Italy Introduces Online
Gambling Restrictions
 July
31 -
Many have been surprised at the news that
instead of opening up their online gambling industry, as per
European Commission (EC) free trade rules and directives, the
Italian government has chosen to follow the route of other
anti-online gambling countries,
by restricting the popular internet pastime.
According to reports, the
Italian government is focusing its anti-online gambling efforts
mainly on the game of poker,
one of the few gambling games in the world that relies on skill
more than luck. While it has made some changes to its online
gaming policies (as per the EC),
these changes are still very restrictive.
For instance, while
Italians
can play online poker legally in the country, according to the
new policy they
can no longer play cash games, but only in poker tournaments.
Players are also restricted to play online for a limited time
only, and on poker rooms that are hosted within the borders of
Italy and
only accept Italian players.
Pessimists will
view these restrictions as draconian, 'American-like' and
insulting to Italians,
while optimists will say that at least Italy is now closer to
falling in line with the European Union's free trade online
gambling policies, and
at least the government is regulating the online gambling
industry to protect players.
Of course, also hard hit by these new changes will be the
slew of popular offshore online gambling websites
which will no longer be allowed to accept Italians. However,
there is already a suggestion that Italy's
restrictive online gambling laws will only drive players to
other offshore sites
where they are still welcome.
|
|
|
