Argentina to Regulate Internet Casinos
The head of Argentina's presidential cabinet says the government hopes to have a regulatory law in place for online casino gambling before the new year. Anibal Fernandez says that the process could take as long as two years, but authorities are striving to move the measure along allowing regulated Internet gambling throughout the country.Fernandez stated a major reason for the plan is to combat existing unlicensed and unregulated Internet casinos already accepting plays from residents. Unlike the US, which has tried and failed to prevent offshore online casinos from taking plays from inside the country, Argentine lawmakers will instead try to protect consumers by regulating the online gaming industry.
Argentine government insiders have said the online casino plan is designed to help the government operate its newly acquired soccer network, as well as contribute to general revenue.
Countries have split on how to react to Internet operations outside national jurisdiction whose services are used by citizens. Some, like the US, have spent millions to attempt to ban online gambling, without noticeable success, as player numbers in the US continue to rise.
Others have taken the Argentinian path, and accepted the existence of online casinos and placed regulations in effect to guard consumers and collect revenues for government.
Fernandez would not discuss the option of using gaming revenue to finance soccer broadcasts, saying dismissively, "That's another subject."
