Online casinos have never fully recovered since 2006 when the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed.  Several businesses were forced to abandon what was then the world’s largest market for online casinos, the United States.  But recovery may soon be on the way.

Despite the recession online casinos have shown that they have more than staying power.  Many of the top companies in online casinos have actually thrived during the economic recession and seen a significant increase in revenue.

Even though online casinos have been successful during the recession, their numbers have yet to return to pre 2006 levels.  Back before the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, PartyGaming, the world’s largest online casino operator was trading at $15.00 dollars a share on the NASDAQ.  Now shares of PartyGaming are going for a little less than $4.00 a share.

"Some of the share prices have already discounted the U.S. opening up the online gambling markets and the possibility of some sector consolidation, but shares in European online gambling companies will rally European rally there is an element some of the share prices already discounting the US opening to a degree or some sector consolidation,” said Nick Batram, an analyst for KBC Peel Hunt.

Online casinos may not need the United States to fully recover.  Regardless most feel like it is a matter of when, not if, the United States will reopen to online casinos.  When that happens the market will probably skyrocket.  There are few markets as potentially lucrative to online casinos as the United States.