Online Gambling News from Germany, Greece and Europe

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There was much hype and appreciation last year of the decision taken by the German state of Schleswig Holstein to regulate and license online gambling. Schleswig Holstein had broken away from the other states in Germany and proposed a model with full private operators' participation on a competitive basis. However, though applications have been received, actual licenses cannot be issued until the European Commission considers and approves the proposed Schleswig Holstein monitoring arrangements. The independent legal expert Christoff Enaux has indicated that it could be three months before the European Commission accords the necessary clearance. The problem is that elections are due in Schleswig Holstein in May. It is expected that the present opposition SPD party could come back in power. The SPD party is opposed to the liberal approach to online gambling and has clearly indicated that it will take Schleswig Holstein back into the interstate German Treaty supported by the 15 other German states. Meanwhile the European Commission has failed to give a clear cut response to the joint proposal of the German states. It has criticized the exclusion of online casino games from the proposed regulatory framework, but has appreciated some of the changes made. The European Commission has asked the German states to amend and notify the relevant legislation before seeking approval. It is unlikely to open any infringement proceedings as desired by the industry.

In Greece the government owned gambling firm OPAP has shortlisted three online gambling software firms as service providers in its venture to offer online betting. The three firms are GTech, Playtech and Intralot. CEO of OPAP Yannis Spanoudakis told reporters, "On Internet betting, we are in the final phase to pick a vendor among three candidates. The aim is to pick the vendor by the third quarter of this year." The Greek government, which has a 34% interest in OPAP, has announced plans for legalization and licensing of online gambling. But since the proposal is based on retaining the monopoly status of OPAP it has not been approved either by the online gambling industry or by the European Commission.

An announcement made by Jean-Francois Vilotte, the president of the French online gambling regulatory authority ARJEL, may be good for the industry in Europe. Vilotte said that ARJEL is looking to sign a memorandum of understanding with Italian regulator AAMS, British regulator the UK Gambling Commission and Spain's National Gambling Commission. He did not reveal the contents of the MOU, but such a move can bring in harmony in the fragmented and self-centered European regulatory regimes. The European Commission would be keen to promote such interaction.

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