Don’t cry for Argentina. Their economy is hurting right now, just like the United States and virtually every other country (isn’t the globalization of economies great?), but unlike the United States they are trying to do something about it. Unlike in America, the Argentinian government things that when you are strapped for cash, you need to find a way to get more cash. Craziness.

Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez stated that the government will soon introduce legislation that would legalize and regulate online gambling throughout the country. It is in sharp contrast to just last year, when the government stated that it would jail anyone who violates their ban on online gambling. Currently, online poker, bingo, sports better and casino gambling are illegal in Argentina. However, when you’re really hurting for money, sometimes you have to make tough decisions, and Argentina apparently thinks that their objections to online gambling are outweighed by the revenues it could bring in.

The Argentinian government recently purchased rights to televise their soccer (sorry, I mean football) matches. Regulating online gambling would help pay for that purchase. Of course, not every reason for legalization makes sense. One reason sited by the government is to combat illegal gambling that’s already taking place. Um…. Seriously? They think that the best way to combat illegal activity is to tell the criminals that they’re allowed to do it now? Interesting.

Most interesting of all is that the Argentinian government seems to grasp economics better than the current American government, which doesn’t say a lot considering Argentina’s government is best known for Peronism, where central tenets of capitalism were rejected in favor of communist principals. Then again, America is being told by China that they’re spending too much money. Communist dictator Hugo Chavez stated that Barack Obama was more left-wing than he and Fidel Castro. So maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise.