This Week in Gambling: online gambling explosion in the US?

Most major casinos have been shut down as the world battles the coronavirus. However, as more and more states lose gambling revenue, there is an increasing interest for online casinos, poker and sports betting.

With casino floors and sportsbooks being the type of areas where diseases can be freely communicated, gaming analyst and CEO of SpringOwl Asset Management Jason Ader said the industry may expedite acceptance of full mobile and online platforms for sports betting, casino, poker and bingo in the United States. In fact, if you are a licensed, land-based operator, now's the perfect time to consider online gambling.

Imagine MGM and Caesars directly targeting their customers right now with online gambling offers to play at home during the pandemic. They could even offer them the opportunity to come to Vegas with discounted rates at some point in the future. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Delaware, where sports betting, casino, poker or some combination of all three can be played from the relative safety of a living room via computer or mobile device, impacts could be mitigated if such a retail shutdown became necessary. Or if consumer unease continues to fester as more COVID-19 cases are identified.

Proposed online gambling expansion in Florida could help that states and others considering sports betting legislation to accelerate the shift to digital. It’s becoming clear that online gambling could increase tax revenue like in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.