Weed & Online Sports Betting – The future of the USA
The wind of change is blowing strongly in the US and things that were considered downright impossible some years ago are now regarded as most likely to happen. In the wake of the UIGEA, sports betting and online casino gambling was banned nationwide and some of the biggest players decided to leave the country. For a while, it looked like things would stay the same for decades, but today it is already possible to bet on sports and play casino games over the Internet in some US states. The consumption of weed was also illegal across the country, but it is now possible to purchase and smoke it legally in certain states.
Market liberalization doesn’t drive up addiction
One of the main reasons why certain legislators have decided that it is better to outlaw weed as well as gambling is that they feared addiction. The concern was legitimate in their opinion, because they assumed that if people were given free access to such products and services, they would be tempted to abuse them. On the other hand, some lawmakers were more concerned about people buying weed illegally and gambling at unlicensed bookmakers. By creating the legal environment where recreational consumption and casual gambling were permitted, they were hoping to keep people happy and out of harm’s way.
Liberal states such as Colorado have passed legislation that made it legal for people to buy and smoke weed. After an initial surge in the number of consumers, things have returned to normal and the negative effects feared by the critics failed to materialize. The obvious upside was that consumers could acquire the product from licensed vendors, who were paying taxes and made sure that the stuff they sold was in compliance with the expected standards of quality. A similar approach has delivered similar results for online gamblers, who can now legally play casino games in nearly a dozen states.
Visionary states lead by example
Online gamblers were happy to hear that Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey were ready to make the first steps towards legalizing sports betting USA activity. It’s been a while since these states have led by example and now more of their counterparts are ready to jump on the bandwagon. Even though there is still strong opposition from conservative lawmakers, the trend seems to be gaining traction nationwide. More states are lining up to activate existing laws or create new ones that would allow players to gamble legally.
The latest data indicate the fact that in less than a decade, most Americans will live in states that allow at least some form of sports betting and online casino gambling. They will be able to set up accounts and play at operators that are licensed by state regulators. This means that they will no longer have to take chances with unlicensed casinos, or break the law by pursuing their hobby. At the end of the day, legalizing both industries has made them safer, while also bringing more money to state coffers.