Business
Police bar access to online gambling sites
Eitay Har Or, Calcalist
Published: 18.08.10, 07:57
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
8 Talkbacks for this article
1. Its not gambling anyway - it is a con job
Josh   (08.18.10)
The idea that the house always wins isn't what I am talking about. As most people consider it simply a matter of odds. It is the fact that if you start beating those odds, the gaming site finds some way to not pay you and cuts you off. Now the Israeli people are ripped off enough by religion and cultic fears and a con seems to wait on every corner for th unsuspecting. Shutting down gambling itself is noble, but a con is a must. We can loose our souls, our Torah nor our money in this land to cons. The police are not taking away a freedom rather shutting down criminals. Lets hope they shut down the native ones too.
2. What about legitimate sites like Tilt Poker?
Dov ,   Zichron Yaakov   (08.18.10)
3. Gambling is a curse that visits many Jews around the world
Al   (08.18.10)
I know many who have lost everything..money, families, homes and in extreme cases their own lives. I am not talking about crack heads, dopers and layabouts. I am talking about educated, once productive members of a community. There is no benefit whatsoever to gambling save for the mobs and governments that promote this madness. If you are well, eat well, have a loving partner in life and are productive in your daily lives, then you won the lottery. Gambling, lotteries and such are the domain of the poor at heart and mind.
4. odd hypocricy
Anon ,   Tel Aviv   (08.18.10)
While gambling sites are ilegal, it is interesting how many of them are owned and manged from here in Israel.
5. Good, it's about time!
Wise Saba ,   Eretz Yisrael   (08.18.10)
Gambling is a curse & ruins families lives.
6. One sided view
Ryan ,   Netanya   (08.19.10)
I have worked in online gambling and Forex and although I agree that this type of behavior can provide the means for which a person can destroy their lives, the fault lies in the person that does not have the ability to control themselves. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of people that play in online casino's and forex no that it is a high risk environment and it is seen more as entertainment. Most players have control. I have spent years speaking to many of them. Many of my friends in Israel find it entertaining, thrilling and fun to play and they look forward to it like a form of stress relief and escapism, and now they will be cut off, like the Americans were cut off. The one comment is right that the online casinos try to do anything in their power not to pay, usually based on something written in the terms and conditions and I strongly disagree with this thinking. I also see a lot of preaching in the comments about this post. Well let me tell all you preachers out there, that most online casinos are in fact based in Israel and it generates several billions of dollars for Israel, most of that money coming from wealthy arabs that are completely clueless as to where the casinos. come from. A lot of that money goes to the Israeli government to support all the preachers out there who can afford not to work and be religious as well as many other great programs in Israel. Sure the mobs may get their cuts but so does the country. Let me see any other organization in Israel that can acquire several billion dollars from arabs for the benefit of Israel. Most of the people that work at these casino's are good young, intelligent Israeli's with growing families. The companies I have worked for are all completely legal and executed by the book. So think twice and learn both sides to a story before you go preaching about things you completely know.
7. Ryan if thats you name..you are cluless as to the dangers
Al   (08.19.10)
I know what I am talking about.. I have seen people I know lose everything including their homes, families and in one particular case, a man who's kids live in Israel blow his brains out in front of the cops here in Montreal going back 14 years. Gambling is a vile curse. As to your post, its self serving drivel. A government is supposed to work for the benefit of the people, not for the benefit of its friends. Thats what you call corruption. As to your assertion that gambling enriches the Israeli government and those who you acuse of milking her, well that is laughable.
8. Al you are judging on the few people you know
Ryan ,   Netanya   (08.20.10)
Al, I will repeat because you obviously didnt read throughly from my self serving drivel. As I opened the first paragraph in my original statement, gambling of any kind can lead to personal distruction if the person who is gambling can not control their addiction to it. The fact remains that the vast majority in online casinos are responsible players who treat it as entertainment and not a means of investment. Trust me Forex is much worse than online casinos, I have seen people lose hundreds of thousands even millions. It is the same as day trading. These people are more likely to lose all of their money because they think it is investing and less as entertainment. Still the vast majority of these traders will walk away after they lose. You have seen the cases of a fortunate few, and now you claim you know what you are talking about, obviously you don't. The problem did not lie with the gambling, unfortunately the problems were with the people you knew. There are many things in life that can ruins one life if the person has no self control. My father is going through late stages of heart failure and will not live through the year. He had a disease when it came to food and he knew he would end up in the state he is in. He was warned his entire life. That doesn't mean I'm going to blame food for his condition. Others could say the same for cigarettes and alcohol. Yet most of these people use these things in moderation, if one can not control themselve they will destroy their life. Some people can not control themselves with fidelity and that can also destroy a person's life. The point is that the fault lies in the individual. Gambling being a vile curse is your opinion and your completely entitled to it, I personally don't enjoy gambling, but I see the entertainment value it brings to countless millions of people around the world, whether it be online, brick and mortar, lottery, sports betting, daytrading, or any other form. If it were as you say than every country in the world would ban all forms of gambling, and that is simply not the case. Do you know a country in the world that legalizes heroin? Thats because almost everyone that uses it a few times gets addicted to it. That is far from being the case with gambling, in fact the majority walk away and barely ever gamble again. Regarding your comments on the government, I honestly have no idea what you are talking about. Online casinos are a legal, well operated business. They generate enormous sums for the goverment and that money is spent as the government sees fit. I don't see the corruption there, They pay taxes like any other company. Milking, and using aside the government knows exactly what kind of an asset these companies are for them, they have very little overhead, They are extremely profitable, and they stand to be for a long time. You seem to be the type to see a conspiracy in all around and are quick to tell your opinion without researching any factual information. Your entitled to your opinion, I'm entitled to mine.
Back to article