Right2bet Seeks One Million Signatures

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Right2bet is an initiative of online gamblers from Europe seeking to assert their right "to bet with whichever European Union-licensed betting company they choose, regardless of in which member state that company operates from." The immediate objective is to collect signatures of a million players from European Union countries and take them to the European Commission.

This initiative stems from the Lisbon Treaty that was signed by the member countries of the European Union in December 2007. This treaty included a novel concept called the European Citizens Initiative (ECI). According to the ECI if citizens of the member states of the European Union can collect a million signatures supporting any petition then they can submit that petition to the European Commission. This will guarantee that the Parliament of the European Union will act on the petition. 26 of the 27 member countries have ratified the treaty. However unless the last member country also ratifies it, the Lisbon Treaty and therefore the ECI will not yet be in force. However, Rifght2bet has decided not to wait for the complete ratification but to start collecting the signatures while the ratification process goes on. It aims to be the first to submit a petition to the European commission under the ECI.

This initiative became necessary because many of the European countries are refusing to act on the principle that there should be free trade of goods and services across the European Union. Whereas member countries are more open to apply this principle when it comes to other goods and services, they somehow feel insecure when it comes to online gambling. Only a few of the European countries have initiated steps to allow for an open online gambling market. Most of the countries apparently want to protect their state-owned online gambling monopolies. Therefore they are dithering on the process of liberalizing the online gambling regulations and as a result the players are suffering.

Though only the signatures of the citizens of member countries of the European Union will count towards the magic number of 1 million, online players all over the world can sign this online petition. It will help them to legalize and liberate online gambling in their own countries and ultimately serve to create one global unified online gambling market.

Right2bet is leaving no stones unturned in order to ensure the success of this initiative. Two of the largest affiliate associations have thrown their weight behind Right2bet. The GPWA and the APCW have assured Right2bet that its members will support the petition. Right2bet is also taken its campaign across the Internet using social networking forums like twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. It is in the interest of all online players to check out the Right2bet website and register their support.

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