Government Amending Act on Illegal Online Gambling
POLAND - Unless Polish authorities pass and enforce sterner laws against online gambling, it is predicted that about US$1.4 billion will be gambled by Poles on internet gambling sites according to sources of the Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
Last year, Poles were estimated to have gambled around US$ 1.1 billion on internet gaming sites which was reportedly 50% higher than what was placed in legal highstreet casinos and betting shops in the country.
While an act outlawing online gambling and advertising for online gambling in Poland exists since October 2009, authorities are unable to implement the law as the gaming websites are registered outside of the country. Polish authorities also tried blocking access to gaming websites and keeping a record of such sites but this idea failed after it came under heavy criticism from the public.
The Polish government is now proposing to amend the act by December so that it will be the gamblers themselves who will be prosecuted for patronizing the gaming sites managed by offshore companies. The proposed amendment also hopes to ensure that websites advertising gambling services should be sanctionable by Polish law regardless of where they are based.
Source: Warsaw Business Journal
