More and more US states are considering expanding their gambling options - from building new casinos and expanding existing ones to venturing into the brave new world of online gambling - as they search for more revenue streams to prop up sagging state budgets due to a persistent recession and high unemployment.
New York is debating whether or not to change its gambling laws to allow for brick-and-mortar casinos, with gambling giant Genting Group already planning a multi-billion dollar project that would transform the Aqueduct horseracing facility into a much larger facility that would include one of the US' largest convention centers and casino.
Florida is also considering bringing resort-style casinos to the Miami area, with Genting Group again at the forefront of casino operators and developers looking to get in on the action that could see up to three new casinos built in southern Florida.
Massachusetts has also recently approved the building of casinos in the state for the first time, with Ohio's first casinos on track to open their doors in 2012
Other states such as New Jersey and Nevada have been casting their eyes online, debating plans and regulations that could see the states offer online poker and casino states to state residents.
A recent Department of Justice ruling on the Wire Act has added fuel to these efforts, as the ruling stated that the Wire Act applies only to sportsbetting, potentially paving the way for states to offer intra-state online gambling options such as the ability to buy lotto tickets online or to play poker.
The renewed interest in gambling in many states is being driven by the straightforward push to add tax revenues and jobs, with new casinos an easy pitch to many voters, especially when residents who like to gamble are already crossing state lines and spending their dollars elsewhere.
