SA to regulate online gambling

[psavv]

And also, how does this differ from Ray Rahme who won over 3 million dollars by coming in third at the world series of poker in Las Vegas. Thsi was not online but he would have had over R20 million to bring back. Was this also blocked?

None of this makes sense. The whole idea of online gaming, is to bring the casino to your home. If we went to SilverSands casino, sat at the table and won/lost money, whats the difference with doing all of that online?

 

[kilo39]

Hundreds of thousands of people play internet poker for pennies; all this talk of big money is fine however it does not portray the reality of the situation.

It is not a situation that requires special accounts and endless regulation. Most international sites are registered with bodies that know and promote responsible gaming etc. International sites are usually already heavily regulated.

Regulating gaming is simply another notch in the War on Freedom, oh gee why do we buy into that crap?

 

[Bcm]

Fvck Casa! They took down the local poker scene in cape town! They assumed they were losing business! Just because I'm a poker player doesn't mean I'm a gambler!

Local casinos won't do poker rooms or tournaments because it takes up too much floorspace. They could put slots there for the mouthbreathing masses

Give the goverment their tax and let me play my online poker in peace!

 

[kilo39]

Give the goverment their tax and let me play my online poker in peace!

Agree Bcm.

 

[mcryan]

That is a loss of revenue for the government IMO, the guy / gal isn't going to shove the cash under a matress in his / her bedroom and never spend it.

A bit OT here but:
Definition of democracy: Being allowed to choose someone who will tell you what you may and may not do for the next 5 years.

And where did that definition of democracy come from? I think you should buy a dictionary and re look at that.

There is nothing more right or wrong about playing Silver Sands online than there is about going to a Casino to play. If SS gets banned then so should other casinos.

I don't play often but I sure enjoy it once every few weeks. I would like to hear more reason from the Government on why they want to ban or tax it more, other than scoring some of the money for them selfs.

 

[DblD]

For exact same reason you stated here "play from my home".

What you describe as innocent poker game from comfort of your home is in fact
* way too accessible and convenient for you to develop gambling addiction.
* No age restriction control in place any minor can gamble.
* And Online Poker is the most notorious mechanism for money laundering.

If you stop people from gambling online, why not stop them from gambling at Grand West, Monte Casino, Sun City, etc as well...

Leave people to blow their cash ffs! I for one love playing poker on SilverSands. It's in the comfort of my own home, I trust that it's damn near impossible to cheat...apart from the odd poker bot or so...

I haven't been following this story the whole time, but what does the government stand to gain by limiting the amount of cash an individual earns from online gambling? If I win the euro millions (which is advertised on every blumin website these days), can I also not bring the money back?

 

[Bcm]

For exact same reason you stated here "play from my home".

What you describe as innocent poker game from comfort of your home is in fact
1. way too accessible and convenient for you to develop gambling addiction.
2. No age restriction control in place any minor can gamble.
3. And Online Poker is the most notorious mechanism for money laundering.

1. Booze & cigarettes are just as accessible and convenient for you to develop addiction. Keep your moral restrictions to yourself.

2. Its called parenting. Raise your own kids and don't place restrictions on me.

3. Estimated Global revenue of online poker is $2 billion, whereas the estimated global drug revenue is $500billion (1998 is the best I could find, so this is a low estimate), even if all revenue generated by online poker was a "money laundering" transaction, it would still be less that one percent of gross. If anything, regulation rather than restriction would clean this up.

 

[Serqet]

For exact same reason you stated here "play from my home".

What you describe as innocent poker game from comfort of your home is in fact
* way too accessible and convenient for you to develop gambling addiction.
* No age restriction control in place any minor can gamble.
* And Online Poker is the most notorious mechanism for money laundering.

*How is it any different to driving to a casino to gamble? Addiction is addiction. It wont be hindered because one thinks 'oh damn i have to drive there'

* You shouldn't allow your children access to your credit card or accounts anyway. Where are you when your child is surfing the net? They should be monitored.

*Don't quite get this one.

 

[LCBXX]

I don't get the big difference between online gambling and going to gamble at a casino. In one instance you sit on your arse at home and gamble (whilst actually being remotely able to care for your offspring, if you have any) and in the other instance you sit with you arse in an uncomfortable char in a casino whilst your offspring is generally being neglected.

Government most get their piggs[poker] in line - they want to put all kinds of slogans on cigarettes, telling you how bad they are, but nothing on alcohol. I've yet to see a someone assaulting his family after smoking too much Marlboro.

I'd like to see guavament try stopping this. The business is waaaay to lucrative to just go down without a fight.

 

[Rouxenator]

People need easier access to things that could kill them. Gambling, alcohol, drugs and other "addictions that kill" should not be kept at bay just becuase of some weak humans. If you are a weakling and you get addicted to such things then you probably have inferior genes and the human race would be better off without you.

Evolution happens everwhere, in your car with seatbelts and at your home with alcohol and smokes. If you are weak enough to kill yourself with these things then you are doing the human race a favour.

 

[LCBXX]

Ditto.

Kill yourself, we need the space.
-Casper de Vries

People need easier access to things that could kill them. Gambling, alcohol, drugs and other "addictions that kill" should not be kept at bay just becuase of some weak humans. If you are a weakling and you get addicted to such things then you probably have inferior genes and the human race would be better off without you.

Evolution happens everwhere, in your car with seatbelts and at your home with alcohol and smokes. If you are weak enough to kill yourself with these things then you are doing the human race a favour.

 

[Rouxenator]

Kill yourself, we need the space.
-Casper de Vries

That was one his best shows !!! Cannot wait to see him again this year. The guy is a like a saint to me.

 

[Bcm]

I don't get the big difference between online gambling and going to gamble at a casino. In one instance you sit on your arse at home and gamble (whilst actually being remotely able to care for your offspring, if you have any) and in the other instance you sit with you arse in an uncomfortable char in a casino whilst your offspring is generally being neglected.

gambling is not the root cause of bad parenting....

 

[LCBXX]

No. Parents are.

gambling is not the root cause of bad parenting....

 

[Bcm]

No. Parents are.

Exactly, so banning online gambling because some people may get addicted and neglect their children is equivalent to banning all cars because some people are bad drivers and may cause accidents.

 

[kilo39]

For exact same reason you stated here "play from my home".

What you describe as innocent poker game from comfort of your home is in fact
* way too accessible and convenient for you to develop gambling addiction.
* No age restriction control in place any minor can gamble.
* And Online Poker is the most notorious mechanism for money laundering.

Gambling addiction? What a joke. Perhaps you would like to 'regulate' WOW or even this forum. Addiction is personal nothing to do with the millions of people who play poker. Companies listed on major world stock exchanges are fully aware of 'gambling' and addiction, and 'money laundering'. So much myth so few facts especially from those with no clue.

 

[DigitalSoldier]

Frankly gambling serves no purpose.. other than for entertainment..which should not require money.

Only way to control this industry is to cut right to the bull**** and pursue any bank that facilitates money transfer to/from those gambling sites. With that tap dried out.. online casinos can close the shop and go spending dirty money they acquired over years..

Why should the entertainment of others bother you ? Most of the people gambling worked for their money and surely they have the right to do what they want with their money.

 

[Bondizzo]

Let ppl do what they want with their money, A fool and his cash are easily parted, so let them lose their money !

 

[JAV]

As with the drivers licenses, firearm licenses, the idea to regulate the online gambling industry in South Africa is a good one.

As with the drivers licenses, firearm licenses, the implementation of the regulations will leave much to be desired...

As with any type of business, you get dodgy operators. Hopefully the regulatory implementations will cause those that don't adhere to policies set out by the various online regulators (E-Cogra, IGC, etc.) to close up shop. Fortunately most of these "dodgy" operators tend not to last very long in the industry anyway.

 

[kingmonty]

I haven't been following this story the whole time, but what does the government stand to gain by limiting the amount of cash an individual earns from online gambling? If I win the euro millions (which is advertised on every blumin website these days), can I also not bring the money back?

You can - but as it's not considered winnings by the SA government but instead foreign earnings, SARS will take its 40% or whatever cut if you do bring it into SA...