First Kentucky, Now Australia to Ban Online Poker Sites?

Taking a cue from Kentucky Governor Beshears, it appears that Australia is now looking to ban Internet access to not only porn sites but gambling portals as well. This would seem to include online poker sites like Full Tilt, PokerStars, Absolute and many other poker rooms. In a move that would place Australia in the same league as oppressive regimes such as those in Iran and North Korea, a report from The Age indicates that a plan is being discussed that would do just that.

In his request to use ISP filters to block Australians access to obscene material, Family First Senator Steve Fielding has set off a firestorm. Now rumors are rampant that the ban would be expanded to include online gambling sites, which are illegal to run in Australia. Of course, any talk of censorship and blocking peoples access to any Internet site raises the ire of many pro-access Internet organizations. Expect to see written rebuttals of this proposal from many groups such iMEGA in the coming days.

This is a disturbing trend and given the current global economic crisis, it would seem that these government bodies have bigger fish to fry. Clearly that's not the case as these initiatives, which are typically driven by a vocal minority, gain traction and ignite much debate. What's clear however is that this debate is only getting hotter and with the US elections just days away, the dialogue is only going to heat up that much more.

Source:  http://www.aintluck.com/