Legality
Online gambling legislation often has loopholes that result from the rapid development of the technology underpinning the development of the industry. Such countries as Belgium, Canada, Finland, Sweden have state gambling monopolies and do not grant licenses to foreign casino operators. According to their law, operators licensed on the territory of these countries can only be considered legal. At the same time, they can't prosecute foreign casino operators and only block their sites. Players in these countries can't be punished and can gamble at any site they can access.
The Belgian Gaming Act allows online gambling, but only under very strict conditions and surveillance.
In the United States, all online casino operators – local and foreign – should be prosecuted if they accept wagering money from American citizens. Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) limits restrictions to online gambling operators, while players can be prosecuted only in certain states, where the state law prohibits placing bets. The effectiveness of the UIGEA act in terms of preventing US citizens from participating in online gambling has been questioned by some notable gambling authorities.
Gambling online has never been a crime in Canada, as international casino operators can provide their services to residents so long as they are regulated in their own jurisdictions. Recently, however, local gaming commissions have decided to launch their own online gambling commission, providing residents with the opportunity to play at online casinos that are regulated by their own provincial governments. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation and Loto Quebec are the first two provincial entities to launch these types of online casinos. PlayNow.com was first launched by the British Columbia Lottery Commission in 2010. While the site got off to a slow start, there are now 180 000 players registered on Playnow.com. BCLC launched the site as an alternative to offshore gambling websites, so the local economy would be able to reclaim a portion of the profits that residents have been spending on gambling websites located in other countries. Since the British Columbia Lottery Corporation operators the site, profits are tax by the government and used to fund a wide range of programs across the province. Loto Quebec became the second Canadian lottery commission to launch its own online gambling website later in 2010. Despite the Kahnawake Gaming Commission being located in the province, the lottery commission wanted to reclaim a portion of the revenue that was going to sites ‘offshore’ websites, providing players with a government-regulated option. Both websites offer players online lottery sales, in addition to a wide range of online casino games. Slots, table games and card games are all available – and the two companies have even teamed up to launch their inter-province poker network. Several other provincial lottery commissions are considering the option of launching their own online gambling websites. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is the latest Canadian lottery to express its interest in the online gambling market, recently announcing its plans to launch its own online casino.
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