The fight over online poker and iGaming expansion in the United States is back in the spotlight, and it’s getting messy.
Casino operators have teamed up to push back against the growth of digital gambling, citing all manner of threats ranging from job losses and children gambling illegally.
Adding fuel to the fire, a new study from an anti-online casino group was released days ago, revealing some eyebrow-raising stats.
For American poker players, this isn’t just corporate squabbling, it’s about where they’ll be able to play in the future.
Will online poker in the United States keep growing, or will a group of traditional casinos succeed in persuading lawmakers to slam the door shut?
Will US Online Poker Survive this Onslaught?
For poker players, this clash isn’t just industry drama; it’s about the future of our game. Will online poker thrive in the United States eventually, or will brick-and-mortar casinos keep it on a leash?
This coalition of casino heavyweights is sounding the alarm over iGaming expansion, claiming that continued issuance of gaming licenses will lead to“substantial job losses, hundreds of millions of dollars in lost economic output and reduced tax contributions that fund public services.”
What are their main gripes, really? Online poker and other digital games could eat into their live casino business. Simple as that, and we all know it. They don’t want their bottom line hurt.
They argue that the convenience of playing from home might lure customers away, leaving brick-and-mortar properties struggling to keep the lights on.
They also resorted to fear mongering over underage gambling online; a common objection from casinos, although a lazy one at that.
This isn’t a new fight, though. Back in the early 2000s during the poker boom, Sheldon Adelson, the late Las Vegas Sands titan, waged war on online gambling.
He didn’t just grumble; he pumped millions into the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, preaching that it was a societal plague.
This isn’t a shock, really. Anti-iGaming groups have long leaned on studies to sway lawmakers and the public. Adelson’s old coalition did the same, trotting out all manner of stats to scare regulators into action.
Same Old Story
Same Old StoryIt’s not just an American phenomenon because we’ve seen this kind of resistance before. Take Dusk Till Dawn, the Nottingham, UK poker club that opened in 2007.
Founder Rob Yong started it after a local casino booted him from a tournament for being a minute late for a tournament he entered.
His dream was a poker-only haven, but local casinos weren’t having it. They saw Dusk Till Dawn as a direct threat, siphoning serious players who might otherwise spend cash on their blackjack tables or slots.
These casinos lobbied hard to squash Yong’s dream, fearing a domino effect on their bottom line.
The UK’s gambling laws didn’t help either. Setting up shop cost Yong about £100,000 in legal and licensing fees, plus ongoing headaches like hiring compliance officers.
Despite the pushback, Yong dug in, and today it’s one of Europe’s top poker venues. That early struggle mirrors what U.S. online poker faces now: entrenched interests throwing punches to protect their turf.
For poker, sadly, it gets lumped in with slots and roulette. A kind of guilt by association situation, but it didn’t take long for the negativity to pass by.
Once Dusk Till Dawn weathered the storm, it didn’t kill Nottingham’s casinos, rather it built a poker community that boosted the whole scene. Online poker could do the same stateside, if operators stop clutching their chips.
The Economic Upside of iGaming
The Economic Upside of iGamingCasino operators might throw shade at iGaming, but the data tells a sunnier story. Legal online poker doesn’t just pad state budgets, it creates jobs in tech, customer support, and even marketing.
In Pennsylvania, online poker revenue hit $35 million in 2022 alone, with no sign of live poker taking a nosedive. If anything, online play drives interest in the game, funneling players to live events like the World Series of Poker, and also some into casinos to play table games.
As far as player protection goes, individual states use geolocation tech, ID checks, and anti-fraud tools to keep online poker clean while keeping underage gamblers firmly away from the digital tables.
Sure, it’s not perfect, but nothing is and the track record looks solid. The 2025 study by The Innovation Group might have cherry-picked horror stories, but the reality is that legal iGaming has been a net positive where it’s been tried.
So, where does this leave us? Casino operators have a point in that physical casinos are economic engines, and no one wants to see them crumble. But digging in against online poker feels like fighting the tide, even if we can understand they’re protecting their interests.
The world’s gone digital, and poker’s no exception. Instead of resisting, why not adapt? Adelson’s crusade couldn’t stop the digital wave, and today’s resistance might flop too.
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