Even in the 21st century, many shortsighted governments continue anti-gaming (and thus anti-poker) policies for no discernable reason other than habit, and lump poker in with house games like roulette. Their knee-jerk arguments hearken back to a day when going and having a flutter was thought to be a one-way ticket to hell.
Today, folks know this isnt the case, but government policies havent followed suit. In the UK, USA and many capitals throughout Europe, the peoples representatives havent realised that poker is not only an enjoyable and largely harmless activity, but it can also fill government coffers as well. In a classic case of governments overstepping their bounds, they miss out on billions of dollars in return for which they get to tell grown, free-thinking adults what they can and cant do with their hard-earned money.
While the UK and USA are acting like their money will never run out, at least one country is starting to get smart: Bulgaria. Officials from that nation recently gathered to brainstorm how Bulgaria can incorporate gaming into its tourism strategy, and how to find a middle ground on online gaming.
Gambling tourism is a resource Bulgaria has not exploited. A national gambling development programme needs to be drawn up as part of the tourism industry, said Deputy Finance Minister Atanas Kunchev. Its not rocket science you promote what you have, whether its climate, beaches, culture or gaming. With a possible recession looming and many governments drowning in red ink, as they say in poker: Dont leave money on the table.
Around the felt, that means dont miss bets that you would have won. In government, it means dont miss out on revenue that you could easily have had. And in the UK, that should mean giving people what they want. You dont put a ridiculous 15 percent tax on poker websites, because no one will locate here. Thus, you get zip. A light tax would have brought job-creating websites here to be regulated and taxed. The UIGEA in the U.S. is the same type of mistake. Despite running a huge deficit, the Bush Administration is fighting online gaming in a big way.
Nothing these governments did stopped people from gaming on the Internet all they did was miss out on billions in tax revenue that could have been used for the common good. And you can add the recent nixing of the super casino to this list of mistakes.
There are fewer and fewer well-paying jobs around these days. We dont need governments to protect us morally. We can do that ourselves, thank you. What we need governments to do is help protect us financially. And you dont do that by leaving money on the table.
For further, slip on to *snip*
Today, folks know this isnt the case, but government policies havent followed suit. In the UK, USA and many capitals throughout Europe, the peoples representatives havent realised that poker is not only an enjoyable and largely harmless activity, but it can also fill government coffers as well. In a classic case of governments overstepping their bounds, they miss out on billions of dollars in return for which they get to tell grown, free-thinking adults what they can and cant do with their hard-earned money.
While the UK and USA are acting like their money will never run out, at least one country is starting to get smart: Bulgaria. Officials from that nation recently gathered to brainstorm how Bulgaria can incorporate gaming into its tourism strategy, and how to find a middle ground on online gaming.
Gambling tourism is a resource Bulgaria has not exploited. A national gambling development programme needs to be drawn up as part of the tourism industry, said Deputy Finance Minister Atanas Kunchev. Its not rocket science you promote what you have, whether its climate, beaches, culture or gaming. With a possible recession looming and many governments drowning in red ink, as they say in poker: Dont leave money on the table.
Around the felt, that means dont miss bets that you would have won. In government, it means dont miss out on revenue that you could easily have had. And in the UK, that should mean giving people what they want. You dont put a ridiculous 15 percent tax on poker websites, because no one will locate here. Thus, you get zip. A light tax would have brought job-creating websites here to be regulated and taxed. The UIGEA in the U.S. is the same type of mistake. Despite running a huge deficit, the Bush Administration is fighting online gaming in a big way.
Nothing these governments did stopped people from gaming on the Internet all they did was miss out on billions in tax revenue that could have been used for the common good. And you can add the recent nixing of the super casino to this list of mistakes.
There are fewer and fewer well-paying jobs around these days. We dont need governments to protect us morally. We can do that ourselves, thank you. What we need governments to do is help protect us financially. And you dont do that by leaving money on the table.
For further, slip on to *snip*
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