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Canada pressured to decide on online gambling

CANADA – As reported by the Toronto Star: "It appears Canada is going to come under pressure to outline a stance on online gambling as Britain pushes countries around the world to regulate, while the United States moves toward outlawing it. Canada — specifically the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake, outside Montreal — is the third-biggest host to online gambling sites in the world, according to research commissioned by the British government.

"The U.K.'s secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Tessa Jowell, released the report in conjunction with 'the first ever online gambling summit,' which she hosted outside of London last week. She was seeking international support for standards of regulation over the online gambling industry. According to a spokesperson at the British ministry of culture, a representative from Quebec attended the summit but Canada did not participate at the federal level.

"An official with the federal department of justice has suggested that online gambling is not currently a priority issue.

"Proponents of regulation argue that the rules would bring in taxes and that, rather than prohibit online gambling, governments should keep the industry above board so that minors would be restricted and gamblers could have more faith that sites are safe and secure.

"…According to the U.K.'s research report, there are about 2,300 Internet gambling sites across the world. Antigua leads the way, with 537, followed by Costa Rica, with 474 and Canada's Kahnawake reserve, with 401.

"The 2004 report also said that while Loto-Quebec and Canada's attorney general have deemed a casino operated by the Kahnawake Mohawks illegal, no charges had been laid…"

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