Israel approves online gambling ban

Israel decided to strengthen its regulations as it approved last Monday a law that allows the Court to block or remove internet sites that promote criminal activity. The new measure targets illegal gambling sites.

“We are closing an enforcement gap of many years during which the existing law was disconnected from the migration of crime to the internet. The new law will give the police the necessary tools to fight criminals, felons, and inciters who have moved their activities online.” – commented Gilad Erdan, Public Security Minister whose office is in charge of overseeing the local Police.

The law that was passed 63-10 establishes that a district court judge with a special permission by a court president is allowed to issue orders to internet providers to block the websites that are linked to activities that they believe are suspicious, as Times of Israel reported.

The law details that if the provider doesn’t comply with the orders, they can be imprisoned for two years. The order can only be issued if it helps to stop the criminal activity or if it’s essential to prevent the exposure of the Israeli user to an activity that, would it be done in Israel, would be a crime, and the website’s activity has some connection to Israel. If the owner of the gambling site is local, the court can order the provider to remove the site, instead of issuing the block.