VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The provincial government is talking about the good and the bad with today's announcement that B.C. has become the first jurisdiction in North America to legalize online gambling.
People in this province are spending $100-million a year at offshore gambling sites. The provincial government says there are 2,000 illegal offshore gambling sites and it's a problem that's not going to go away.
Playnow.com will be regulated. B.C. Lotteries CEO Michael Graydon says there will be resources for problem gamblers. "I think what we are very pleased at, is the fact we are one of the few of the 2,000 websites that takes a very strong commitment to responsible gaming. At least there's one."
The province hopes to keep revenue in B.C. for programs that benefit taxpayers, but Graydon admits the research shows legal online gambling will not be without problems.