On Thursday 9 August, the European Commission approved the Greek regime of tax on casino admission fees, which was in force on Greek territory between 1995 and 2012.
Since 1995, Athens has required casinos on the national territory to charge their customers admission fees. 80% of this amount must then be paid back to the State, with the casinos retaining the other 20%.
Until 2012, these admission fees were fifteen euros for private casinos and six euros for public casinos. Following a complaint made by a private operator, the Commission opened a formal investigation into the difference in the level of these charges and found, in May 2011, that the system constituted State aid in favour of public establishments that was incompatible with EU rules (see EUROPE 10385).
This decision, however, was overturned by a judgment of the General Court of the EU in September 2014, which was upheld by the Court of Justice of the EU in October 2015.
The decision of 9 August is therefore in line with these judgements. The Commission considered that the system in question did not confer a selective advantage on public casinos, as the percentage paid by public and private casinos to the Greek State was the same (80%).
The Greek rules were, moreover, revised in November 2012 and all casinos must now charge admission fees of six euros. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)