Violation Of The Criminal Code
A court in Manitoba has ruled that online casino operator Bodog will not be able to operate in the region. The judge issued an immediate and permanent ban on the site, which was deemed to have been illegally operating in the region.
Following the decision, which was ruled on May 26th, The Honourable Jeffrey Harris, Judge of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba, published his reasons for issuing the ban. He stated that the operator had no legal authority to be providing gambling services in the Canadian province and that their presence there was a direct violation of the country’s criminal code.
He followed up this strong language by stating that the operator was misleading residents as to the lawfulness, quality, and character of its platforms.
Evidence in the trial showed that Bodog has marketed itself as a legal and safe platform to Manitoba residents, despite not having a license to operate there and therefore being an illegal platform.
Harris also pointed out that the company is not licensed to operate in any Canadian province, and this means that has been under no obligation to implement responsible gambling features or to follow any safety protocol.
Harm Caused
The complaint regarding Bodog’s activities was originally flagged by the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL), the regulator that controls gambling in the province. Gerry Sul, President and CEO of the MBLL, said that he could not have been more pleased with the outcome.
Sull added that Bodog’s conduct in the province has been unlawful and will have caused considerable harm to residents in Manitoba, describing the damage done as ‘incalculable’.
The Canadian Government provides all provinces with autonomy when it comes to controlling their gambling. The MBLL is the designated authority in Manitoba, and its platform, PlayNow, is the only gambling site that can provide services in the province.
