambling within its borders. But Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill that would have allowed it. Christie suggested if New Jersey legislators are serious about allowing Internet gambling, they should table a proposed Constitutional amendment before the voters and let them decide. A cop out? Or a way through?

　　Banning gambling online is doomed to failure- there are just too many holes in the bucket. So we expect the US to open up at some stage. When? Well, that is the million dollar question. I’d say it’ll move very slowly and then suddenly very quickly.