Gambling Monopolies May Continue In Europe Under Latest Opinion

The European Commission has made it clear that online gambling monopolies will not be tolerated by European Union member countries. That does not mean, however, that countries are still not trying to keep their monopolies in place.

Ladbrokes and Betfair were discouraged late this past week after their efforts to break one of the gambling monopolies in Europe fell apart. A senior legal advisor at the European Court of Justice explained again that EU member states have the right to choose a single provider.

This has been the case with De Lotto, a Dutch state monopoly. Betfair and Ladbrokes had been battling to move into De Lotto's territory, but again they were turned away. The gaming companies believed that the De Lotto monopoly went against the spirit of the EU agreements on the issue.

In the past year, several countries including Spain, Italy, and France have made adjustments to their online gambling laws in order to fulfill EU agreements. Other countries, such as the US, have decided to ignore the trade agreements.

The US was granted a grace period by the European Commission to correct their flawed Internet gambling laws. The Commission had hoped that a new administration in the US would lead to compliance.

As of the end of the year, the Obama Administration has yet to make any changes. There are several legislative proposals on the table, but the economy in the US has taken precedence in Obama's first year as president.

December 19, 2009
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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