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 .

Online bingo industry observers and operators of bingo games online will take some encouragement from the latest eCOGRA report that concludes that the European online gambling regulatory situation is showing signs of improvement.
eCOGRA is an independent player standards and protection organization that keeps tabs on developments in the online gambling sector.eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge said that as more European Union member states relax their positions on competition and online gambling, operators have a vested interest in maintaining high standards.

In particular, Beveridge said pressure from the European Commission and action being taken by online gaming companies are beginning to effect governments’ policies towards a climate for liberalization.

“Now, more than ever before it is important that eCOGRA accredited operators adhere to the eGAPs [operational standards] that have taken so much international expert input and effort to construct, providing a set of best practice standards across the operational spectrum that will meet the scrutiny of the most discerning jurisdictions,” he said.

A number of EU countries still maintain monopolistic policies regards their gambling sectors, something that puts them at odds with EU law mandating free trade of goods and services between member states.  Online bingo halls and operators of online bingo games are still restricted from operating in the Danish, French, Greek, Swedish and Dutch markets due to state-run gambling monopolies in those countries.

Written for Eyes Down Bingo by Anthea - Your Bingo UK Blog