 | Politics blamed for slow EC action against national gambling monopolies |
Claims that the European Commission (EC) is soft-peddling its enforcement actions against European Union (EU) members that still maintain protectionist monopolies over their gambling industries has been dismissed by Charlie McCreevy, the EC main official dealing with the issue.
Discounting the view that the EC is being placed under political pressure to adopt a go slow approach in its attempts to reduce trade barriers between member EU states, a spokesman for McCreevy told Reuters that action against offending countries was still a priority despite a perceived slowness of results.
The EC is currently conducting investigations in ten EU where policies preclude foreign gambling companies from accessing those markets.
The European gambling industry, including many online bingo games operators and online bingo halls, have been hopeful the EC would have by now marched EU members Denmark and Sweden into the European Court of Justice. To date, no announcement has been made regards these countries, both of which have growing bingo online markets.
“I am seriously concerned that what would appear to be political maneuverings are trying to slow down the Commission’s pace and kick the issue into the long grass,” commented John Whittaker, MD at Stanleybet International.
An EU member country is usually allowed two months to reply to an EC final warning or face being brought to the EU’s top court.
What do you think about the pace of the European Commission re these monopilisit practices . I know that we have very definite views in regards to this at Eyes Down Bingo - we would like to see your comments .
Tags: European Commission, online bingo games, online bingo halls, protectionist monopolies
