There is no doubt that governments have an important role to play in setting standards, as of paramount importance is the ability to provide consumer protection, promote responsible gaming and youth prevention, and from the company’s perspective, implement protocols and procedures to ensure integrity and accountability.

The public needs to be assured of the legitimacy of the operators and governments are expected to provide the public with those protections. Provinces have systems of regulation in place for land-based operators to ensure the best of breed are able to do business. So why not adopt the same policies for online operators?  Online gaming companies have already demonstrated they’re willing to adopt strong models to protect their customers. Take youth prevention as an example: unlike land-based casinos were someone can just walk in and play, online players need to register their detailed information in all cases prior to playing for real money and this information need to be correct before any player can deposit or withdraw. 

A strong argument can be made for the need for government oversight. And there really are only three options, given the irrefutable evidence that the industry is not slowing down – or disappearing – any time soon: prohibition, status quo and regulation. 

The first two can be dealt with in short order.  Prohibition simply does not work. Just think back 80-90 years and look at the way in which the public dealt with the ban on alcohol. Prohibition only serves to drive the industry underground, which means that there is little or no ability to monitor, regulate or control it. The status quo is unsustainable because all interested parties – government, consumers and companies – need clarity about the industry so that they can operate effectively and with certainty.  

Given the growth of Canada’s online gaming industry, together with the lost economic opportunities not being realized, and in some cases, the lack of safeguards in place for the consumer, the question to regulate should be one of “when”, not “if”.  

The world has moved in the direction of regulation and Canada needs to follow.  What needs to begin now, however, are discussions about how to achieve an open, regulated marketplace for Internet gaming in Canada. There will be no shortage of committed partners – the IGC included – to help bring about responsible and effective gaming policies in order to embrace a form of entertainment that the public clearly wants. 

By John FitzGerald, CEO of the Interactive Gaming Council.