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When officials in British Columbia and Ontario announced plans this summer to start new online-gambling ventures, they cited as a key benefit the retention of potentially hundreds of millions of dollars that would otherwise go to offshore sites. They also promised a more responsible and secure environment in which to play.
But two Canadian online-gaming experts question whether provincially run sites will be able to compete against more than 2,000 offshore sites that, for the most part, have fewer regulations, lower fees and other incentives to keep customers loyal.
The experts also worry about the social costs. They say the ability to play from home and around the clock will likely create a new crop of addicted gamblers. And, they warn, there's nothing to suggest that these domestic sites will be any less vulnerable to criminals who engage in cheating, hacking, money laundering and "cyber-extortion."
The debate re-ignited in July when B.C. announced that it would be the first jurisdiction in North America to offer legal, online casino games, including blackjack, poker and roulette. A month later, Ontario said it planned to launch an online gaming site by 2012.
Quebec has signalled it will offer online poker in the fall. The Atlantic provinces — which already offer limited online gaming — and Saskatchewan have hinted they might jump on the bandwagon, too.
Provincial officials say the potential financial windfall — B.C. says it loses $100 million each year to offshore gambling sites, while Ontario says it loses $400 million — will help support schools, hospitals and new infrastructure.
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