for all Canucks, a gaming question

Is gambling legal in Canada? I especially want to know if there is a gambling commission that regulates on-line gambling. My husband found a place that rated on-line gambling and the best (and most honest) seems to be Ultimate Bet, which is based in Canada. We have found most of the sites coming out of Costa Rica are not honest. It appears they let you win for awhile and then you never get a decent hand again, especially if you order a check for your early winnings.

gambling is a provincial responsibility so the business would be regulated by the province in which it is located. gambling is legal in most of the provinces as long as it is controlled by the government. in alberta that would be the liquor and gaming commission but as far as i know there are not any online licensed gaming establishments in our province other than for off track betting on the horse races

http://www.kahnawake.com/gamingcommission/

These are the people responsible for Ultimate Bet. My providing this information is not an endorsement. Just the results of a simple google search. Please tell your DH to please not bet the farm.

That is a First Nations (native) reservation so probably not under the control of the provincial(Quebec) gambling commission.

Correct. How many years ago was it that they were in the news for weeks? Guess we can't go there.

And if I recall correctly it is partially in Canada partially in USA.

There is no internet gambling allowed to operate in the U.S. However, anyone can go to sites out of the country and gamble. Some of our banks will not allow direct deposit so we have to use a system such as Firepay. What was Ultimate Bet in the news about, for so long?

There is a link to more information about the nation -
http://www.kahnawake.com/

It is mentioned as being south of Montreal, but it also extends west to Cornwall and yes, - across the St. Lawrence into northern New York State.

Ann

Internet gambling: In their own words - pro and con
* Although Internet gambling is illegal in Canada, the Kahnawake Mohawk tribe has established an online gambling enclave on its reserve near Montreal, a location that gives the 12 to 15 operators there a high-bandwith connection to the lucrative North American market.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/544764.asp?cp1=1


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Canada has a unique policy structure. Unlike many international counterparts, gambling operates exclusively under the control of the provincial and territorial governments. A consequence of this decentralized structure is the lack of national or comparative data on gambling as a whole.

In Canada, the number of Internet gambling sites has leapt from 15 in 1997 to more than 250 by the end of 1998. By comparison, in the United States, the number of Internet gambling sites has increased from 700 sites in 1999 to 1,400 in 2000, and 1,800 in 2001.

Canadian law allows only the provincial government and some charities to run gambling operations. It is now clear that this law, section 207 of the Criminal Code of Canada (“the Code”), makes it illegal to operate, or place a bet through, an offshore Internet casino. The Code specifically restricts the way in which Internet gambling can be introduced. Provincial governments are permitted to operate computer-based lottery schemes like Internet gambling but they cannot licence others to do so. Further, any province that did wish to offer Internet gambling could not take bets from out of province residents unless that other province allowed it. Finally, any type of gambling on the Internet would have to be legally available in Canada, leaving the most popular type of online gambling – single event sports betting – prohibited.

Players and operators thought that they could circumvent the Canadian gambling laws by setting up offshore accounts – which would be as simple as typing in credit card information while online. However, a recent decision by the Supreme Court Appeal Division of the province of Prince Edward Island, judgment rendered April 24, 2002, Reference Re: Earth Future Lottery [2002] P.E.I.J. No. 34 (QL) (“Earth Lottery Reference”) held that in order for a lottery to be lawful it must be conducted and managed in the province.
http://www.gaminglawmasters.com/jurisdictions/canada/inet_canada.html

hmmmmm, the U.S. doesn't own any on its shores but can certainly own them offshore. I would say that the ones in Costa Rico are definitely English-speaking.
Viola, all I can figure is the reservation somehow extends into upstate NY. I would still like to know why Ultimate Bet was in the news so much for awhile.
I also can't tell if it is regulated by its province.

I dont think it was Ultimate Bet that was in the news. Rather there were some problems on some of the reserves here in Canada and the Khanawake 'soldiers' were involved.
I dont remember the details. Some of he other Canadian members might have a bettermemory of the problem than I.

I don't believe echoes was refering to Ultimate Bet being on the news.....I think she was speaking about the Kahnawake Mohawk tribe.

Is the KGC's operation legal?
That's a bit of a gray area right now, and it kind of depends on whom you talk to.

The Canadian government says online casinos are illegal, but natives across Canada say they have the right to do what they want on reservations.

The Canadian Criminal Code, like U.S. laws, prohibits wagering over telephone lines. What's more, gambling operations in Canada need a provincial gambling license in order to be legit. (Gaming software manufacturer Starnet Communications was raided for, among other things, taking bets without a provincial license.)

But some native groups took exception to the licensing regulations, arguing that the Canadian Constitution Act recognizes and affirms "a broad right to manage the use of their reserve lands." They've interpreted that to mean the right to participate in, and to regulate, gambling activities on reserves.

The federal government didn't agree with that argument, largely because gambling wasn't "integral to the distinctive culture of the aboriginal group" - a central component of the rights granted by the Constitution.

The Canadian government relaxed gaming restrictions, however, and allowed the provinces to issue licenses for native gambling. But the licenses have become somewhat of a moot point, because some native groups don't believe they need one. And the KGC is one of those groups.

What does all of that mean?
The situation is at a bit of a legal impasse right now. And it becomes even stickier when the recent history of the region is thrown into the mix.

There was a heated standoff in the summer of 1990 between the Canadian military and Mohawk warriors from the Kahnawake and neighboring Kanesatake reserves over disputed land. Mohawks emerged victorious from the confrontation, but federal and provincial authorities are now reluctant to enter the reserves - or take a strong stand on native issues, for that matter.

And they are even less inclined to act when the waters are as murky as they are on gambling issues.

Even though the Attorneys General of Canada and Quebec have declared that the Kahnawake licensing operation is illegal, it's highly unlikely they will do anything about it in the near future. This is a political hot potato that no one wants to burn their hands on.

So it seems that players will be able to enjoy the benefits of gambling at a KGC licensee for the foreseeable future. http://www.winneronline.com/articles/june2001/kahnawake.htm



What our Government will regulate (and prosecute) is Canadians who play on-line.

I'm not sure if this link will work but there has been requests, within the reservation, for gambling to be regulated and this was their decision: http://www.kahnawake.com/upload/news/pr11152005b.pdf
This was taken from the link ViolaAnn provided above.

What all this information says to me is that there is no regulation. The problem with other sites, again mainly in Costa Rico, is that the cards are not dealt randomly like one might do at a live game at home. Apparently, the software can be manipulated where some folks win a lot and other less and less.
In all 4 sites I tried, my husband and I did pretty well for awhile, even ordered a check for some of our winnings. Then we got poorer and poorer hands. On the rare occasiion we had good cards, we were always beaten on the last (river) card. So he decided to look at a rating service and Ultimate Bet was the only one, other than one in Gibralter run by the English.
As for prosecuting folks playing on-line, the U.S. would have to arrest about 1/3 of their citizens, lol.
What I am most impressed with is, however, all you wonderful Canucks who took the time and trouble to respond, some in great detail. I find Canadians to be intelligent, sane, and friendly folks. Thanks so much for your input.

Hmm....