Brick and Mortar gambling has become a hot issue in the state of Indiana and a few different bills are currently in writing or have recently been voted on. Most notable was a proposal to allow floating casinos to move inland, but there’s also been legislation indicating that parents must give gambling profits to their kids.

Fox News: Staying wet: Casinos not allowed to move inland

An amendment in the Indiana House that would have allowed the area’s floating casinos to move inland was defeated, and the issue appears dead. Representatives voted 57-42 Tuesday and shot down the amendment to a broader Senate casino bill. The bill was pulled from further consideration in the House.

The deadline for Senate bills to be amended in the House is Wednesday and the bill could be reconsidered by then, but the bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Bill Crawford has no such intentions for it.

Rep. Crawford was angered that amendments to boost Indiana’s “racinos” won support but not the inland casino language that was aimed primarily at helping riverboats in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago.

WBIC News 93.1 FM: Inland Casino Bill Rejected

Indiana’s House has voted against amending a gaming bill to allow existing riverboat casinos to convert to land-based operations. The gambling industry and individual casinos struggling to compete with growing operations in neighboring states were split by the issue.

Rep. Matt Bell argued that the amendment would protect an established industry in Indiana from outside competition. He said, “It can be an important part of making our properties competitive, so they can attract individual investment into the state.”

Rep. Mike Murphy, on the other hand, countered that casinos are asking for special treatment, saying: “They don’t want to be treated like a business. They want to be treated like a monopoly.” The point that the gambling industry contributes millions of dollars to the state economy while creating thousands of jobs was argued by Rep. Charlie Brown.

A legislative summer study on gambling indicated that the state could lose over $100 million in gambling tax revenue if it disregards Ohio casinos, which were authorized by voters in November.

The Assosciated Press: Indiana House Backs Taking Deadbeat Parents’ Winnings

The Indiana House recently passed a bill that would require gambling parents who hit big slot machine jackpots at casinos to give winnings to their children.

The bill was approved unanimously and would withhold gambling winnings from parents who are behind on child support payments. It all makes sense in a state where just 58% of child support payments are collected.

Over 165,000 non-custodial parents owe more than $2,000 for back child support in more than $2 billion of delinquencies. The withholdings would generally kick in on slot machine winnings of $1,200 or more. The bill must return to the Senate for consideration of changes the House made.

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Golfer Tiger Woods, who has been in the limelight in recent months because of a scandal surrounding his personal life, has turned down a lucrative sponsorship offer from Paddy Power, Ireland’s biggest bookmaker. Woods has lost many of his biggest sponsors in recent months. Paddy Power intends to turn around with an even better offer.

New York Times: Woods Turns Down Paddy Power Sponsorship Offer

Golfer Tiger Woods turned down a five year, $75 million sponsorship offer from the Irish online sportsbook Paddy Power. Upon being rejected, Paddy Power announced intentions to an improved offer.

Woods has been losing sponsors lately. The 14-times major champion winner lost his deal with sports drink brand Gatorade last week. Gatorade was the third major corporate sponsor to dump Woods since details of his inappropriate conduct hit the newsstands last year.

The golf star was earning $100 million in endorsement deals annually before taking a break from golf in December. Woods has not said when he intends to return to the sport when he spoke to media last month. He has remained very quiet since the scandal over his private life erupted in December.

During last year’s U.S. PGA Championship, Paddy Power lost 1.5 million euros to bettors who had gambled on Woods after just 36 holes, even though Woods lost to South Korea’s Yang Yong-eun at the end of the event.

Market Watch: Woods turns down $75 million sponsorship offer

Paddy Power, a publicly traded internet sports betting company in Ireland, offered Tiger Woods’ representatives a $75 million sponsorship deal over the next five years.

Woods turned down the offer. The company said it “remains keen” to strike a deal, and intends make an “enhanced” offer to secure the deal.

Woods has lost many of his endorsements in the last few months, including Accenture and Gatorade, ever since he admitted to having multiple affairs.

Procter & Gamble’s Gillette has kept Woods’ contract alive, might not use Woods in any more ads. Nike and Electronic Arts also continue to honor their contracts.

Woods has publically apologized for his recent actions, but has not said when he will begin golfing again.

Paddy Power has a history of spending on its message: Marketing expenses were nearly 29 million euros in 2009, while recorded profits were around 58 million euros.

Business Week: Paddy Power to Raise Woods Offer After Bid Rejected

Paddy Power, Ireland’s biggest sportsbook, intends will increase its sponsorship offer to Tiger Woods after their previous bid of $75 million over five years was rejected by the golfer.

“Paddy Power remains keen to work with Tiger Woods, and will re-engage” said the Dublin-based group. “An enhanced offer will be made.”

“Tiger as a brand is up there with Coca-Cola and Pepsi. It’s something we are quite serious about.” The new offer will be “somewhat more generous,” he said.

Woods, who is a 14-time major-tournament winner, recently lost his sponsorship deals with Accenture Plc and AT&T Inc. These contracts were broken after Woods admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, and announcing that he intended to take indefinite break from playing golf.

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Gambling regulators in Pennsylvania are fining Mount Airy Casino Resort a whopping total of $100,000 on the basis of underage gambling charges. Gamblers between the ages of 17 and 20 have caught at the casino 6 times in the last year, four of which were reported by the casino.

Bloomberg Business Week: Pa. casino fined $100,000 over underage gambling

Pennsylvania gambling regulators fined a Poconos resort casino $100,000 for underage gambling. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board says gamblers between 17 and 20 years of age were caught playing slots 6 times at Mount Airy last year. In four of those cases the casino didn’t report the violations.

In an agreement with regulators Mount Airy also purchased 8 electronic scanning devices to check gambler driver’s licenses and other ID cards. Mount Airy’s vice president, Matthew Magda, says the casino is working to prevent future incidents and will report them if they occur.

In the last two years regulators have fined Pennsylvania casinos 9 times totaling $332,500 over underage gambling.

Pocono Record: Mount Airy hit with record fine by state

Mount Airy Casino Resort received a record $100,000 fine from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for 5 instances of underage gambling at the casino’s slots. Out of 5 instances, 4 were discovered by resort security yet never reported to the gaming board.

The incidents occurred between July and September 2009 when Pennsylvania’s gaming act made it illegal for anyone under 21 to operate slots and barred individuals under 18 from entering the gaming floor.

Eight identification-scanning devices were also bought by Airy to help prevent underage individuals from accessing the floor in the future. During the past 2 years, the board has levied fines 9 times for violation of underage gambling or minors on the gaming floor totaling $332,500.

The Morning Call: Underage gambling violations at Mount Airy result in $100,000 fine

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved a $100,000 fine against Mount Airy Resort Casino for underage gambling violations that occurred in the last year. According to a news release from the Gaming Control Board, 6 gamblers between the ages of 17 and 20 were caught playing slot machines at Mount Airy Resort Casino last year.

Under Pennsylvania gaming laws, it’s illegal for those under 21 to use or operate a slot, and those under 18 are forbidden from the gaming floor. The law has changed and now dictates that no one under 21 years of age can enter the gaming floor.

The Gaming Control Board described the violations that occurred at Mt. Airy: Two 18-year-old males accessed the gaming floor and played slots on July 18; an 18-year-old male played slots on the gaming floor July 29, a 17-year-old male gained access to the gaming floor and played slots on Aug. 19; a 20-year-old female entered the gaming floor, cashed a large bill at the main cashier’s cage and played slots on Sept. 10; and a 20-year-old male played slots and was served alcohol in the bars located within the resort.

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Five men in the US state if Indiana face felony charges for operating what they called a charity casino. The proceeds from the games they offered were supposed to go to a local learning center, but instead went into the pockets of the operators and the men they hired to act as dealers.

News Sentinel: 5 face charges in ‘Poker Palace’ probe

The Indiana Gaming Commission has been keeping an eye on the Parnell Poker Palace since it opened back in 2008. After months of investigation, criminal charges have been filed against its owners and organizers who face three gambling-related felony charges, including conspiracy to commit unlawful charity gaming contracting.

Parnell Poker Palace is legally licensed as a nonprofit gambling operation. They offer games like blackjack, poker, dice games and roulette, and have always claimed to donate all their proceeds to the local White’s School of the Arts, a nonprofit group that helps troubled inner-city kids.

The establishment grossed $100,000 every month, but it was recently learned that deposits meant for the charity were actually being placed into a personal bank account. Quick action was taken to put a stop to the operation.

Journal Gazette: 5 men face felonies in charity-run casino hall

In the US state of Indiana, five men face multiple felony charges for operating a now-defunct charity gambling casino.

The case revolves around Ralph White, 54, who runs White’s School of the Arts Community Development Programs. It is a non-profit organization that offers 24-hour day care and educational programs for around 90 children in the town of Fort Wayne. White is also listed as an operator of Parnell Poker Palace and Casino, which offered poker, craps, roulette and blackjack three days a week from noon to 3 a.m.

While Parnell Poker Palace was legally licensed, it is now clear that its operation broke several laws. White and his partners hired dealers and pit bosses and paid them cash, which is against state laws since the casino was listed as a charity organization. They also enlisted “investors” to help finance the gambling den, and then split the revenue between themselves and White’s School of the Arts. According to state officials, however, White’s School of the Arts never filed a charity gaming report.

As it turns out, Poker Palace proceeds were deposited into White’s personal bank account, even though the money was supposedly being donated to White’s School of the Arts.

The Indiana Gaming Commission investigated the case.

Indiana News Center: Criminal Case Filed Against Former Parnell Poker Palace

Three men in Fort Wayne, Indiana, face criminal charges related to a charity gambling center that state officials say operated outside the law.

The building that is now home to a bar called Rick O’Shay’s used to house the Parnell Poker Palace.

The gambling center was run by Larry York, Charles Keller, George Kotsopoulos, Ed Miers and Ralph White. All are now being accused of illegally profiting from poker, blackjack, and other gambling activities at facility.

Court papers detail their crimes. Dealers and pit bosses were hired as volunteers, but were in fact being paid thousands of dollars under the table.

Larry Rollins of the Indiana Gaming Commission said, “When people then decide that they can profit for themselves by conducting charity events, that’s when it really crosses the line.”

The men face several felony charges including promotion of professional gambling, unlawful charity gaming contracting and corrupt business influence.

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A former Girl Scouts troop leader from Minnesota has been charged for stealing the money that little girls worked hard to earn in the annual cookie sale. In total, Joleen Marie Hopkins admitted to stealing a total of $5,000 dollars in order to gamble among other things. Records, however, indicate that she stole upwards of $8,214.22.

Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune: Charges: Ex-Girl Scout leader’s hand in cookie jar

A Mendota Heights woman, Joleen M. Hopkins, was charged with stealing about $8,200 from local Girl Scouts while she was a Scout leader. She was charged in Dakota County with 2 felony counts of theft by swindle and 4 counts of theft (one felony, one gross misdemeanor and two misdemeanors).

Hopkins wrote checks on Scout bank accounts in 2008 and 2009 and spent money at casinos, restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations. Nearly $4,000 was stolen from the Mendota Heights troop’s cookie sales. Hopkins 3 daughters belong to the troop from which she stole.

The chapter now requires criminal background checks on volunteers, which was not the case when Hopkins became leader. Last week in Washington County, someone entered the garage of a Lakeland home and made off with 407 boxes of cookies. No arrests have been made.

Fox News: Girl Scouts Troop Leader Admits Stealing Cookie Money

A former Girls Scouts troop leader from Mendota Heights, Minnesota; Joleen Marie Hopkins, was charged for swindling money from the troop’s annual cookie sale to pay bills, gamble and buy sports equipment.

Hopkins was charged with 2 felony counts of theft-by-swindle and 4 counts of theft, including 1 felony theft charge. The charges stem from the alleged theft of proceeds from Girl Scouts cookie sales in March 2009.

Hopkins’ husband was the troop cookie manager. The Hopkins were responsible for collecting cash from troop cookie sales and depositing the cash and checks into a troop bank account. Chapter documents show the troop collected $8,515.50 in 2009 cookie sales. A total of $1,459.80 should’ve been deposited into the troop checking account and $7,055.70 should have been deposited to the chapter account. Records show $781.20 was deposited into the troop account and $6,271 was deposited into the chapter account.

Of the $6,271 deposited to the chapter account, Hopkins wrote 6 personal and business checks totaling $2,150.50, which were returned unpaid to the chapter as “unable to locate account.” The police traced those checks to accounts that were closed in 2006 and 2007 due to large dollar overdrafts made by Hopkins.

Hopkins eventually depleted the account to a balance of $15. Investigation revealed that Hopkins had spent more than $3,000 at casinos, auto part stores, restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and businesses in Wisconsin.

ABC News: Troop leader accused of stealing scouts’ dough

A Twin Cities Girl Scout leader was charged with theft for allegedly stealing thousands in proceeds from her troop’s cookie sales. Joleen Hopkins, 54, of Mendota Heights, took over $8,000 between 2008 and 2009.

The criminal complaint states that Hopkins’ husband was the cookie manager for her girl scout troop. He has not been charged. Hopkins was charged with six theft charges, including three felonies. Hopkins, who also used the name Joleen Tillman, pleaded guilty in 2009 to stealing food stamps back in 2007.

She was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay more than $700 in restitution.

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US gambling laws do not allow betting across state borders, so Iowa lawmakers have hit on a brilliant idea – allow online gambling, but keep it local. In a new plan that is still being drafted, players would make deposits and manage their accounts at land-based casinos in Iowa, but would be able to gamble online. Naturally, the plan is drawing a lot of criticism.

KWQC News: Iowa May Legalize Online Gambling

Iowa lawmakers are looking to making legal online gambling a reality. While 50,000 Iowans already gamble online, the sites they play at are not licensed in the United States. Some say making online gambling legal would bring some extra revenue to the state.

State Representative Doug Struyk says, “Here’s an opportunity for $11.5 million a year for an activity that’s already going on in the state where Iowans have exposed themselves to significant risks.”

The plan is complex, and it needs to be to get around federal legislation. Players first enter a land-based casino in Iowa to make a deposit, then access online account from a computer in Iowa to play poker. Players would collect winnings back at the land-based casino. All the money would remain in the state.

Some worry that legalizing online gambling could be problematic for people who already have a gambling problem.

“I do know somebody who has developed an online gambling problem, doesn’t need to leave the house to go to the casino. It’s so easy to just click, click, click and then there’s a problem,” said Ellie Bonis.

If all goes as planned, the system could go online as early as next year.

Quad-City Times: Lawmaker: Iowa could be first to allow online gambling

An Iowa lawmaker said last week that the state could become the first in the US to allow online gambling. According to Representative Doug Struyk, around 50,000 people in Iowa already participate in online gaming, but it’s not exactly legitimate.

Struyk is part of a working group trying to work out a new system that would keep money in the state, instead of sending it offshore.

“People in our state lose thousands of dollars on this,” Struyk said.

The system would regulate online gambling through the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, and would place caps on wagers to help control problem gambling. Players would have to create and manage accounts at land-based casinos, but could place bets over the internet from home.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has doubts. “There never has been a state that has done it,” she says. “Allowing every home in the state to be licensed as a casino to gamble at home seems to me to be a fairly heavy lift.”

A proposal is currently being drafted, and Struyk gives it a one-in-four chance of passing this year.

Des Moines Register: Legislators consider online poker

Iowa may become be the first state in the nation to allow legal online poker. A plan is being drafted that allow people to deposit between $50 and $500 into a special account at one of Iowa’s land-based casinos. That account could then be used to play poker on the internet.

Federal gambling laws prohibit gambling between states, so the system would simply restrict the system to players in Iowa.

Online poker could provide $11.5 million a year in revenue into the state’s treasury, according to preliminary projections.

State Representative Mary Mascher is not convinced. “There are a lot of things in Iowa that are illegal, but it doesn’t mean we should legalize it,” she said, citing speeding as an example.

Advocates of the idea call it “account deposit wagering” instead of online gambling. Whatever it’s called, the chances of the plan being put into action are slim.

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After years of weekly games, seniors at Idaho’s Twin Falls Senior Center were shocked to have their popular poker games broken up. The seniors thought that they were legal because they donated up to $500 to the senior center every month.

The Magic Valley Times-News: Law takes dim view of gambling at senior center

Above the average criminal age, a group of Twin Falls seniors saw little mercy for having played Poker. According to some of the elder poker enthusiasts, the weekly games made them happy and shouldn’t be illegal.

Police, on the other hand, say nothing permits Idahoans to gamble at any age. Authorities went to the Twin Falls Senior Center earlier this month and explained that the weekly poker games there were illegal and must come to an end.

Five of the seniors claim that about 20 seniors played at the center for more than 5 years despite failing vision, fading memory and limited mobility. They gave an estimated $400 to $500 to the center per month. Each player put in $20 to play, and the pot was split among the top chip holders. Many of the seniors said they didn’t know what they were doing was illegal.

Authorities got involved at the senior center after receiving an anonymous tip about the weekly games. The seniors don’t know who called police, though they’d like to.

State Legislature recently passed a bill to the governor which would give authorities discretion over which gambling reports to investigate and prosecute. Gambling is a misdemeanor. A top local authority believes that this incident, among others is “at best, a waste of law enforcement resources.”

The Idaho Press: No bluff: Police break up senior center poker game

Retirees had no chance when pitted against police at the Twin Falls Senior Center earlier this month when their long-running poker game was broken up due to an anonymous tip. Roughly 20 seniors play at the center since over 5 years ago but police say the law doesn’t permit gambling at any age. Police gave the seniors a warning and didn’t make any arrests.

Residents paid in $20 to play and split the pot among the top chip holders. They donated up to $500 to the senior center each month. Because the money was given to the center, “we thought we were legal,” said 73-year-old Ora Deahl.

The seniors said they don’t know who tipped off police, but they’d like to find out. They would also like a little slack when it comes to enforcing state gambling laws.
They might get just that.

Lawmakers sent a bill to Idaho Gov. Butch Otter last week that would give authorities discretion to not investigate or prosecute all gambling reports.

Fox TV Idaho: No bluff: Police break up senior center poker game

The odds were stacked against pensioners at the Twin Falls Senior Center this month when police officers arrived to break up a long-running poker game after getting an anonymous tip.

About 20 seniors had played at the center for more than five years but police say nothing in Idaho law permits gambling at any age.

Residents paid in $20 to play and the pot was split among the top chip holders. Seventy-3-year-old Ora Deahl says she thought it was legal because the players donated up to $500 to the senior center each month.

Eighty-year-old Doris Williams says they’ve been playing the legal way without money since the police visit but it isn’t as much fun.

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The US Defense Department has officially allowed the use of social networking sites by military personnel on government computers. The computers cannot, however, be used to access prohibited content, including pornography and internet gambling websites. The announcement was made on Friday via Twitter and Facebook.

CNN: U.S. military OKs use of online social media

U.S. military personnel are finally allowed to tweet, but online blackjack is still off-limits.

The Pentagon’s new policy on military personnel using online social media was finally unveiled Friday. The new rules remove blocks on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube from all nonclassified government computers. These and other social networking sites can now be used as long as long as activity does not compromise national security.

The Pentagon announced the new policy via Facebook and Twitter.

The new policy also denies military personnel access to all websites promoting gambling, pornography or hate crimes. These cannot be accessed on nonclassified government computers for any reason.

According to David M. Wennergren, deputy assistant secretary of defense for information management and technology, the new policy “not only promotes information sharing across organizational boundaries and with mission partners, but also enables deployed troops to maintain contact with their loved ones at home.”

BBC News: Twitter and Facebook access for US troops

US troops are now allowed to use social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter following a statement by the Department of Defense. The benefits of using social media, they say, now outweigh the security risks involved.

Now several sites previously blocked by the Pentagon – including YouTube – will be unblocked. Operators reserve the right to re-institute the blocks temporarily if the need arises to safeguard missions or save bandwidth.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates says social networking can help the Pentagon interact with US military employees.

“We need to take advantage of these capabilities that are out there – this Web 2.0 phenomena,” said David Wennergren, deputy assistant secretary of defence for information technology.

“There are two imperatives. One is the ability to share information. The other is about security – we need to be good at both,” he said.

US Department of Defense: DOD Releases Policy for Responsible and Effective Use of Internet-Based Capabilities

On Friday, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) released a statement outlining the “safe and effective use” of the internet by military personnel using official equipment. The statement covers the use of social networking services and other interactive internet applications.

Use of social networking sites has become an important tool for communicating across the DoD and with the general public. Establishing a DoD-wide policy will allow for full integration of these tools and capabilities.

According to the memorandum, only the DoD non-classified network will be effected. Commanders will continue to defend against malicious activity and must deny access to prohibited content (includeing gambling and pornography), and must take immediate to safeguard missions.

“This directive recognizes the importance of balancing appropriate security measures while maximizing the capabilities afforded by 21st Century Internet tools,” said Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III.

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A proposal to allow gambling on the popular tourist destination was rejected by local lawmakers and will not progress past this stage. Had the proposal been passed, the state may have been able to raise up to $86 million per year in gambling revenue. The state is currently expected to face a $1.2 billion deficit.

Los Angeles Times: No dice: Lawmakers in Hawaii kill proposals for casino in Waikiki or on Hawaiian lands

According to a recent decision on the part of lawmakers, the sunny isles of Hawaii will not be seeing gambling any time soon. The bill that came under fire would have allowed a casino in the tourist center Waikiki. There will not be a vote on a second measure allowing gambling on Hawaiian home lands.

Public testimony on the gambling measures was overwhelmingly negative, leading the House Finance Committee to scuttle the idea Wednesday night. Hawaii and Utah are the only states that don’t permit any form of gambling and Hawaii’s population seems particularly passionate about keeping it out.

Gambling interests pitched casinos as a way to help rejuvenate the state’s vital tourism industry. In addition, casinos would allegedly bring $86 million a year in tax revenue to the state which is currently facing a projected $1.2 billion deficit.

Opponents of the bill argued that a casino would eat up tourist money, tarnish the state’s family-friendly image and increase crime.

The New York Times: Hawaii: Lawmakers Say No to Casinos

On Wednesday state legislators killed a bill that would have allowed a casino on the tourist filled island of Waikiki, Hawaii. A second measure allowing gambling on Hawaiian homelands will not get a vote after the House Finance Committee scuttled the idea.

Knowing that the state is facing a ghastly $1.2 billion deficit, gambling interests pitched casinos as a way to help rejuvenate the tourism industry. They also claimed that casinos would bring $86 million a year in tax revenue to a state. Opponents cited a decrease in tourist money, and the tarnishing of the state’s family-friendly image along with increase crime as reasons to keep casinos out.

Star Bulletin: Lawmakers fold their hand on casino bill

Overwhelming public opposition killed a push to establish gambling in Honolulu last Wednesday. State House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro said a move to legalize casino gambling is dead in the water in the Hawaii Legislature this session.

The Committee on Finance rejected a casino gambling bill yesterday after public testimony proved to be against the idea overwhelmingly.

Due to Hawaii’s current economic downturn, the committee held a public hearing on the bill, calling for a 5-year casino license to a gambling operation in Honolulu and creating a wagering tax. John Radcliffe, gambling interests lobbyist, said one casino in Waikiki could generate $522 million in income.

In addition to the Honolulu Police Department, the Honolulu Prosecutor’s and state Attorney General’s offices opposed the bill.

Opponents to the bill made claims that the allegedly inevitable rise in crime would outweigh the benefits of gambling. They also said that legalizing gambling would send the wrong message to Hawaii’s children.

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Loto-Québec recently announced plans to move their operations online, and hopes to have an internet gambling website up and running by the end of the year. Public health officials are up in arms about the idea, insisting that online gambling presents a significant health risk to Canadians. A coalition of anti-gambling doctors have called for a one-year moratorium on the internet gambling plans while they talk about the potential health risks it produces.

Montreal Gazette: Let’s pass on online gambling, MDs say

Backed by the Canadian government, Loto-Québec announced Feb. 3 that it will launch an internet gambling website by the end of the year. Their intention of is to compete with the thousands of foreign-based internet gambling sites that already target Canadian players. The company hopes to divert $50 million a year in gambling revenues into back into the country.

Public health directors are against the plan, along with the country’s association of addiction rehabilitation centers who called the plan a recipe for disaster.

Richard Lessard, director of Montreal’s public health department, asks: “Should we really be accelerating the development of online gambling or slowing it down?” Lessard called for a one-year moratorium on the launch of this and all similar gambling sites.

“There are not just economic benefits to be had, but negative impacts that have not been properly accounted for. We are convinced that by creating a legal secure site, we will create new players. You don’t have to be a marketing expert to see that.”

The doctors who are speaking out against online gambling in Canada want the government to set up a committee of experts, which they say should include people from the ministries of justice and public safety, to explore the implications of online gambling and figure out how to deal with its negative impacts.

According to the Institute national de santé publique, almost five per cent of the Canadian population is classified as a “problem gambler”.

CBC News: Loto-Québec online site a health risk

Public health officials across the Canadian province of Quebec asked lawmakers on Thursday to reconsider their plan to introduce online gambling.

Loto-Québec is expected to launch its online gambling site in September. The lottery corporation has estimated that the venture will bring in more than $50 million in revenue by 2013.

The corporation also hopes that the new gambling site would work to subdue the 2,000 gambling sites already online, many of which operate illegally and are unregulated by the province.

Health officials, however, are concerned that online gambling presents a severe health risk. Dr. Richard Lessard, Montreal’s public health director, believes it is much easier for a person to become addicted to gambling if they play on the internet.

“It’s too soon to go online,” Lessard said. “We think there should be a moratorium on the implementation of online gambling, and during that one year or more period, we think there should be an expert committee to analyze the impact on health in particular.”

The financial benefits of online gambling are overshadowed by the negative impact that gambling has on health, he said.

CJAD Radio Canada: Minister says public health officials are wrong

Minister Raymond Bachand is not out to fight the Quebec’s public health officials, but he certainly disagrees with them.

“We respect their opinion,” he insists, but he does not agree with public health director’s request to put Loto-Quebec’s upcoming internet gambling project on hold while a committee studies its effects on society.

Quebec’s public health directors say that some dissenters might be underestimating the social impact that online gambling has.

Minister Raymond Bachand admits that some Canadians suffer from gambling addictions, but insists that it’s less than one percent. Instead, Bachand focuses on the amount of gambling that’s already online. “There’s a world-wide phenomenon,” he says, “but it’s not by putting our heads in the sand and allowing only illegal sites to operate in which anybody can go and play that we’re going to solve the problem.”

The province stands to earn $50 million through online gambling over the next three years.

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