British Columbia To Launch Government Run Online Gambling

Gambling News - September 8th, 2009 - Written by Glen

For the first time ever, a North American government will have their own, state operated source for online gambling. The British Columbia Lottery Commission has retooled their website to offer online casino gaming.

The British Columbia Lottery Commission, or the BCLC, has, in order to keep up with the increasing demand for online gambling, decided to offer several casino games through their website. An estimated $87 million is being sent to off shore gambling venues, and with the recent changes the BCLC intends to keep this money in the province. The revenue received from the online gambling is meant to increase the province's overall revenues. The games should be available before the second quarter of 2010.

The regulation of online gambling is a major issue around North America, particularly in the United States, and now Canadian residents in British Columbia will be able to enjoy legal, regulated online gambling. The BCLC will allow players to choose their own weekly deposit limit, which can be between $1 and $9,999 dollars. The games will be available only for residents of British Columbia and all players must be at least nineteen years of age. Other safety features will include an on screen display of the appropriate odds as well as a timer that shows how long a player has been playing, the self imposed deposit limit, as well as responsible gaming reminders. The service also comes with the trusted reputation of the BCLC.

The BCLC's online gambling portal, PlayNow.com, will also feature sports betting as an option.

The rising demand for online gambling, particularly casino gaming and online poker, has been a topic of heavy debate. The United States does not currently regulate the industry, despite the lucrative benefit of any online gambling venture. If Congress takes a look at our northern neighbor's recent decision, American players may soon see a regulated online gambling industry, rather than an unlawful industry.

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