| Although it didn't actually make online gambling illegal, | | | | exist that allow easy financial transactions for |
| the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act | | | | US-based players that are completely safe and legal - |
| (UIGEA) has made it difficult for US players to find | | | | if you know where to find them. |
| safe, reliable methods to make deposits into their | | | | UIGEA was meant to be the end of internet |
| favorite casino, poker room or sports book. | | | | gambling. Although it undoubtedly affected the |
| Solutions exist, of course, but it's not always easy to | | | | market, with both casinos and players pulling out of |
| find a match-up between your chosen casino and | | | | the US, along with the payment processors, the core |
| preferred deposit method. | | | | market that remains is both strong and vibrant. |
| The biggest casualty of UIGEA was, of course, | | | | There is a huge upsurge in online gambling expected |
| NETeller, which had dominated the market following | | | | when the so-called 'baby boom' generation start to |
| the departure of PayPal. Both those methods acted | | | | retire. These people will be internet-savvy, have |
| as so-called ewallets - intermediaries that allowed | | | | disposable income, and will resent being told that they |
| customers to fund their casino accounts from their | | | | can't spend their money in a way that they see fit. |
| bank accounts, without the final recipient having to | | | | These people will demand to be allowed to gamble |
| see their bank account details. | | | | online if they so wish. The largest demographic for |
| In the early days of online gambling, this was | | | | online gambling is the 45-65 female group, and this is |
| important as not all casinos could be trusted, and this | | | | a massive lobby that no Government should ignore. |
| 'barrier' served to increase customer confidence. | | | | With 'regime change' expected in the USA in 2008, all |
| These days, players have to be more trusting of the | | | | involved with the online gambling industry are hoping |
| casinos they're playing with. The advantage of this is | | | | for a more liberal attitude to an individual's right to |
| that now very few disreputable casinos exist - the | | | | choose how to spend the money they've earned! |
| ones that remain have stood the test of time and | | | | What the industry needs now is a number of |
| can be seen as trustworthy. | | | | payment processors that offer variety and choice to |
| So, what options do players now have? Credit cards, | | | | the consumers, whilst being 100% safe and reliable. |
| of course (though some banks will prevent gambling | | | | These may come from the existing solutions or may |
| transactions), debit cards and instant bank transfer | | | | be yet to be invented. |
| are the most obvious ones. | | | | Whatever methods come to the fore in the next |
| But in a classic case of necessity being the mother of | | | | few years, one thing is certain: online gambling is here |
| invention, the casinos are finding more and more | | | | to stay. Players want - and deserve - quick, simple |
| ways to allow players to fund their accounts. Just as | | | | and secure methods of spending their leisure money |
| NETeller was a response to PayPal pulling out of the | | | | that don't require them to jump through hoops or act |
| market, so new solutions are being provided to fill | | | | outside the law. |
| the vacuum NETeller has left. | | | | The sooner Government and industry can facilitate |
| It's beyond the scope of this article to give precise | | | | this, the better for all concerned. |
| details on a method and casino basis, but casinos | | | | |