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The government already considers the approximately 400 online casino game and poker sites with licensed and operating computer servers from the Kahnawake reserve as illegal. However, moves to shut down the operations have been slow due to the Quebec provincial government's fear of violent protests, until now.

Still fresh in many Canadians' minds is the 1990 standoff between the Quebec police and Indian protestors from the reserve over the illegal sale of cigarettes. The practice became known as ''buttlegging.''

Genevieve Breton, director of communications for Canada's Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson released a statement saying, "Following recent concerns surrounding Internet gambling, Canada's Minister of Justice has asked his officials to examine whether the enforcement of the Criminal Code provisions could be assisted with other measures."

Kahnawake's Mohawks insist Canada's laws fail to apply to them because they are a sovereign nation, citing section 35 of the federal Constitution. The clause was inserted into the constitution to protect native people's cultures.

According to the Mohawks, gambling has been a central component in their culture used to resolve conflicts.

Horse race track Owners of like Great Canadian Gaming Corporation claim they contribute $1-billion in taxes every year to various levels of governments, while incurring massive expenditures to finance the races.

Declared Great Canadian Gaming CEO Ross McLeod, owners of 4 racetracks in Canada, "These off shore operations just poach horse-racing and no one can do anything about it. They are parasites on the butt of Canada."

The horse racing business in Canada has enjoyed a monopoly on gambling for years. Commenting on the situation, Toronto-based lawyer Michael Lipton confessed, "I guess if I had a monopoly, I wouldn't want anyone to compete against me either."