The
European Union has initiated punitive actions against Germany and Sweden for keeping online-gambling
services from providing services to their citizens. Both countries have applied
several measures in recent months with the purpose of banning online gambling
companies, the reason given is that the governments have the right to protect
state-run wagering monopolies. The European Union reminded these two countries that
they have treaty obligations to comply and gave them two months to take follow the
formal notice filed by the EU. If the countries don't have ways to prove that their laws
are in accordance with EU treaty, then the files will be forwarded to the
European Court of Justice.
The notice
against Germany
was carefully followed by online firms affected by the Interstate Treaty, which
went into effect January 1st. The measure prohibits all forms of
online gambling and executes preventive bans on the processing of online
payments.
The action
against Sweden directly focuses
on online poker; Sweden's
poker offerings are highly restricted and run the national government,
including the online poker room offered by the State, Svenska Spel. The EU affirms
that the country cannot prohibit operators from offering poker services when
the State promotes the game itself in favor of the national operators.
Online
gambling companies are satisfied with European Union decision. General Sigrid
Ligné, Secretary of The European Gambling and Betting Association representing several
major online firms said "By
commencing these broad proceedings only thirty days after the Treaty entered
into force, the Commission shows its determination to fight restrictions and in
particular prohibitions, which are not backed by genuine consumer protection or
public order interests. What happened in the US proved that prohibition cannot
be the answer. Trustworthy and highly transparent online gaming companies
abandoned the US market, thus paving the way for a grey market in which no
guidelines whatsoever exist in terms of consumer protection, prevention of
compulsive gaming and protection of minors."
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