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Focus GREECE MARKET REPORT


self-iMPosed state of


eMergency


The Greek government sought to implement its gaming regulation quickly under emergency procedural policy - which has back-fired and actually slowed the process with the EC


As it stands today, Greece’s gaming market consists of nine casinos, a state lottery, a horse racing operator and OPAP. Online gaming is currently illegal in Greece as are all gambling machines with the exception of slots in casinos and OPAP machines.


At the moment, of the estimated €8.5bn gambling revenue in Greece, around €3.5bn is spent on football games (chiefly Stihima), €3bn in the casinos and €1.5bn of this is spent on illegal gambling activities. The annual gambling turnover is estimated to be €25m with around €10m of this on football betting and €13m on casinos and €5m on illegal gaming.


The revenue expected to be brought in from new licenses and taxation from the online casinos is thought to go someway in paying down the debt incurred by the IMF. Greece suggests that it will generate earnings of around €700m during the first year from the new gaming licenses, royalties and taxation and €625m in 2012. This will be pumped back into the IMF fund.


On March 9th the Greek parliament approved the draft bill. This has now been sent to the European Commission for approvals and comments. Some say it will not pass inspection by the European


Commission as the laws may not be in compliance with the current EU rules regarding e-commerce fairness. If the EU receives no objections then it could be passed within the next three months.


The draft bill was opened up to public consultation during the last week of January this year and after the submission of all views the Ministry of Finance converted the bill which was completed on March 9th.


However, there have been further complications regarding the implementation of the bill, not least because Greece has tried to enact it quickly using emergency measures. On April 15 2011, the European Commission confirmed its decision not to process the Greek draft law on the "Regulation of the gaming market - games of chance played on gaming machines or online" through what is known as an ‘emergency procedure.’


The Greek Authorities stated that given the level of internet penetration in Greece and following the government's announcement of its intention to regulate the gaming market, an increased number of professionals from the gaming sector had begun operating in Greece, which has led to public order problems. The Greek


The case put forward by the


government to the Euroepan


Commission, stated it was vital to put the relevant legal


framework in place as soon as


possible while still having a


Parliament vote on


the matter, which in line with the


legislative drafting and voting


procedures of the


Hellenic Parliament, was expected to be around the end of May 2011.


government’s view constituted something that falls within the concept of ‘urgent reasons, occasioned by serious and unforeseeable circumstances relating to the protection of public safety’, in accordance with Article 9(7) of Directive 98/34/EC.


The case put forward by the government to the Euroepan Commission, stated it was vital to put the relevant legal framework in place as soon as possible while still having a Parliament vote on the matter, which in line with the legislative drafting and voting procedures of the Hellenic Parliament, was expected to be around the end of May 2011.


In accordance with the TRIS notification procedure, the Greek Government notified its draft gambling law to the European


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