Yet another country is out to get online casinos.  This time Canada is attempting to muster ideas that would force companies operating online casinos in Kahnawake to leave the tribal reserve, located near Montreal.  Companies have been operating sportbooks, online poker rooms, and online casinos in the territory for several years without government intervention.

The Canadian government has always classified these businesses, however plentiful and well established they might be, as illegal internet gambling outfits.  But, until this day, the government has made no effort to take legal action against them.  Many major online casinos operate in the territory.

Some suggestions have been to take after the United States and legally prohibit banking institutions and credit card companies from authorizing transactions with these online casinos.  US gaming analysts do not take such action very serious in light of how it has faired in their own country.

“The US tried to eliminate internet gambling through similar legislation passed in the UIGEA,” said Andrew Hernandez, an online casino industry analyst.

“It's been a miserable failure, one that should be repealed and replaced with legalization. The Canadian government is simply wrong to take action in this manner.”

Hernandez believes it would be safer for citizens if government would simply legalize online casinos, allowing for regulation and audits by governing bodies. 

Multi-million dollar lobbying campaigns by Canadian horse racing tracks and lotteries have put additional pressure on the countries government to take action against online casinos.  Any such action that singles out online casinos and not other gambling businesses would be the sort of protectionist action that the international arena frowns upon.