Anti-Poker Wave Hits the Philippines
More disturbing news from the anti-online poker front, as an overzealous politician wants to deny the good people of the Philippines the right to play online casino games and poker. As reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer: A lawmaker has proposed that gambling on the Internet be made illegal in that country.
Alliance for Rural Concerns party-list Representative Narciso Santiago noted in his proposed legislation that there are no existing regulations on Internet gambling in the Philippines (which is a good thing).
Santiago’s bill proposes to make it illegal for people running a gambling operation to use the Internet or any other interactive computer service to place, receive, or otherwise make a bet or wager; or send, receive, or invite information that may assist in the placing of a bet or wager.
He also said there is a danger that gambling sites may be used in scams to trick people out of their money. This is of course completely false, as online gambling sites should not be equated to Nigerian phishing scams or some such thing. This is just another example of a crooked politician who wants to deny people their God-given right to play online poker. I am hopeful that this bill, and other bills like it worldwide, will be defeated and we can all play online poker in peace.
