Why Are California Players Flocking to Playamo Australia?

PlayAmo is one of the most popular online casinos for Australian players.

There are players from other parts of the world on PlayAmo, from North America to Europe and Asia.

But apparently, not only are players from the United States seeking online casino action at PlayAmo, many of them live in the state of California.

Surprising Story

The article appeared on a website belonging to KHTS, a news-based radio station based in Santa Clarita, California. The town is approximately 30 miles north of the Los Angeles area.

KHTS, also called “Your Hometown Station,” reported last week that its area of California provides the largest contingent of US-based players on PlayAmo.

The news source was the US regional manager of PlayAmo Australia, Anthony Becker.

“It was quite surprising to find out that the largest majority of US clients come from California, given how close they are to Nevada,” Becker said. “We were expecting most customers to come from eastern and southeastern states like Florida or Alabama, but California was definitely on our minds.”

This is determined through analyzing the computer IP addresses of customers. PlayAmo believes many of the players to be native Australians, though. This would make sense that they might be from the Santa Clarita area. A large number of Aussies settle in that area of California.

Becker also commented, “We’re happy to have covered a market we weren’t expecting to excel at in the first place.”

No Marketing to US Players

According to Becker, PlayAmo would like to use the new information to conduct some promotional campaigns aimed at those players in California, but current US national and state laws prohibit it.

Technically, the US allows online gaming, including online poker and casino games, per the most recent interpretation of the Wire Act. However, internet gaming must be formally legalized on the state level.

An offshore casino like PlayAmo could possibly market to US customers, but the operator would then face pushback from the states.

California, for instance, has not legalized online gaming. If a site like PlayAmo advertised its online casino games to California players, the state government could pursue the company and try to prosecute them for promoting illegal activities.

Complicated? Yes.

On a State-by-State Basis

Let’s simplify the current situation involving US internet gaming laws.

In 2011, the US Department of Justice analyzed a 1960s law called the Wire Act to see how it applied to the new age of technology.

It originally banned betting over the wires – telephones – but a modern reading of the law declared that it only applied to sports betting. States were officially allowed, per the new ruling, to operate online lotteries, online poker, and online casino games if they passed laws to legalize and regulate on the state level.

At that point, states like New Jersey legalized online poker and internet gaming. However, the sites offered in the states had to be licensed by that state’s gaming regulator. Offshore sites like PlayAmo were not allowed to apply.

California has never been able to pass such a law. Its lawmakers failed to ever come to a consensus about the details of how to structure an online gaming industry, so players in California have no access to state-run online casinos.

Can they use VPNs to play on a site like PlayAmo? Sure. Many players do just that, but it is a gray area of the law.

The players mentioned by Becker who are logging on from California are presumably Australian natives who moved to California and continue to play from their old IP addresses.

What About Las Vegas?

From an area like Santa Clarita, California, people can drive about four hours to Las Vegas to gamble. And many people do make the trip each year.

However, it can be expensive.

Gas prices fluctuate, but the cost to stay at big Las Vegas casinos continues to rise. Casinos charge resort fees now, and many of them charge for parking, too. Travelers then must also deal with other expenses from the trip, such as food and drink.

There are Native American-run casinos on Indian lands in California. Many of them are located in the Southern California region. Those are fully-functional casinos, complete with slot machines and table games. However, trips to these casinos typically travel and accommodations as well.

Nothing beats the convenience of an online casino. It can be played from any mobile device or laptop at any time of the day or night.

When faced with a decision to travel to Las Vegas or log on from a computer to play online, most will choose the latter for simplicity and convenience.

California may be years behind the trend of allowing such casinos to be licensed for their residents, but players will find a way until the lawmakers catch up.