Taiwan seeks iGaming ban

The Ministry of Justice has proposed an amendment to the legal code in Taiwan to close an iGaming regulatory void.

Taiwan.- The Taiwanese Ministry of Justice is pushing an amendment to its legal code which involves gambling. The legislative change would forbid the industry in Taiwan to run iGaming operations. The segment currently operates in a legal void and the authorities blame it for the territory’s “social and family problems”.

The amendment adds “criminal liability for gambling with use of telecommunications equipment, electronic communications, the internet or other similar means.” The proposal involves Articles 266 and 270 of the Criminal Code Taiwan and has a major impact on iGaming.

The legislation would include new penalties introduced, including a fine for gamblers. Gambling has been illegal in Taiwan since 1994, but iGaming operations have run shielded by a legal void.

Experts push for casinos

Should the government listen to expert Kao Ming-tu, the casino ban in Taiwan could end. He considers the gaming industry as an alternative to attract international tourism. The advisor to the territory’s travel agent association explained that they should consider new ways to boost tourism as the tourism deficit grew in 2017.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau showed that the local tourism deficit totalled €10.4 billion in 2017, as the Taiwanese spent significantly more money abroad than international tourists spent in Taiwan. According to Kao, that trend will continue in the future as cheap flights around the region are appealing to Taiwanese travellers that decide to look abroad, and are expected to spend €21.8 billion on international travel this year, the Liberty Times reported.