Canada bans from Boss Media?

A Canadian conundrum as players are banned from the download casinos of several operators

The major online casino operator Bwin Interactive has become the latest internet gambling company to block Canadian players from its download casino services in what appears to be a growing and inexplicable trend in the Great White North.

This week, Bwin players received emails that advised them: "We regret to inform you that, due to the introduction of new regulations, operations of the Download Casino will cease as of 24.09.2010. There is good news, though! You can continue to enjoy your favourite games as normal in the bwin Instant Play Casino. And to make the transition even sweeter, we'll be offering you a 100 percent Welcome Bonus. Get ready to switch now.”

The email is not specific about the 'new regulations' cited in the communication, which mirrors similar player advisories that online gamblers have been receiving from Casino Club Casino and Paddy Power.

Casino Club advised players some week's ago: "We regret to inform you that due to the new regulations of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Loto-Québec and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, online gaming products in Canada are prohibited. Unfortunately we are required to add Canada to our list of excluded countries. Players from Canada will no longer be permitted to play at Casino Club starting September 24th, 2010."

Paddy Power announced recently that it has pulled its Boss Media download casino out of Canada too, leading to speculation that the shutdown is by directive from Boss Media, which powers the download casinos at all three operators.

The mention of the BCLC, Loto Quebec and the ALC in the Casino Club communication suggests that the recent decisions by these provincial government-owned operations to enter the online gambling sector commercially is an element in the unexplained bans.

The 'new regulations' have proved difficult to pin down in the absence of specific information from the operators concerned, and enquiries with GTechG2 and Boss Media had, at the time InfoPowa went to press, gone unanswered.

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