Is canada next?

TORONTO – Ontario, stung by falling tax revenues from casinos across the Canadian province, wants to ban advertisements for Internet gambling sites, and hopes its plan will prompt a federal crackdown on online gaming.
Gerry Phillips, minister of government services for the province, said the ban aimed to stem the flow of young people who are gambling online. The measure, which still has to be approved by the provincial legislature, could come into force early next year.
“I don't see us moving to legalize Internet gaming – that's not an option we're even considering,” Phillips told Reuters in an interview. “But I don't underestimate the complexities of this thing down the road.”
A recent study from the Responsible Gambling Council, a provincially funded support group for gambling-related problems, found that visits to online gaming sites rose four-fold between 2001 and 2005. Some 5.5 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in the province gambled online last year, the council said.

The ban would move Canada away from the British approach of regulating online gambling, and toward the U.S. approach, which leans toward an outright ban.

London-listed Sportingbet Plc and Leisure & Gaming sold their U.S. operations this month after U.S. President George W. Bush signed a law making it illegal to accept wagers over the Internet, or for credit card companies to process payments to online gambling firms.

In Britain, online gaming is legal as long as the Internet servers are located in a jurisdiction that permits it.

The decision by Ontario in part reflects falling revenues at the provincially owned Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., which runs 10 commercial and charity casinos, slot machine facilities at racetracks, as well as several lotteries.

OLG says net income from the casinos has fallen 75.6 percent in the last five years and was C$124 million in 2005.

But online gambling is not the only reason – a rising Canadian dollar and tougher security at the U.S. border have helped cut down the number of American tourists coming to casinos in Canada.

($1-$1.13 Canadian)



Have a problem witht this story(theres a shock I bet)

The first thing they mention is their tax revenue loss on casinos,then they transfer over to minors gambling ,folowed by the rise in gambling of people between 18 and 24 which is a legal gambling age in some provinces and 19 in others.
Underage gambling seems to be a major concern for everyone,since they arent reaping the rewards.
That study on the rise in gambling for people between the ages of 18 and 24 may never see the dawn of light if it benefits them.Its a tool like underage gambling,used to make the masses see it as evil.
IMO(S/J)

__________________

The reason revenues are falling, is the Canadian Gov't does not offer a fair gamble. The hold % is way too high, and people have gotten tired of walking into a gov;t run casino, only to have your money disappear quickly with little return, or fun. My husband and I stopped going to the Manitoba Casino's years ago for that exact reason. The BJ rules make the house edge so high, you can;t play, and the machines are hideous. No comps, no free pop or coffee. Just leave yourmoney in the fire pit at the door. Banning the internet will not force me, or any one I know back to their greedy doors. It will only mean an extra trip to Vegas. Our Government makes me sick.

Ok i can see if the US and Canada have an issue with underage gambling on the net, so why not do like is done in the online porn industry require id verification. Also thats why I don't go to any casino's in Canada anymore % is stupid. I used to go to montreal as I am only 1/2 hour away but that stopped a while ago.too many restrictions on gambling as of late.

Its because they want the tax revenue from the casino.Everthing else is just camaflouge.

IMO(S/J)

__________________

Ontario banned smoking in casinos earlier this year. They thought it would work as it does with bars and restaurants, and nonsmokers who had been driven away by ambient smoke would replace the smokers who stopped going, but there's a general difference between bar patrons and gamblers. Ontario is finding that out as no one replaces the smokers like me, who refuse to pay money to have their freedom restricted.

Also, there is a study--and I can't find the reference--that two-thirds of Ontario casino revenue comes from problem gamblers. Those guys are getting tapped out and unable to afford casino trips any more.

It doesn't help that the closest Ontario casinos are an hour and a half drive away from the Greater Toronto Area, which has more than one-third of the province's population.

But Canadian politicians have an inferiority complex to American politicians, and new U.S. statutes tend to be copycatted here in Canada after a few years. That is especially true now that the New Fat Kid at School (Stephen Harper) is running the country, because he worships G.W. Bush.

cc

Another example of politicians with too much time on their hands and feeling they have to do something. Sheesh!