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October 15, 2008
In a statement at the European Court of Justice, Advocate General Yves Bot, commented on the recent decision to ban foreign online gambling operators including online bingo and casino sites from Portugal, saying that if the decision met certain conditions including consumer protection and public interest, it could indeed be legal.
He further went on to say that monopolies should only be accepted if the goal is consumer protection and the maintenance of public law and order, and that they must not be allowed to become money making machines.
One of the basic policies of the European Union allows for the free movement of services and goods between EU States. This policy has been cited in countless legal battles against gambling monopolies of various member States by both the online and offline gambling industry, fighting for equal access and rights for the custom of citizens across the EU.
The current case at the ECJ was initiated when Bwin and the Portuguese football league were respectively fined by a court in Portugal for advertising their services and offering 'mutual betting by electronic means.' Both companies contested the fines, and the court then asked the ECJ for guidance.
This is the first case of its kind in which officials are considering the legalities of a member state extending its State monopoly on gambling to the internet, and the implications could be widespread, affecting online bingo, casino, poker and sportsbooks companies across the European Union.
Written by Charlene Grey for BingoStreet.com – the UK’s number one resource for online bingo and the best bingo promotions.
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