MGM Resorts CEO against RAWA and Possible Federal Online Gambling Ban

MGM Resorts is still supporting the idea of a regulated online gambling market in the United States.

Jim Murren, the CEO of MGM Resorts, over the weekend stated his opinion when it comes to RAWA and the possible federal online gambling ban. Murren said that his company opposes the infamous Sheldon Adelson Restoration of America’s Wire Act bill whose main objective is to forbid any online gambling activities in the United States.

Furthermore, the MGM’s CEO also explained his comment that “the sky wouldn’t fall” for MGM Resorts if the bill passes. He stated that online gambling and land based gambling are two completely “different experiences” and that online gambling is not a competition to land based resorts. Therefore, he explained that MGM Resorts will continue to exist even if online ban becomes reality.

Many people believed that his comment signalled that MGM Resorts was softening its support for iGaming. However, his gaming group has been a strong supporter of strictly regulated and licensed Internet gambling in the US in the past. Additionally, it is also commercially present in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware – the only three regulated US online gambling markets.

The company owns 50% of Borgata’s venture in New Jersey as well as an online poker licence in Nevada.

Full Murren Comment Published On Jon Ralston Website

It is interesting that the full comment where Jim Murren gives his view on the current situation concerning the online gambling industry was published on Jon Ralston’s website. The three paragraph comment clarifies that MGM Resorts is still giving its support to regulation of remote gambling throughout the country.

Murren wrote that even though his company would continue to thrive without online gambling, that didn’t mean they weren’t wholeheartedly opposing a ban. He also pointed out that the Internet was here to stay and therefore as long as US fails to regulate its own iGaming market, illegal overseas online casinos would continue to put US players at risk.

Finally, he finished his comment by saying that a federal ban wouldn’t stop remote gambling, but it would simply prevent regulated operators from providing players with safe and secure games as well as protection against underage gambling.

Attempts to Legalise Online Poker in the US Have Been Dead for Two Years

To everyone’s surprise, Jim Murren’s comment was supported by William Home, a Nevada lawmaker who opposed the state’s attempts to legalise online poker sites on its territory. It also got people talking and wondering about the future of online gambling since the process is going too slow.

Remote gambling is currently legal in New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada, the state whose economy is mainly driven by its casino industry. Additionally, Pennsylvania and California have been making moves towards regulating their own iGaming markets.

However, generally speaking, all serious attempts to legalise online poker, for example, have been dead for two years. Plus, the results of the currently regulated online poker markets haven’t been a huge success. Nonetheless, experts see this as a result from the lack of liquidity which is crucial for the success of web poker.