FCC Router Ban Raises Questions for the US Gambling Industry’s Technology Infrastructure
The FCC’s new ban on foreign-made consumer routers has potential implications for the US online gambling industry
The FCC added consumer routers produced in foreign countries to its Covered List on March 23. The ruling prohibits new foreign-made router models from receiving FCC equipment authorization. That means they cannot legally be imported, marketed, or sold in the United States going forward.
The ban follows a similar move against foreign-made drones in December 2025 and mirrors the national security framework used then.
The ruling covers virtually every major router brand. Around 60% of home routers in the United States are estimated to be made by Chinese companies. But the FCC’s ruling is not limited to Chinese manufacturers.
It applies to any router produced outside the United States, regardless of where the company is headquartered. That means brands including TP-Link, Netgear, Asus, D-Link, Linksys, Amazon Eero, and Google Nest WiFi are all affected. Routers already in service are not impacted.
Why This Matters for the Growing US Gambling industry
The US gambling industry runs on an enormous base of connected hardware. Commercial gaming generated $78.7 billion in 2025, a record according to the American Gaming Association.
Tribal gaming added another $43.9 billion in its 2025 fiscal year. Together, these figures point to a sector generating well over $100 billion annually.
That scale requires a dense layer of technology. Estimates based on revenue data and typical slot machine performance suggest between 600,000 and one million electronic gaming devices are currently active across the country. Slot cabinets are only part of the picture.
Modern casinos also operate sportsbook kiosks, cashier terminals, loyalty card readers, player-tracking systems, hotel management terminals, and redemption machines. Compliance servers, storage arrays, and networking equipment tie it all together.
Counting surveillance systems, back-of-house hardware, and online infrastructure, the total number of connected or monitored devices across regulated gambling operations may range from one to three million. Casinos are among the most camera-heavy environments in the country. They run continuous surveillance operations for fraud prevention, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance.
The Supply Chain Exposure
Most of that hardware connects to networks through routers and networking equipment that, until now, has largely been sourced from overseas manufacturers. The FCC’s ban does not affect devices already in place. But it creates an immediate constraint on upgrades, new property openings, and the expansion of technology infrastructure.
For casino operators planning new builds or expanding their technology footprint, the pool of available, newly authorized networking hardware has just shrunk significantly. The ruling creates pressure to source from domestic manufacturers or from companies that can obtain exemptions through Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security review processes.
Industry groups have warned that rushed implementation of similar bans in other sectors risks disrupting supply chains without a clear domestic alternative ready. The same concern applies in gaming, where compliance with regulatory technology requirements is non-negotiable and hardware procurement cycles can be long.
When Will We See the Impact of the Ban?
The FCC’s ruling does not ban existing routers from continuing to operate. Specific products already holding FCC radio authorization can continue to be imported through at least March 1, 2027, under current rules. That provides a short runway for operators to assess their exposure and plan procurement accordingly.
Companies can apply for conditional approval through the exemption process. Whether major router manufacturers that source from Taiwan and other non-adversarial countries receive favorable treatment remains unclear.
The Commerce Department’s separate investigation into TP-Link is expected to conclude by mid-2026. Congress is also weighing legislation that would require network security audits for any router sold in the US consumer market.
For an industry that depends on reliable, compliant networking infrastructure across thousands of regulated locations, the FCC’s ruling adds a layer of procurement uncertainty at a time when gaming technology is expanding rapidly.
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