William Hill Heads to Vegas

William Hill, one of the most well known online casino games providers in the world, has announced the closure of its Australian online sports betting website and the opening of Las Vegas site instead.

In an email recently sent to players, the top rated online casino wrote, “Please be advised that we have taken the decision to withdraw our sports betting service for any customer registered in Australia.” The company went on to suggest that Australian players begin account withdrawals from the cashier.

Online casino companies that do business in Australia operate under the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, which serves to act as a regulator of online gaming sites by placing restrictions on certain services provided. The Act is aimed towards the suppliers of interactive gaming services, not their potential or actual players.

Any casino games online company that is in violation of the law could face fines up to $1.1 million per day. No company however, has ever been tried for violation.

Director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, David Schwartz, said that William Hill’s decision to leave Australia is likely connected with the company’s desire to do business in Nevada, where failure to comply with laws elsewhere could jeopardize the possibility of receiving a license.

“Clearly this is a priority for them, Nevada,” Schwartz stated.

Nevada is currently the only state to currently legally allow sports betting. William Hill’s strategic moves will likely help their chances of receiving an online casino games license at the end of June.