US Gambling Updates: Alabama Considers Casinos and Nevada Poker Decline

The casino industry in the United States is filled with a lot of bumps on the road and while some states are making waves with their online gambling markets, others are showing decreasing revenue or are looking towards casinos as a way to cover a deficit budget. In the latest updates from across the nation, there are a couple of headlines that stand out:

Alabama Considering Las Vegas-Style Gambling

The situation in Alabama is getting quite alarming as the lack of money forces state lawmakers to consider various ways to increase revenue. It is predicted that the drop will reach $700 million, making it the most serious deficit in the state in over forty years.

In order to try to cover the deficit, both parties are willing to put all options on the table and consider them as additional sources of income. This includes a lottery, tax increase and even a gambling industry similar to the one found in Las Vegas. According to Senator Jabo Waggoner, it is unlikely that it will reach the point where taxes need to be raised but that everything has to be considered in March, when the session starts.

Nevada Online Poker Revenue Drops Again

While Nevada became the first state to legalize and launch online poker in the new regulatory system in the US, things are not looking great for the Silver State as it continues to deal virtual cards within its borders.

The revenue report for the month of November was recently released by the Gaming Control Board and it shows that online poker revenue dropped to $641,000. This represents a 42% decrease from the same period last year and a 3.6% decline from October. It is also the fifth straight month in which revenue from online poker in Nevada has dropped but it is the smallest percentage month-to-month despite Ultimate Poker shutting down.

Now, WSOP.com remains the leader by far and Real Gaming struggles with a peak of eight players at its tables.