Rise of Internet gambling raising concerns

[clevfan]

Rise of Internet gambling raising concerns

Apr. 24, 2006
IAN URQUHART
TORONTO STAR

Last week, half a dozen federal and provincial officials met behind closed doors at Queen's Park with representatives of casinos and racetracks.

The topic: the startling rise in illegal Internet gambling and what to do about it.

Starting from scratch just a few years ago, Ontarians are now spending an estimated $300 million a year playing poker or betting on races from the comfort of their own homes via the Internet.

"It's one of those issues that kind of creeps up on you a bit," says Gerry Phillips, minister of government services, who is responsible for the oversight of gambling in the province.

It was Phillips who instigated last week's federal-provincial-industry meeting at Queen's Park with a March 6 letter to federal Justice Minister Vic Toews raising "some serious concerns" about the growth in Internet gambling.

Internet gambling is strictly illegal in Canada. But because the gambling web sites are based offshore or, in some cases, on an Indian reserve in Quebec, it is tough for law enforcement authorities to get at them.

Meanwhile, Ontario's casinos and racetracks are feeling the effects of Internet gambling on their bottom lines.

Revenues from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission, which runs the province's casinos, have declined by $335 million over the past three years and are forecast to drop another $210 million this year.

While border problems and competition from new U.S. casinos are usually blamed for this, Internet gambling is also a major factor in the decline.

As for the racetracks, Woodbine Entertainment Group estimates Internet betting on horse races is draining $100 million a year from its coffers.

Internet gambling is, of course, more than just a revenue concern. Because the Internet is accessible to minors, it is seen as fostering underage gambling. And because people can gamble on the Internet anonymously around the clock, it can be viciously addictive.

What should be done about it?

Sources say that three options were discussed at last week's meeting at Queen's Park:

Stop the advertising of gambling web sites.

It is astonishing that the province can prohibit all advertising or even display of cigarettes, a legal product, whereas ads for Internet gambling air with apparent impunity.

It is done cleverly, of course, with ads that invite people to visit "play for fun" or instructional sites that are perfectly legal. But there are links from these sites to the real thing.

Liberal MPP Jeff Leal (Peterborough) has introduced a private member's bill that would close this loophole by banning ads for websites that are linked to gambling not licensed by the province or the Government of Canada.

The bill received second reading (approval in principle) by a voice vote in the Legislature. But that is as far as private members' bills usually get.

However, the government could decide to adopt Leal's bill as its own and push it through the Legislature.

Go after the website operators with criminal charges.

Other countries ? notably the United States ? are pursuing this option with some success.

In Canada, it is not clear whether the gambling sections in the Criminal Code are strong enough to support charges or whether new language is needed. Last week's meeting concluded that this question requires further study before the option can be pursued here.

Set up a government-licensed website to keep the revenues in Ontario.

This is the "if-you-can't-beat-them-join-them" solution, and it is the option the British government has chosen.

However, given the accessibility of the Internet beyond the province's borders, Ontario would encounter stiff opposition from the rest of Canada and the U.S. if it pursued this option.

That is not the only problem with this option. With concerns about Internet gambling preying on minors and being addictive, how could the government sanction such a web site?

In a policy statement last year, the Liberal government said No to any further expansion of gambling, including on the Internet. That remains government policy today, says Phillips.

That would seem to leave options one and two as ways to fight the Internet gambling problem.

The participants in last week's meeting will meet again next month, and this time representatives of the OPP and the RCMP are to join them.

Government action could follow soon afterward.

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[The Major]

interesting.

[RackMan]

"Revenues from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission, which runs the province's casinos, have declined by $335 million over the past three years and are forecast to drop another $210 million this year. "


Once again, the MIGHTY Dollar Speaks!!!!!

[Banned4Life]

We have a problem because all the money we bribed corrupt politicians with for our monopoly went down the drain because those dammed internet sites came around and stole our business. Looks like we'll have to write some more checks so they can pass a few more laws to protect our sorry corrupt azzes. We pay off the right people (the extortionists who control the government) so we expect them to do their jobs and let us run our gambling while arresting the competition.

Politics is a bigger racket than the mafia. Bunch of corrupt thieving conniving hypocritical scumbags.