Those Living Down Under Surprised by Promotions Being Offered by 888.com By Telephone

It has been reported by The Age, the Australian newspaper, that online casinos as far a way as the other side of the world (and in particular 888.com), valued at billions of dollars are seeking to induce gambling by Australians, and this is being done through the telephone. 
It is generally accepted that such practices are against the law according to both this newspaper as well as the territory of Victoria Justice Department. These efforts were revealed this week after The Age linked up with several internet poker websites as a part of its study of online poker.

Within 24 hours of its logging on, a site that had been visited called and made offer of money for returning to the site and setting up an account. The site that responded was Pacific Poker. A representative from the company speaking on the phone said that they had noticed that there had been a visit to their site and what they called an unsuccessful attempt at logging on. They offered a bonuses as well as assistance in logging on if they were to return to the site.

A woman’s voice said that in addition to any amount deposited in a new account the site would offer a 35% bonus.
The Federal Interactive Gambling Act bars Internet casinos from advertising in Australia or from receiving bets from Australians. In spite of this, it is reported that Australians continue to wager millions of dollars.

A Victorian Department of Justice spokeswoman reported that such inducements over the phone were most likely illegal. They expressed their view that the Commonwealth needs to take a lead with regard to this issue the spokeswoman said.

The case was overstated by gambling experts who are saying that they have always known that online gambling is dangerous and that it is possible to lose your home without even leaving your home.

The gambling site Pacific Poker is known to be based in Gibraltar and to be owned by the 888.com. 888.comis a multibillion-dollar gambling concern. According to the newspaper, in October last year after the US Government passed tough new laws banning financial transfers for online gambling, 888 was forced to stop all of its operations within the US.
A government spokeswoman representing Communications Minister Helen Coonan said interestingly, that while it was true that the government was concerned with regard to the issues of problem gambling, it had made no plans to bring about laws that would ban the transfer of funds to online casinos, the reason being their disbelief that a sufficient number of Autralians were gambling online to make this move necessary.

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