AUSTRIA

The European Commission received confirmation of the approved amendments to Austria's main gambling law (the 1989 Gambling Act). Due to the changes in the gambling laws, EU-based casinos will now be able to advertise their services in Austria, based on the consent of the Austrian Finance Ministry. European money laundering and player identification standards will also be extended across the Austrian casino sector, conforming to the EU's Third Money Laundering Directive of 2005. These actions are a response to the infringement investigations launched by the Commission in April 2006, with the Austrian government hoping to bring to an end the in-depth scrutiny of its gaming market. Concerns have been raised regarding the perceived benefits to Austria's public gaming monopolies. However, there is room for further changes before President Heinz Fischer has to sign the amended Gambling Act. Source: Euromat

FRANCE

The French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) last month laid out its position with regard to the proposed liberalisation of the French online gaming market, presenting a list of demands that it wants to see incorporated into future legislation. Source: Gaming Intelligence Group

A newly-established EU Council working group is to present a series of conclusions on gambling before the end of the year, a European Commission official has revealed. The group was established in July at the behest of the French EU Presidency, ahead of a planned seminar later this month on France's own plans for online gambling reform. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

GREECE

Greece is home to OPAP, a successful European gaming operator. OPAP's growing success and the fact that the operator has publicly declared its intention to bid in the privatisation process of Turkey's state lottery, have drawn the attention of the European Commission in recent months. Other EU member states, such as France and Sweden, have made promises to liberalise their own gaming markets, and thus intensified the interest in OPAP, which is part-owned by the Greek government. Following negotiations on the subject between the European Commission and the Greek authorities, OPAP has put forward a number of regulating proposals that it hopes will bring an end to the threat of EU infringement investigations. These proposals include: a 10% reduction in promotional spending; greater protection for minors and other vulnerable social groups; making a stronger commitment to reducing gambling in Greece; and adopting a new law on OPAP's relationships with its agents. In order to reduce this network of agents, OPAP will adjust its current structure, regain control over points of sale and get rid of unprofitable agencies. Source: Euromat

HUNGARY

Hungary has unveiled proposed reforms to its national gambling laws that will allow EU- and EEA-based online sports betting companies to apply for authorization from the country's tax authority to advertise and operate in the Hungarian market. However, the European Commission will have to scrutinize whether the strict tax requirements may constitute an effective barrier to market entry. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

IRELAND

As dust begins to gather on the report of the Irish Government's casino review committee, international experts have warned that Ireland should not dither in implementing the committee's recommendations via concrete legislative reform. However, weighing hard on politicians are concerns about how regulatory change will affect the Irish racing industry. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

ITALY

The chief executive of the holding company behind the Betshop bookmaking chain in Italy said the market is increasingly being dominated by larger operators as the Italian betting and gaming sector continues to mature.

The tender process for 329 of Italy's disputed historic horseracing betting licences, due to be completed by the end of October, has been suspended. The decision, which was anticipated last month, should prove a cause for celebration for the country's new licensees. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

NORWAY

Ladbrokes is not allowed to offer its gambling services in competition with the Norwegian monopoly. That was the verdict reached yesterday by the District Court of Oslo following a four year legal battle. Source: Gaming Intelligence Group

POLAND

A new version of the amendment to the Gaming Act has been published, just two months after the last one. Legislators in the newest document concentrated this time, first of all, on video lotteries. Taking into account rightly caused uproar that there were practically no restrictions concerning location of these machines, they added several amendments to the act regarding the placing of these games.

PORTUGAL

In Portugal, winners of Euromilhões and Liga dos Milhões, lotteries and games organised by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, are exempt from paying income tax, due to the classification of this organisation as an entity carrying out activities of social interest. However, the European Commission has noted that this gives the national lottery an unfair advantage, as Portuguese legislation states that income in the form of prizes or winnings from competitions, games or gambling must come under taxation laws. Not only is this a discriminatory distinction, but it is also inconsistent, as the exemption for Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa is not extended to other EU bodies that conduct similar activities of social interest, thus lacking the conviction that this is merely a means of limiting the damaging consequences of gambling. For not respecting the rule of the EC Treaty and restricting the freedom of services, Portugal has received a request to amend its rules in the form of a "reasoned opinion" from the European Commission. It has two months to amend its rules. If it does not comply in a suitable manner, it may be eventually referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and should the ECJ rule against it, Portugal may face fines. Source: Euromat

RUSSIA

One of the four Russian regions exclusively permitted to host casinos and slot machine parlours as of July 2009 has requested a further three and a half years to shift all regional gambling operations to a specialist gaming zone. For Russia's beleaguered gaming operators, the request is a sure sign that the Kremlin's prohibitive casino strategy is already failing in its implementation. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

SPAIN

The partnership between Bwin and Betbull will become the fourth operational betting shop venture in the Madrid region of Spain, while recent figures released by William Hill and Codere show that football bets have, predictably, proven to be the most popular amongst Madrid residents since the region's first outlets opened six months ago. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

SWEDEN

Sweden will today refer five questions to the European Court of Justice, the answers to which will help shape the future of the European gambling market. Gaming Intelligence Group has been given advance access to the content of the referral, and spoken to the lawyer involved in the case to learn what the industry can expect from it.

Source: Gaming Intelligence Group

SERBIA

Serbian gaming operators are asking the country's government to update slot regulatory requirements to allow machines manufactured by leading international companies, and certified by established testing labs, to be imported into Serbia. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

TURKEY

The Turkish authorities has confirmed that plans for the privatisation of the country's lottery business Milli Piyango are still on track despite fears that economic instability could derail the project, and gave the first indications of the regime that will be applied to the winning bidder's operations. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

UNITED KINGDOM

The UK Gambling Commission has reiterated its tough stance on illegal lotteries by warning homeowners attempting to sell their properties using prize competition schemes that they could be breaking the law. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

UNITED STATES

The chief executive of the American Gaming Association (AGA) now sees a majority of the world's largest casino companies moving towards a partial embrace of internet gambling. Ahead of a meeting this week in Vegas, Frank Fahrenkopf outlined his powerful trade group's evolving stance on online wagering, as well as the economic challenges the gaming industry is now grappling with. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

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