Quebec Government May Force ISPs To Block Gambling Websites 60
New submitter ottawan- writes: In order to drive more customers to their own online gambling website, the Quebec government and Loto-Quebec (the provincial organization in charge of gaming and lotteries) are thinking about forcing the province's ISPs to block all other online gambling websites. The list of websites to be blocked will be maintained by Loto-Quebec, and the government believes that the blocking will increase government revenue by up to $27 million (CAD) per year.
This is the kiosk lobby (Score:2)
You can tax online gambling too, if you want. Its more direct, and you can keep more of the money as gambling organisation. No kiosk middleman.
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1) Quebec is not a part of the US.
2) The tax would presumably be on winnings, therefore a tax on citizens.
Crooked politicians. (Score:2)
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and you could even get a Canadian VPN just based in another province. This stuff is so lame.
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
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All the Canadian provider and gov will see is a stream of encrypted data every month to an ip out of Canada.
The Canadian ISP is happy to block sites, the VPN is very happy with the new user, the user is enjoying the wider internet as normal.
A newer law to block any VPN provider getting funding from a Canadian bank or credit card?
Re:Crooked politicians. (Score:4, Insightful)
When US politicians try to ban online gambling, it's not to drive business to government gambling sites, but rather to drive business to Sheldon Adelson. I guess they figure if you're going to be corrupt, you might as well be corrupt for someone who pays better than the government.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-po... [arstechnica.com]
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Oh, and before you ask for a citation that Graham and Rubio are trying to ban online gaming specifically for Sheldon Adelson (who looks like Dr Evil's unwell uncle by the way), here is some more information:
http://www.nationaljournal.com... [nationaljournal.com]
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Hmm, I smell bacon. Sh'Chita Beit Yosef
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Stop reelecting them! Short of that, learn good circumvention techniques.
A lot of the online gambling industry is located (Score:3, Interesting)
A lot of the world's online gambling industry happens to be located in the province. (Porn too but that's a different story)
Will this have an adverse effect, such as the industry leaving? Do these pay taxes to the government anyway? Many are "natives"...
Will this really happen or just some rumors? This initiative has failure written all over it..
Interestingly, the leader of the opposition owns the largest ISP in the province and he's quite right-wing. Not sure he's gonna go for that...
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A lot of the world's online gambling industry happens to be located in the province. (Porn too but that's a different story).
So that's where all the ultra hairy women sites are!
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Just the thought of Quebec porn activates my gag reflex without me even seeing it.
Slashdot doing community service. (Score:3)
You can figure out a way if they really manage to get ISPs to block the gambling sites.
Consequent with the current law (Score:2)
which is that you need a license from Lotto-Québec to operate in the gambling buisness.
If we don't want to block foreign gambling web sites, we should also allow foreign lotteries to operate in Quebec.
Personally, if I wanted to play poker online, I would use Lotto-Québec, which I trust a lot more than an offshore company. How do I know they are not selling my hand to another player?
How about driving traffic the old fashioned way? (Score:5, Insightful)
Proxy Servers (Score:2)
Quebec, have you ever heard of proxy servers?
They are fairly easy to set up.
You get your *trusted friend* living in another jurisdiction to leave a computer on for you.
Point your Internet connections at the out-of-Quebec computer and you're good to go.
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There is already no reason to use foreign gambling sites. If you need to setup a VPN or proxy, it's enough to convert 99% of the people to Lotto-Quebec.
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Sure, that's a workaround, but it doesn't solve the real problem - because the problem is not connecting to blocked sites (I have absolutely no interest in online gambling). The real problem is censorship.
So we in Quebec must fight this proposal - not because it has anything to do with gambling, but because it restricts our freedom.
It's the law here... (Score:3, Informative)
Seriously, Loto Quebec is basically the law when it comes to gambling stuff. Anybody who doesn't pay them, cannot legally operate any sort of gambling or giveaways in Quebec. Which is why 99.99% of online giveaways, even if they are based in Canada, exclude Quebec.
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Tell me about it. I don't even check the requirements for any giveaways anymore, because they always end with "Except in the province of Québec".
Let me say it in french so it's pretty clear:
Fuck you, Loto-Québec.
Re:It's the law here... (Score:4, Funny)
Let me say it in french so it's pretty clear:
Fuck you, Loto-Québec.
As they're from Quebec, this won't work. You need to name some church utensils or furniture instead.
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No, we say "fuck" in Québec all the time even when we speak French. We just don't consider it "offensive".
Lots of new revenue (Score:3)
$27M coming in
How much is it going to cost to implement, enforce and maintain? More than $27M probably.
not legal (Score:5, Interesting)
Doing so is illegal under WTO rules:
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/ar... [wired.co.uk]
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Perhaps you are not aware:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
And my taxes pay for these fine people's salaries and retirement fund... while I scramble for crumbs.
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Correction, they are the laughing stock of the English and French speaking world.
I don't know what your origins are but you clearly belong to a superior race and culture. As the inferior and stupid being "a Quebecker" I am, I must bow down in admiration to your intelligence and manlihood and only hope to become like you in the future.
Fucking Idiots... (Score:1)
Blocking them will in no way increase your revenue, it will in fact drive more people to your competitors via proxies, dark net, you name it - they'll go out of their way just to piss on your attempts at limiting their choices.
Will they block Kahnawake? (Score:4, Informative)
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is located inside the Quebec borders, and they operate a large datacenter dedicated to online gambling.. They host many high-profile gambling site.
This is not a "foreign" operation at all.
Will ppl have to VPN through the USA or another canadian province to come back to a QC operated gambling site. That is ridiculous..
https://www.gamingcommission.c... [gamingcommission.ca]
That's not the real crime (Score:1)
The real crime is that Loto Quebec partnered with a private corporation called Amaya Gaming which also offers online gambling to North America, out of Quebec. This is the same company that recently bought Poker Stars.
According to the latest news, they plan to block everyone but Amaya Gaming. Essentially, they are handing a monopoly to a non-governmental agency. If that isn't corruption, I don't know what is...
Source: http://casino-review.net/quebe... [casino-review.net]
ISP "cooperation" (Score:1)
Gov't to ISP: Block all gambling web sites that are on our blacklist.
ISP to Gov't: "Block all gambling web sites" - hey, that's a great idea. I think we'll start with the list we already use to block our employees from going to gambling web sites while they are at work.
A Good Idea (Score:1)
The operation was