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A comment on RBS shuts down startup accounts (Smarkets and others). Parent comment

Re:RBS shuts down startup accounts (Smarkets and others) by ocirion on Monday February 06, 2012 @10:24AM (#3557675)
That would be like banning liquor stores or corner shops selling cigarettes. The monopoly is because the government wants a piece of it. The potential of gambling sites to make huge amounts of money is why the government takes any interest. They will restrict them and/or tax them to fill their own coffers.
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Re:RBS shuts down startup accounts (Smarkets and others) by Leynos on Monday February 06, 2012 @10:32AM (#3557699)
As a parallel example, there are states in America where the only off-licences (liquor stores) permitted to operate are the state run monopoly.

My understanding of the reasoning behind this is centred around morality, although I imagine there's also a financial incentive for the state to maintain this control.

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Re:RBS shuts down startup accounts (Smarkets and others) by jeltz on Monday February 06, 2012 @12:37PM (#3558293)
This is quite obvious in Europe. This financial crisis has spawned a surge in interest in stronger government regulation of gambling throughout Europe. A couple of years ago there was little to no interest.
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Re:RBS shuts down startup accounts (Smarkets and others) by wladimir on Monday February 06, 2012 @10:43AM (#3557744)
We also have high tax rates on booze and cigarettes, for similar reasons, officially to discourage over-use and finance the cost to society (healthcare etc...).
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