The marriage between the U.S. gambling casino enterprises and the online gambling industry has been rekindled once again as Harrah’s will be expanding into the European market by no later than the fall of 2009.  It is poised to take on all online powerhouses, and the outcome could determine the return of the presence in the online gambling industry.  

While the strategy of Harrah’s has not been disclosed, it is quite evident that it has a game plan in mind.  Rumour has it that the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006 will be overturned by Congress within the next three months.  This law made it illegal for citizens to engage in Internet gambling online because the country had no way to legally tax the winnings of millions of Americans who won money through Internet gambling.

Harrah’s has placed itself in an enviable position as it waits to see how the political cards in this situation fall.  Harrah’s has established a new subsidiary called Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, Inc.  The idea of establishing this subsidiary is so that it can manage the global growth of the World Series of Poker, for which it owns the rights, while concomitantly exploring its options on a new European strategy.

There is no doubt that Harrah’s has left other gaming establishments in the at the starting gate, while exploring new markets with a world wide vision.  Additionally, Harrah’s has hired former online giant PartyGaming’s former CEO, Mitch Garber, as its new CEO of Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, Inc.

Besides overseeing all activities relative to the World Series of Poker (WSOP), Mr. Garber will have the added responsibility to explore the use of interactive gaming technology in order to expand the horizons of Harrah’s to a more global presence.  The best place to start is Europe , and Garber will be utilizing all the resources within the Harrah’s empire to develop new opportunities to strengthen and broaden Harrah’s customer base.

This is a significant year for Harrah’s because the World Series of Poker will be celebrating its 40^th birthday.  Major players in the online gambling industry are watching developments very closely.