Industry News - September 2008

Online Poker Takes Centre Stage In Finnish Gambling Debate

30/09/2008: A landmark seminar held in Helsinki last week emphasised the pivotal role of internet poker in the debates surrounding possible gambling reform in Finland. But while established Finnish gambling brands are poised to gain most from licensing, experts stressed that the government would be hard pressed to impose a blanket ban on foreign sites under forthcoming legislation.

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Berlin Court Casts Doubt Over Online Lottery Ban

26/09/2008: A Berlin court ruling has boosted the hopes of private lottery distributors in Germany seeking protection from a ban on online lottery sales scheduled to take effect in January of next year, legal observers agree.

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Norway Pushes Ahead With Payments Ban Proposal

24/09/2008: The Norwegian Government has formally submitted its proposed online gambling payments ban for a parliamentary vote. The restrictions recently drew criticism from the European Commission in Brussels who view them as disproportionate, but strongly negative local press coverage demonising online gambling websites has raised the possibility of further ISP blocking measures being introduced in Norway.

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European Commission Elevates Portuguese Lottery Tax Infringement Case

22/09/2008: The European Commission has indicated it may take the Portuguese Government to the European Court of Justice over Portugal’s differential tax regime for foreign and domestic lottery winnings. The Commission’s action comes as Portugal’s national lottery awaits a key ECJ opinion next month on a case involving Bwin.

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Affiliates Implicated In Dutch Internet Gambling Tax Mystery

18/09/2008: Uncertainty surrounding new online gambling tax legislation passed in Holland last week has led legal observers to suggest that it could be the owners of affiliate websites that are the most at risk from the new taxes, more so than offshore operators or Dutch players themselves.

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Finnish Parliament Debates Gambling Reform Proposals

17/09/2008: An official report on proposed amendments to Finland’s Lotteries Act was debated in Helsinki last week. Broadly the report recommends raising age limits for all forms of gambling and tighter restrictions on advertising, but further proposals addressing the possible introduction of licensing regimes for specific types of gambling are due to be unveiled before the end of the year.

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EU To Examine Greek Reform Proposals

16/09/2008: Responding to pressure from EU Internal Markets Tzar Charlie McCreevy, the Greek operator OPAP has announced internal changes regulating its relationship with its network of agents, and has made a number of proposals aimed at limiting its infringement of key tenets of EU law.

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Francaise Des Jeux Appoints Advisor For Privatisation

12/09/2008: Merrill Lynch has been picked as the sole advisor to La Francaise des Jeux, pending the French Government’s decision to sell its stake in the national lottery operator.

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Italy’s Betting Tender To Be Withdrawn And Redrafted

11/09/2008: Announced at the end of August, the long-awaited retender of the 329 Italian betting shop licences that were assigned illegally back in 1999, according to the European Courts of Justice, now looks set to be withdrawn and rewritten as a result of legal action by bookmaker Stanley International and pressure from Europe.

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Gaming Tax Bill Clears Dutch Senate

11/09/2008: The Dutch Senate this week cleared a proposed gaming taxation bill that will enable the government to tax games of chance, including those provided by foreign online operators whom the Dutch have hitherto prosecuted as 'illegal' in defence of the state monopoly.

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