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Sat, Dec

Poland attempts to ban Online Gambling

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An anti-gambling campaign has been organized by Polish leaders in an attempt to ban Internet gambling.

Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister is attempting to raise the taxes on the gambling industry and to ban all gambling outside of casinos. Critics feel that this campaign is an attempt to draw attention away from the recent government corruption that has been uncovered and in fact, Grzogorz Makowski from the Institute of Public Affairs reported that “He covered the problem of corruption with the problem of gambling”.

Members of the government and the gambling industry have been involved in numerous scandals. An investigation, known as “Operation Blackjack”, uncovered wired tapped conversations and certain high officials were forced to resign as a result of accusations that they were allowing the gambling industry to sway their decision. This has led to the Minister for Sport and the Deputy Prime Minister resigning from their positions.

Many have speculated that the country is struggling to fund the 2012 European Football Championships that it is due to co-host with Ukraine and is therefore seeking to increase revenue by raising taxes on the gambling industry.

Online gamblers in Poland do not feel that the proposal is a threat to them as there have been many unsuccessful attempts in the past to ban online gambling in their country.