Bulgaria to regulate Internet casino gambling

The Focus Information Agency have reported that the Bulgarian Parliament have approved laws that will see Internet gambling regulated in that country for the first time.

The laws will come into effect once regulations are finalised by the State Gambling Commission and approved by the Sofia Regional Court.

Key measures to be introduced will include licenses for online casino operators, both local and foreign, and a ban on unlicensed operators trying to market to Bulgarian residents.

Under the ban local Internet service providers will be under some obligation to block access to gambling websites contained on a special blacklist that is apparently already being prepared. ISP’s are understandably unhappy about any filtering burden being placed on them, and along with Internet action groups have voiced concerns over whether this will lead to filtering becoming accepted practice in other online areas. The practicalities of effectively implementing an ISP imposed ban will need to be considered carefully – especially as they have been notoriously ineffective in the past.

Implementation issues aside, hats off to authorities in Bulgaria to going down the path of licensing and regulation.  Any policy that weeds out the unscrupulous operators and steers players toward quality casino operators should be applauded.