Lottery and Horserace Carveouts to Help or Hinder Online Casino Gamlbing? They're on Their Way...

It really makes me sick to see the U.S. horseracing industry expand into the internet gambling arena. It's as if the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act gets to further bear the fruit of its design. Nobody can deny the fact that the horseracing and lottery industry's had put great resources into getting online casino gambling banned while ensuring carve outs for their own survival. And now that they are starting to enter the market one by one, it has become even more apparent that the UIGEA is not about protecting minors and "family values", after all. But we all knew that from the start, right?

Ironically, the most recent development in "legal" U.S. internet gambling is a lottery/horseracing joint venture. And it's based out of Canada at that. A company out of Toronto called Sungold announced they have signed a three-year deal with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in Belcourt, North Dakota, to provide a lottery and horserace platform over the internet on a website owned by the Chippewa's.

Called the Horsepower 8 World Pool Lottery, the service will allow punters to bet on eight live races taking place every weekend at participating racetracks. At first, the races will be streamed over the internet, but Sungold says they are planning to bring the races to simulcast networks and satellite T.V. Payouts will be given for correctly picking the winners of five, six, seven or eight races. Pools will carry over to the next weekend if there are no winners. As for the lottery, players from around the world will be able to purchase tickets online, so it is expected to reach some pretty heft jackpots.

Enough, I say! Why am I even talking about this? I feel like I am promoting it....Gross! Well, in a way I guess I am just because its something, right? Perhaps as regulation of horseracing and lottery proves successful, it will show that regulation of online casino gambling is possible and more legislators will be willing to embrace it. I don't know. Too bad you couldn't ask for worse odds. Another coincidence? I don't think so. To be honest, I really don't think it will do anything for online casino gambling or poker. As for me, I'm not about to start betting on horses and online lotteries just because its legal.

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