In years past, the only online gambling news you could get would be from an online gambling site. Inexplicably, mainstream media outlets seemingly willfully turned a blatant blind eye to a form of entertainment that was and continues to be one of the most popular forms of entertainment in not only North America, but the World.
When you think about how many millions of people bet on sports and how many millions of North Americans spend billions of dollars towards online gambling it’s always been puzzling to the industry why more mainstream media coverage hasn’t been devoted to the industry. It appears that all of that is slowly changing, with the industry slowly beginning to garner the attention and respect its due. Recently, even the New York Times published an article detailing how companies such as MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts, and Harrah’s Entertainment are starting to change their stance on Internet gambling with Harrah’s Entertainment even venturing to launch online casinos accessible to customers that live in jurisdictions where online gambling is regulated.
While Barney Frank’s bill has helped to create headlines, other factors have come into play to make take the online gambling industry to the forefront. Daytime TV right now, is littered with poker games, huge industry players like PokerStars, Full Tilt poker, Bodog and other operators have championed the online gambling industry for years, with widespread marketing, promotional events, charity games and other activities that have all worked to gain notoriety to our industry.
Perhaps the most satisfying result for all industry professionals is the opportunity to clear up so many unfair misconceptions about our industry. The truth is playing itself out, that truth being online gambling is a form of entertainment that brings joy and entertainment to millions of people around the world. The other truth is that the vast majority of online gambling sites like Bwin, Betfair, William Hill and many others are run by reputable professionals, regulated by top level gaming commissions and have been operating with transparency and strong customer relations for several years. It may some time yet before full regulation in North America is realized, but it’s the truth about the industry that in effect will set it free.
