Internet Gambling in Poland Increases Regardless of Law

Internet gambling has been contrary to Polish gambling laws since 2009. Online gambling was banned after a discovery that 50% more people indulge in internet gambling than traditional brick-and-mortar casinos. The Polish government felt this behavior was undesirable.

Contrary to the wishes of the Polish government, gamblers in Poland are still free to access internet gambling sites hosted in other countries. Attempts to prevent this have stirred fierce condemnation. Thus, internet gambling in Poland remains legally possible, as long as the gambling firm operates in a different nation.

Now the Polish government wishes to up the ante. A new resolution will be up for a vote during December. In this act, Poland threatens to prosecute online gamblers. If passed, it will allow law enforcement agents to actually physically arrest known or suspected internet gamblers.

Moreover, the law will enable the government to prohibit any gambling sites, regardless of origin, from operating within the country. To enforce this end, the Polish government has previously suggested a filtering system to block access to the foreign gambling sites, but the plan was squelched after President Lech Kaczynski received numerous petitions.

Furthermore, the new law would censor against advertisements for foreign gambling websites. This is necessary because online poker rooms in Poland, such as Poker Stars, have been clearly flaunting the law.