On July 16 it was announced that British Columbia launched the first government run online casino in North America. Powered by OpenBet software, the gaming site is called PlayNow.com and is operated by the BC Lottery Corporation. This site features such casino games as blackjack, roulette, and craps. Since its launch, over 100,000 residents of British Columbia have registered. This move will reduce the deficit and will be used to fun such services as healthcare and education. Since most of the residents of BC have been gambling on sites located offshore, the revenues gained by this move could greatly improve B.C.’s financial situation. It has also been suggested that many other Canadian jurisdictions will hop on board by providing players access to online gaming sites. As of this writing, California, Florida, and New Jersey are also contemplating the authorization of gaming sites as well.
