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www.euroslot-online.com LEGISLATION
INDIA
Casinos Austria International is mulling its withdrawal from
ROMANIA
India’s principal regulated casino market after authorities in Goa
The Romanian government has notified the European
last week moved to suspend the majority of riverboat gaming operations in the
Commission of its decision to apply the methodological
state. Source: GamblingCompliance.com
guidelines for the Government emergency ordinance on the organisation and
operation of gambling games. It has been stated that the older normative
IRELAND
documents no longer match the more modern economic and technical realities in
Draft legislation promulgated last week will subject Ireland’s
the gambling sector.
private members’ clubs to formal anti-money laundering
Source: Euromat
requirements for the first time, while full-scale ‘casinos’ are also included under
the bill in anticipation of future gaming reform in the Republic. Source:
RUSSIA
GamblingCompliance.com
Having successfully outlawed land-based gambling outside of
specific authorised zones within the country, Russian authorities
ITALY are now focusing their attentions on the burgeoning online gambling sector,
Details of the bid process for Italy’s controversial scratchcard which has experienced a surge of interest from Russian citizens as a direct result
tender were published in the EU Official Gazette on August 17. of the country’s clampdown on gambling.
Source: GamblingCompliance.com Source GamblingIntelligence.com
ITALY SPAIN
Regulatory upheaval and a decline in betting on horseracing are
The Spanish region of Valencia has informed the European
among the factors that have seen UK operator Ladbrokes put its
Commission of its draft amendments to Decree 115/2006 on the
currency190m investment in the Italian betting market on the blocks. Source:
rules for gaming machines. The new rules would adapt existing regulations to
GamblingCompliance.com
recently-modified gaming machines, in a response to constantly changing
economic, social and technological innovations. The standstill period will last until
JERSEY
19 October 2009. Source: Euromat
The cost of bookmaker licences and running lotteries and bingo
on Jersey is to increase dramatically under new regulations being
SPAIN
considered by the island’s assembly. Source: GamblingCompliance.com
European Court of Justice Advocate General Paolo Mengozzi
LATVIA
released his opinion on the case taken by the European
Commission against the lottery taxation regime of the Spanish government,
A plan to turn the Latvian capital Riga into a “mini Las Vegas”
which favours domestic games and charity lottery winnings over winnings from
has been backed by gaming operators in the country – but with
foreign games. The opinion considers that the tax exemptions act against
the warning that investment will have to come from elsewhere. Source:
consumer protection methods by encouraging increased spending on gambling.
GamblingCompliance.com
The official ECJ decision is expected in six months. Source: Euromat
NETHERLANDS
SPAIN
The UK government has denied reports that it is preparing to
The European Commission was notified of the draft
send a delegation to Holland to discuss the Dutch policy on
online gambling amid indications that Barclays has now followed RBS in
amendments to Decree 23/2005 of the Spanish region of
restricting payments emanating from the country. Source:
Cataluña, adopting the Regulation on leisure and gaming machines. The
GamblingCompliance.com
amendments seek to ensure that these machines are not discriminatory or
degrading and that age restrictions on type B machines are highlighted. Further
NORWAY
administrative procedures would allow gaming halls to introduce a greater
New legislation requiring payment providers to block payments
number of machines. The standstill period for this notification ends on 28
to online gaming operators will reinforce the state monopoly.
September 2009. Source: Euromat
Draft regulations implementing blocking measures has recently received criticism
from both within the country and abroad. The state’s restrictive licensing regime
SWEDEN
has been the subject of numerous EFTA court challenges as EU-based gaming
The draft Swedish gambling laws, proposed in December 2008,
operators contend it contravenes Norway’s obligations under the EEA
have been opposed in a consultation process by the European
Agreement. Source: GamblingCompliance.com
private sector, Swedish communications and media groups and the Swedish
football association, causing the Swedish government to redraft the original
PANAMA
proposal. New measures like ISP and payments blocking could be viewed by the
Panama’s government is to hike local gaming taxes in response
European Commission as violations of EU laws on competition and provision of
to the recent licensing scandal involving the country’s former
services. Contact Secretariat for further information.
president and companies now owned by Spanish gambling group Cirsa. A local
Source: Euromat
slot machine operator, now majority owned by Spanish gambling group Cirsa,
has found itself in the eye of a political storm after media reports linked the
UKRAINE
company’s shareholders to the former Panamanian president who liberalised the
Senior officials warn that recent legislation banning most forms
country’s gambling market in the late 1990s. Source: GamblingCompliance.com
of gambling in Ukraine will also apply to online casinos - though
lawyers question whether this would be the case where gaming sites are based
PORTUGAL outside the country. Source: GamblingCompliance.com
In the Bwin case against the Portuguese gaming monopoly,
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, the European Court of UNITED KINGDOM
Justice has announced that the judgment, expected before the summer, will now In the wake of sustained confusion over the legal status of house
not be released until autumn 2009, due to the delay in the opinion from the lotteries, the UK Gambling Commission has invited comments
Advocate General, Yves Bot, in October (rather than September) 2009. Source: on changes to their advice relating to prize competitions and free draws. Source:
Euromat GamblingCompliance.com
SEPTEMBER 2009
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