In November, the US Department of Justice and RCMP conducted a 'visit' or 'raid' regarding a Canadian online casino marketing company in a Vancouver, British Columbia suburb. Online casino players and industry personnel are trying to understand the events of this incident. The apparently unlimited reach of the Department of Justice's enforcement arm across the international US-Canadian border regarding its recent anti-gambling law and whether it was an online casinos gaming-related incident is the point of interest.
It has been alleged, according to reports from persons from the still un-named online casino marketing firm involved, that the Department of Justice accompanied by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officials, arrived at the online casino marketing company unannounced. Evidently, the company carried out straightforward promotional work for or was connected with a leading online poker provider.
'I apologize. I'm not at liberty to provide you information beyond the fact that attendance was made at the request of US officials. They were not participants in the conversation,' said S/Sgt. Fred Pinnock in a reply in an inquiry into the nature of the visit by the US Department of Justice. Allegedly, the staff at the online casino marketing company was questioned, although the content of the questions is unknown. Despite this, speculation is running rampant that the 'raid' was designed more to intimidate than prosecute by law; so far, no arrests were made at the online casino marketing firm and no subsequent criminal action has been undertaken.
Some reports now indicate that the online casino marketing company is closed for all intents and purposes with employees carrying out their duties from their homes. Sources within the online casino advertising company have been quoted as saying that 'vital' employees have been given 3 months to accept transfers to Costa Rica. More recently, other company insiders are alleged to have claimed that US law has reached into Canada as a result of a routine domain check which discovered the BC location of the marketing company. This domain now has a Belize address. |
