Just weeks after the United States Department of Justice announcement regarding the interpretation of the Wire Act of 1961, many major American land based casino ventures and companies have pointed out that they are preparing to enter the online poker market as soon as online poker would be legalized in the US.

Renowned North American casino game equipment developer Shufflemaster has announced that it was aware of the fact that US attitude towards online gambling might change in the near future, and therefore it already began preparing to enter the online gambling market.

Shufflemaster's head of strategy Louis Castle commented that the company already hired a team that would work on creating a functional multiplayer online gambling platform. It has also been revealed that preparations already began on creating the company's maiden interactive division sometimes in 2012.

Strategy head Louis Castle commented the following:

"Come February, you'll see a lot of activity in Nevada around legal online gaming. Some people will jump; we'll certainly be ready. The question is which companies will want to go first. It's just got accelerated. 2012 is going to be a banner year in many ways."

Various other companies and company executives also expressed their interest in providing online gambling services in the US as soon as it would become legal. A longtime proponent of the legalization process, Wynn Resorts pointed out that the company already has a strategy of providing online poker services that would be implemented as soon as online poker would become legal.

But it's not only the big American companies who see an opportunity in the US online gambling and poker market. Renowned online gambling operator bwin.party has last year formed a partnership with famous US casino chain MGM regarding the provision of online poker services in the eventuality that online poker becomes legal in the US.

Experts believe that the US online poker market is worth up to $5 or 6$ billion annually, money that up until now mostly went to offshore online gambling establishments. It's also estimated that the US online poker market could be worth even up to $10 billion annually if the Federal Government would legalize this practice.

Tags: US Online Poker Legalization, USA