Quebec set to enforce online gambling blacklist

[The Buzz]

According to a report on FlushDraw.net, just 10% of Quebec’s market for online gambling is done via regulated means and now Loto-Quebec wants to get a piece of the action.

The ban itself is set to be enforced by the country’s ISP’s, which are slated to receive the blacklist within 30 days. ISP’s that fail to comply with the ban could be fined up to $100,000 per violation.

Read the entire story here: http://www.yogonet.com/international...ling-blacklist

[BSC]

There is already a huge backlash going on against this, and with good reason. The province doesn't have the authority to censor the Internet and even if they did, there is always a way around it. VPN is becoming a household term.

I really detest when tactics like these are used in a free market. In a free market the consumer votes with their wallet and there is a reason why the competition is winning. They offer better games, better payouts (often verified by a third party), and far better promotions and bonuses. Perhaps Loto-Quebec should address the real problems instead of resorting to artificial roadblocks that most gamers will be savvy enough to maneuver around.

Referring to the competition as "illegal" is nothing more than a scare-tactic. Most online casinos are properly licensed (many by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission - which is located in Quebec!) - there is nothing actually "illegal" about them. I'm a player myself and I trust eCOGRA-verified casinos far more than Loto-Quebec or Playnow (British Columbia's "official" provincial online casino).

Loto-Quebec is losing and instead of doing the right thing they are resorting to childish tactics under a thin veil of "consumer protection". (I think they mean "monopoly protection"). The whole thing screams of desperation and fear and it quite insulting to the intelligence of casino players everywhere.

[vpp]

Even though online gambling is legal for residents from Canada, only 10% of the online gambling market in Quebec is regulated, which means Loto-Quebec now wants in on the online action. Quebec is planning to create a blacklist to block certain sites from access, which can include upwards of 2,000 gaming sites that are currently unregulated.

The ban on these sites will be enforced by the ISP’s in the country and any ISP that does not comply with the ban may face fines that can be as high as $100,000 for each and every violation.

The reason for the blacklist: money. Since just 10% of the operating sites are regulated, Loto Quebec is missing out on a huge chunk of revenue. The ban may very well be a violation of the current censorship laws in Canada, so it is expected that there will be some legal challenges when Quebec takes the next steps to create the blacklist.