Canada Looking Into Kahnawake Online Poker Sites

[Fonzi]

OTTAWA, CANADA - The federal government said yesterday it is considering new measures to stamp out Internet gaming sites based on a native reserve in Quebec, in a move that could spark conflict between Ottawa and Canada's First Nations ahead of a second national "day of action" this summer.

The government deems the 400 or so poker and sports-betting sites operating from the Kahnawake reserve near Montreal to be illegal, but neither federal not provincial governments have attempted to enforce the law. Now Ottawa is reviewing that position.

"Following recent concerns surrounding Internet gambling in Canada, the Minister of Justice [Rob Nicholson] has asked his officials to examine whether the enforcement of the Criminal Code provisions could be assisted with other measures," said Genevieve Breton, Mr. Nicholson's director of communications.

The "other measures" are understood to be moves to restrict banks and credit card companies from conducting financial transactions with illegal Internet operators. Similar legislation was enacted in the United States two years ago.

The Mohawks of Kahnawake say these laws do not apply to them since they are a sovereign nation. They also cite section 35 of the Constitution, which was inserted to protect native culture. The Mohawks say that gaming has been central to their culture as a means of settling disputes through competition, not violence. Other native groups, such as the Alexander First Nation in Alberta, have said they plan to emulate Kahnawake.

Owners of horse-racing tracks, such as Great Canadian Gaming Corp., say they pay $1-billion in tax receipts every year to various levels of governments and incur huge expenses putting on the races. "These offshore operations just poach horse-racing and no one can do anything about it. They're parasites on the butt of Canada," said Ross McLeod, chief executive of Great Canadian Gaming, which owns four tracks in Canada.

Read the rest of the Article Here

John Ivison, National Post
Published: Wednesday, March 05, 2008

[lkport]

This would probably be why Bodog will soon be allowing Canadians to play. I bet they are trying to get out of Canada

[Fonzi]

Bodog's original plan was to open up to Canada in January, but they delayed it for some reason.

[lkport]

their reason to not allow canadians to play was because they were licensed in canada, by law, they couldn't let them play

[Fonzi]

yes, but they were looking to open up to Canada earlier his year.

I was told it was delayed until summer/fall

[Calmplay]

Good news for my Canadian friends as they were sad as Railbirds started some ranking freerolls there and they could not play.