The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) have today filed a complaint with the European Commission regarding the regulations recently notified by the Greek State which restrict the online gambling market. The complaint details a range of non-EU compliant barriers to new market entrants and requests that the Commission...

The European Commission has been challenged by the Remote Gambling Association to intervene to prevent the Greek Government’s plan to extend OPAP’s land based monopoly to online gambling products. The Greek Government has notified the European Commission that it will amend its existing gambling law so that OPAP’s offline monopoly on gambling products is extended to online products...

The complaint focuses on the extension of OPAP’s off line monopoly to online products, including sports betting and other gambling products such as casino and poker. The main arguments are that the Greek Gambling Act allows for the licensing of online gambling operators but the Ministerial Decisions and administrative measures undertaken prevent any operator other than OPAP from being granted a full licence.

The Remote Gambling Association has today expressed concern that the presence of high ‘one off’ licensing fees within the new Hungarian Gambling Act could threaten the creation of a fully liberalised online gambling market. The Hungarian government has submitted an amendment of their 1991 Gambling Act to the European Commission...

The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) has today submitted a complaint to the European Commission about the enforcement measures introduced in Greece to protect the OPAP online gambling monopoly. The RGA believes that they are illegal and unworkable and calls on the Greek Government to regulate an open market in online gambling...

The Court of Justice of the EU delivered today its ruling in the Stanleybet, William Hill & Sportingbet case (Joined Cases C-186/11, C-209/11), which was referred by the Greek Council of State in the context of legal challenges initiated by the three operators against the Greek Government. In its judgment, which echoes the opinion...

he Remote Gambling Association (RGA) has today written to the Greek President, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to set out the potential legal actions that could be commenced if the Government does not amend the proposed Greek Gambling regime to make it compliant with both EU and domestic Greek law.

The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) has written to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), Deutsche Bank and the Hellenic Bank to notify them of further legal complaints to the European Commission concerning Greece’s unfair and unworkable internet betting and gaming laws. There are now two complaints outstanding with further complaints in preparation.

The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) have filed a complaint with the European Commission regarding the non-notification of regulations that will extend OPAP’s monopoly on online gambling and impose harsh enforcement measures while the compliance of the new law with EU law remains in question.

Brussels, 21 November 2012: The European Commission gives a green light to co-finance with the European online betting industry and EU Athletes an educational campaign that will help professional sportspeople better understand the risks linked to match fixing. The EU co-financing follows the educational campaign developed and initiated originally under...

The European Commission’s recent Communication on Online Gambling asserted that it would be taking steps to ensure that Member States complied fully with EU law. However, irreparable and unjustifiable damage will be done to the European private sector online gambling industry unless the Commission acts quickly and decisively to prevent the most blatant breaches of EU law.

Following the recent publication by the Greek government of a range of enforcement measures which are designed to close the Greek online gambling market to competition and protect the position of OPAP, the incumbent monopoly operator, the RGA has announced that it will seek to legal avenues if necessary at both EU and Greek national levels to challenge their imposition.