Reversing a four-year-old policy, the British dependency Isle of Man will let Internet casinos based on the Irish Sea island take bets from American cybergamblers.
The policy reversal took effect on New Year’s Day, but published reports indicate the policy reversal affects only a small handful of online casinos.
But it’s also likely to further tweak American prosecutors, who insist that U.S. laws bar online gambling and have threatened American companies doing business with overseas or offshore cybercasinos. That, however, has not stopped Americans from betting in cyberspace more than any other country’s residents, the reports said.
The Isle of Man once tried luring top-of-the-line gambling operations by touting its own rigorous regulations – the dependency makes its own law, though it depends on Britain for defense and foreign policy – but six major such operations, including MGM Mirage, have either relocated or shut down their cybercasinos entirely, the reports added.
Still, other online gambling businesses including “many” Internet poker sites are eager to give the Isle of Man a try, according to head of electronic business Tim Craine, who added the dependency can use the licensing and tax revenues.
"There's a lot of business looking to relocate to a reputable, regulated jurisdiction," he told reporters. "We're hoping to capitalize on that business" by changing our policy, he said.
