Alberta's Alexander First Nation Warned About Becoming Online Gambling Haven

They are not licensing any online gambling establishments yet, but plan to soon and this has Alberta, Canada up in arms.  That province recently announced that they would like to study legalizing online gambling, but Alexander First Nation wants to beat them to the punch apparently.

The Canadian Press reported that "Alberta's top cop is warning a Cree band to halt plans to set up an Internet gambling haven on their reserve near Edmonton."

Solicitor General Fred Lindsay told the Canadian Press that he's become aware of the Mohawks advising the Alexander First Nation.  The Mohawks Khanawake Reservation has been home to online gambling establishments outside of Quebec, Canada since 1999, including Sports Interaction.

Lindsay says he has no intention of allowing the Alberta band to copy the Mohawks, who operate a web hosting company to facilitate more than 400 Internet gambling sites around the world.

"…The Alexander band has set up a web hosting company identical to one operated by the Mohawks. The Alberta band has also established its own gaming commission to offer online gaming licences, with application fees starting at US$20,000…"

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Gambling911.com News Wire

Originally published March 8, 2007 6:56 pm ET