The Czech Republic is looking to legalize Internet gambling in 2009. Radio Praha, Czech national radio reports that after years of lobbying and pledges to prevent minors from betting on their Websites, the country’s five biggest book makers will soon receive permits from the finance ministry to introduce Internet gambling.
One of those companies is Fortuna - and company executive Tomáš Bahník explains why the decision was so important for the firms. “We are sad and bitter that foreign Internet betting companies are allowed to operate in the Czech Republic without any control. There is no legal restriction. So we want to have the same opportunities as foreign companies.”
The gambling company executive said that the anticipated date for the issuance of the licenses is January 5, 2009, and that those companies in line to receive licenses have been preparing their operations and will be ready to launch on that day.
Bahnik adds that the regulatory regime would be closely watched, which he claimed was in contrast to the offerings of foreign online companies.
"Every person, including teenagers, can use foreign company online gambling sites Internet betting without control," Bahnik said. "Our main goal is to control this situation. If someone wants to bet through Fortuna on the Internet, they must register in a bricks and mortar office and show their ID. Only then will they be allowed to play. We don’t accept credit cards but only regular payment cards because we don’t support gambling and gamblers and we don’t want people to become addicted to Internet betting.”
Bahnik said that the preparedness of local companies to comply with such strict regulation and precautions to ensure the safety of gamblers was one of the main reasons that persuaded government to agree to a licensing and regulatory system.
Bahnik said it was not likely that the new online betting era would herald a reduction in land casino venues. He said that neighboring Slovakia, for example, where regulated online gambling had revealed that Internet operations took about 20 percent of the market, leaving the rest to more traditional casino companies.
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