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With the unrest in Egypt, Gambling911.com looks at the state of Internet freedom in the Arabic world, and more specifically which nations block online gambling sites.
Ironically, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak has repeatedly stressed the importance of a free Internet usage in the past.
“The effects of the revolution in Information and communication technologies should not be limited to achieving economic and developmental gains. They should be extended to strengthening political, social and cultural links among nations to bring about world peace based on justice, equality and…supporting national efforts towards more freedom, democracy and respect of human rights,” said Mubarak in one of his speeches.
Still, in 2002, the Interior Ministry ordered the monitoring of the Internet. And today we are seeing Egypt attempting to crack down on Web access (specifically social media sites), though that hasn’t stopped activities in the Twitter universe.
Oddly enough it is Egypt’s more liberal neighbor, Israel, that has cracked down on Internet access, blocking many online gambling websites in the last year.
Want to access the Gambling911.com website in Dubai? Chances are you won’t be able to even though we’re strictly news.
The TRA (Telecom Regulatory Authority) decides what Internet censorship policy is in the United Arab Emirates.
They don’t just block gambling websites. Dating sites, those containing pornography, those critical of the Government are all blocked, among many others. Websites with Israeli domains were blocked up until two years ago.
In Saudi Arabia, anything contrary to the state or its system is blocked, with an emphasis on the word “anything”. That includes online gambling. Saudi Arabia leads Arabic nations when it comes to Internet censorship.
According to the OpenNet Initiative (ONI), the kingdom runs a "sophisticated" filtering system operated by the Internet services unit at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in the capital Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia actually has the highest number of bloggers in the Middle East after Egypt, many of whom are women that blog under male names.
Countries most intensely monitoring internet:
Saudi Arabia and Tunisia
Country most repressive of internet activists:
Egypt
Countries most intensely tapping communications:
Lebanon and Egypt
Country hosting majority of extremist sites:
Saudi Arabia
Countries hosting majority of secular sites:
Morocco, Lebanon and Egypt
Countries best dealing with internet:
Lebanon and Algeria
Country best in internet services:
Morocco
Country hosting the best communities of online bloggers and activists:
Morocco
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
