A gambling consultant with the Atlantric Lottery Bob Rybak said he expects the provinces not currently operating online casino games to join the project, giving Canada a unified system of online gambling. The new network would be accessible not only to computer users, but also through mobile phone applications.
However, some gambling critics showed their lack of education regarding problem gambling, saying the online gambling project would bring a great danger of increased problem gambling to Canada.
"Internet gambling is potentially the most problematic for people who have gambling addictions," said noted gambling opponent Shane Simpson. But most problem gambling experts are in agreement with the studies from Harvard Medical School and other objective sources that have found online gambling to be far less likely to result in compulsive gambling.
Gambling consultant, Bob Rybak told a gaming conference in Montreal that Canadians spend almost a billion dollars annually on online casino, and offering the national online casino sites will help generate revenue from that previously untaxed wealth.
Bob Rybak, who spoke at an Internet gambling conference in Montreal, said Canadians spent an estimated $800 million in 2009 gambling online, with "the vast majority of that money going offshore".
Officials said concerns that online casino will not properly protect children or gambling addicts will be addressed through software determining identity and location of players. Bob Rybak and other conference speakers stressed that public acceptance of online casino will be linked to the operators' ability to ensure underage players cannot access the sites.
Another priority revolves around measures to identify and help problem gamblers. "Safeguarding the players means safeguarding our industry and our livelihood," said Hillevi Stuhrenberg, manager of responsible gambling for Betsson, a Swedish group.
Post a Comment