Canadians Ring for Online Gambling Changes

Canadians are getting itchy fingers as 2010 rolls in and online gambling activity starts to gather momentum for the New Year. One such tidbit of newsworthy content relates to the IGC.

Breaking the Monopoly?
The IGC (Interactive Gaming Council) is a private company which is interested in assuming control of a portion of the Vancouver government's gambling market. As it stands, the state-run monopoly of Canada is still in place, but that reality could soon be altered.

Presently only provincial governments are entrusted with the task of running online gambling services. But the IGC is pushing hard - with attractive terms and conditions - against the current laws.

Change will benefit many
In Canada, the composition of the online gambling market reflects an increasingly varied population. Whereas in times gone by, online gambling was the express domain of younger players - owing to the hi-tech nature of using the Net - today's gambler includes a significant number of older folks who have learnt the ways of the Internet and thoroughly enjoy online gambling. In the past decade, the growth in the number of online gamblers over 60 has doubled.

How the IGC can help
By allowing the IGC to break the state-run monopoly, the benefits to Canada and its players will be enormous. For starters, the government will control the issuing of online gambling licenses to qualified operators. The state will be able to tax all online gaming activity and earn valuable revenues which can be pumped back into community projects or geared towards job creation. Regulation will also bring more transparency and greater accountability amongst operators.

From a social perspective, it has further been established that online gambling activity is especially beneficial to seniors, as it aids in staving off mental illness and isolation. The fact that many people can now enjoy affordable gaming entertainment without having to venture out of their homes is another huge cost-saver and convenience. The chat features and community atmosphere of online casinos brings many benefits to players who would otherwise be battling loneliness at home.