Poland Tries Online Casino Ban to Distract from Corruption

Leaders in Poland are attempting to deflect criticism of the overwhelming public corruption by organizing an anti-gambling campaign which would outlaw online casinos, among other steps.

Political scandals are running amok in the current Polish political leadership, so Prime Minister Donald Tusk is attacking the crisis by outlawing online casinos. Because gambling influences have contributed to the wholesale buying and selling of the Polish government, Tusk's solution is to make gambling outside casinos illegal, and raise taxes on the remaining gambling industry.

At least four prominent members of the government have resigned or been expelled for working to keep gaming taxes at their current level. Rather than investigate deeper into government corruption, Tusk has chosen to blame gambling for the ills of his party, say political observers.

"He got rid of those closest to the scandal, but there wasn't a thorough cleaning up of his entire party," says Grzegorz Makowski of the Institute of Public Affairs about Tusk. "He covered the problem of corruption with the problem of gambling."

Over three-quarters of Poles say that Poland's government is rife with corruption. An independent study of governmental transparency found Poland near the bottom of 31 European countries.

Tusk's campaign against online casinos and gambling reminds residents of other politicians and their trumpeted causes which supposedly would end the graft, only to find the activities a smokescreen behind which unethical behavior continued.