East Timor president in favor of establishing online gaming targeting overseas gamblers

East Timor president José Ramos-Horta has commented that he is in favor of allowing online gambling licenses targeting the overseas gambling market, but that his government has no interest in land-based casinos in the country.

"[Gambling] is not something that interests me unless it targets foreigners. I don't want some poor Timorese to lose everything in gambling with all the human and sometimes tragic consequences. But if foreigners want to gamble online and Timor offers an online gambling possibility, fine," Horta said in an interview with Macau's public broadcaster TDM Canal Macau.

An independent administrative body aiming to promote and initiate an online gaming industry in East Timor has been recently established.
The Virtual Gaming Association of Timor-Leste (VGA) has recommended to the East Timor government the issuance of both B2C and B2B licenses, with a goal of ensuring that these can be issued by the second quarter of next year.
In its recommendations, the group suggests online gaming regulation should be modeled on that in force in Malta and the Isle of Man.

Gaming Asia Gambling Licenses Macau Foreign

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