Israeli Police Put Online Gambling On Notice.
Interlogic is a gaming operator who provides an Online Backgammon product where players may wager money upon the results of the game. Now the head of the Israeli Police Investigations and Intelligence Unit has notified Interlogic that the attorney general considers the operation of a gambling site for backgammon games a criminal offense. Interlogic was further told by the authorities that they must cease to allow players on the site to gamble money on game outcomes. Under Israeli law it is not stipulated that the game of backgammon itself, whether online or not, nor gambling with virtual money, is prohibited.
Interlogic response was: "The company has tangible proof that the legality of the game has been approved by the world's leading statistics and legal experts in the field, who have opined that the game is one of skill and cannot be defined as a game of chance. The comparison of backgammon to a game of chance such as cards or bingo is strange, and raises many questions about those who are behind it."
Interestingly, Play 65 provides sponsorship to Channel 1, a leading Israeli broadcast company. Earlier this year the Israeli Government "formed an opinion" that internet gambling which targets Israelis constitutes an offense. From this determination, the police began to also investigate internet sites that advertise online gambling web sites. These include the top tier Israeli site Walla.com.il. Now, the Israel attorney general's office says that these investigations will include credit companies which provide services to internet gambling sites.
Mifal Hapais is the Israeli state lottery, and its chairman welcomed the announcement. He was quoted as saying: "A ridiculous situation had been created, where the lottery, which transfers all of its profits to the community, cannot operate games on the internet because it was not able to receive authorization to do so, while the black market and private operators are getting rich. I hope that the police's decision will be legislated, and solve the problem once and for all."
Legal council for one of the internet gambling companies under investigation said that: "The attorney general's declaration against internet gambling is an attempt to enforce a prohibition that does not exist in the law." He added that in current legislative conditions, there is no specific prohibition on internet gambling.
posted by Ian of egamingpulse
