Brussels, 12/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 8 October, EU member states' experts at the Council continued with their work on the regulations governing gambling and betting in the European Union. Forced to reassure some member states that it is not planning to bring in legislation at EU level, the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU is asking member states about how they tackle some of the problems surrounding gambling, which has mushroomed with the arrival of new technology and crosses borders with ease. Issues like how to deal with illegal betting and how to ensure people gamble responsibly are being examined. Early in December 2009, the Swedish Presidency will submit a report to the Competitiveness Council on the outcome of the current discussions. Recent events in the industry, like a Court of Justice ruling justifying Portugal's retention of its monopoly over gambling for online betting under certain conditions (see EUROPE 9972) and a gradual opening up next year of the French sports betting and online poker markets, has changed the backdrop against which similar discussions were held last year under the French Presidency (see EUROPE 9794). The Spanish and Belgian Presidencies of the EU in 2010 will continue with the discussions.
EU member states are currently carrying out a brainstorming exercise about the topics raised by the Swedish Presidency, explained a close EU source. They are setting out, sometimes in writing, what measures exist in their countries in order that member states may learn from one another's experience. The Swedish Presidency sent them a report in late September setting out measures to promote responsible gambling, like setting age limits for players, banning the provision of credit for gambling purposes, ensuring a healthy physical environment where gambling is carried out (striking a balance, for example, between the income generated from slot machines and the total income of a catering establishment where such machines are installed), introducing tests to detect problem gamblers, setting spending and time limits for players, measures allowing players to ban themselves from gambling, public information campaigns warning about the risks of becoming addicted to gambling, and ensuring strict marketing and publicity rules are respected. October's meeting focussed on penalties in the member states applicable to illegal betting and illegal publicity. The Swedish Presidency wants to know whether member states take illegal gambling to court or whether they prefer to block the websites of illegal betting and/or block bank transactions for unauthorised operators. The European Commission is involved in the work but is holding back, explained an EU expert, because it has refused to issue EU legislation governing gambling after it was excluded from the Services Directive, and the dozen or so infringement proceedings launched since then have been put on the back burner, to the dismay of the industry.
Gambling Intergroup at the EP. Several MEPs are trying to get their colleagues to agree on the need to set up an Intergroup (cross-party group) of MEPs to examine betting and gambling. Danish S&D MEP Christel Schaldemose explained on Monday 12 October 2009 to this newsletter that the MEPs were trying to make progress, but it would not be an easy task. Schaldemose wrote an own initiative report on gambling, and along with Mario Mauro (EPP, Italy), she is trying to find an MEP in the Liberal Group to back their cause. Support of all three of the biggest political parties at the EP is required in order to set up an Intergroup at the EP. Time is flying and the deadline for lodging a request to set up an intergroup is Wednesday 21 October, with the decision being made in November. (M.B./transl.fl)