'Overturn online betting ban'
2008-01-16 09:31
Adam Cohen
Brussels - A lobby group for European gambling organisations on Tuesday asked the European Commission to overturn a German law barring most forms of online betting.
The European Gaming and Betting Association said Germany's ban violates European Union laws protecting the free movement of goods and services within the bloc. The German ban applies to all forms of internet gambling except horse racing.
The commission, the EU's regulatory arm, opened an investigation into the German law last spring. The commission's spokesperson for internal market issues, Oliver Drewes, said the commission soon will decide whether Germany broke EU rules. He added that regulators are aware of the gambling group's concerns.
The commission and EU courts in recent years have ruled that the bloc's member countries can't restrict gambling businesses that operate freely in other states.
Separately, the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet this week complained to the commission about Sweden's gambling rules.
The newspaper says it is losing up to €8.5m a year because government rules bar advertisements for gambling businesses based in other EU countries.
- Dow Jones