villafan
10-13-2006, 07:37 AM
Guess EU pressure is the reason that Italy are changing their gambling laws:
France, Italy Get Warnings on Gambling as EU Pushes Competition
2006-10-12 11:58 (New York)
By John Rega
Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- The European Union told France,
Italy and Austria to open their gambling industries to foreign
companies, as the business expands online and state-backed
betting companies resist the newcomers.
European regulators today issued a series of decisions
aimed at boosting competition in the 25-nation bloc, objecting
to a French anti-takeover law, restrictions on midwives in
Luxembourg and telecommunications rules in nine countries.
``I don't underestimate the sensitivities that exist in
many member states on the question of gambling,'' said Charlie
McCreevy, the commissioner in charge of knocking down business
barriers within the EU. ``But I also have concerns about the
legal uncertainty suffered by EU sport betting operators and
related stakeholders.''
France and Italy were blamed for shielding domestic sports
bookmakers from online competition, and Austria for restricting
advertising of foreign casinos. The gambling cases have gained
urgency from a series of arrests in the U.S. and in France,
which on Sept. 15 detained two executives of BWIN Interactive
Entertainment AG, an Internet bookmaker based in Austria.
The BWIN executives, who have been released from custody,
are charged with violating local gambling laws. The company has
said French authorities were acting on a complaint by the
country's gaming monopoly Francaise des Jeux.
Private bookmakers are playing for a greater share of
gaming markets valued at $3.1 billion in France, $603 million in
Italy and $485 million in Austria, in a PriceWaterhouseCoopers
LLP report on 2005 figures.
`Witch Hunts'
``We hope these new proceedings will put an end to the
witch hunts against private EU licensed operators,'' said Didier
Dewyn, secretary general of the European Betting Association, in
a statement on the commission cases.
The commission said it won't force countries to legalize
gambling, though those that allow it can't preserve the business
for domestic companies. The chief executive officer of Opap SA,
one-third owned by the Greek state, said yesterday Greece may
not be targeted because online gaming isn't legal there.
Most important are France and Italy, which ``have thriving
online gaming markets and bar foreign operators,'' said Clive
Hawkswood, director of the Remote Gambling Association,
representing companies including Ladbrokes Plc and PartyGaming
Plc. He said the group isn't planning further complaints.
In a separate case, Poland got a final warning before a
possible lawsuit for taxing foreign lottery winnings at a higher
rate than domestic jackpots.
The notice to Italy is a repeat, as it was one of seven
countries getting warnings April 4. The country is in the midst
of opening up gaming to foreign operators by licensing more
sports betting and horse racing shops and so-called ``remote
gaming'' by Internet and telephone.
Initial Threat
Today's actions represent an initial threat, which would be
followed by a more detailed opinion before the commission could
file suit at the EU's highest court.
The other countries put on notice April 4 were Germany, the
Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
``There's been a massive attack coming from the remote
gaming operators,'' said Tjeerd Veenstra, the legal director for
European Lotteries, an association of state gaming monopolies.
``The pressure they put on the European Commission will increase
even more after the online ban in the U.S. limited their markets
and the whole battle moves to Europe.''
Gambling features again in the commission's final warning
to France about takeover restrictions. The French government
enacted a law in December requiring government approval for a
foreign company to make acquisitions in 11 designated
industries. The law covers computer network security,
encryption, vaccines and casinos.
French Law
The French government termed it a national security decree,
not subject to EU rules. Casinos are covered to ensure they
aren't abused by for money-laundering and terrorism finance.
The commission objected that the authorization requirements
hinder investments by EU companies, especially if they have
shareholders from outside the bloc. The French government has
two months to respond or face a suit at the European Court of
Justice in Luxembourg.
France also faces an investigation of subsidies for the
state-owned mail service La Poste, the commission said today.
The challenge comes ahead of a proposal next week to open up
mail delivery to more competition.
The agency also sued Italy and Finland for crimping
competition in certain motor vehicle insurance. Germany got a
warning for not letting insurance policyholders exercise their
right to withdraw from contracts.
Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic also were ordered to
implement an EU-wide law on pension supervision.
Telecommunications
The commission, which has challenged all 25 EU countries at
different times on incorrect implementation of
telecommunications legislation, pressed several more cases,
including a threat to Slovakia for failing to let customers keep
their numbers when switching phone companies.
Enforcing mutual recognition of professional
qualifications, the commission sued France for not granting the
title ``doctor'' to dental surgeons from other EU countries.
Luxembourg was warned to change a law that bars midwives from
conducting certain examinations.
Declaring victory in another challenge to protectionism,
the commission dropped a case against Italy for defending power
companies including Edison SpA and Enel SpA. The agency said
Italy changed a law that had capped the voting power of foreign
utilities such as Electricite de France SA.
--With reporting by Joyce Gatsoulis in Athens and Meera Louis in
Brussels. Editor: Costelloe
France, Italy Get Warnings on Gambling as EU Pushes Competition
2006-10-12 11:58 (New York)
By John Rega
Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- The European Union told France,
Italy and Austria to open their gambling industries to foreign
companies, as the business expands online and state-backed
betting companies resist the newcomers.
European regulators today issued a series of decisions
aimed at boosting competition in the 25-nation bloc, objecting
to a French anti-takeover law, restrictions on midwives in
Luxembourg and telecommunications rules in nine countries.
``I don't underestimate the sensitivities that exist in
many member states on the question of gambling,'' said Charlie
McCreevy, the commissioner in charge of knocking down business
barriers within the EU. ``But I also have concerns about the
legal uncertainty suffered by EU sport betting operators and
related stakeholders.''
France and Italy were blamed for shielding domestic sports
bookmakers from online competition, and Austria for restricting
advertising of foreign casinos. The gambling cases have gained
urgency from a series of arrests in the U.S. and in France,
which on Sept. 15 detained two executives of BWIN Interactive
Entertainment AG, an Internet bookmaker based in Austria.
The BWIN executives, who have been released from custody,
are charged with violating local gambling laws. The company has
said French authorities were acting on a complaint by the
country's gaming monopoly Francaise des Jeux.
Private bookmakers are playing for a greater share of
gaming markets valued at $3.1 billion in France, $603 million in
Italy and $485 million in Austria, in a PriceWaterhouseCoopers
LLP report on 2005 figures.
`Witch Hunts'
``We hope these new proceedings will put an end to the
witch hunts against private EU licensed operators,'' said Didier
Dewyn, secretary general of the European Betting Association, in
a statement on the commission cases.
The commission said it won't force countries to legalize
gambling, though those that allow it can't preserve the business
for domestic companies. The chief executive officer of Opap SA,
one-third owned by the Greek state, said yesterday Greece may
not be targeted because online gaming isn't legal there.
Most important are France and Italy, which ``have thriving
online gaming markets and bar foreign operators,'' said Clive
Hawkswood, director of the Remote Gambling Association,
representing companies including Ladbrokes Plc and PartyGaming
Plc. He said the group isn't planning further complaints.
In a separate case, Poland got a final warning before a
possible lawsuit for taxing foreign lottery winnings at a higher
rate than domestic jackpots.
The notice to Italy is a repeat, as it was one of seven
countries getting warnings April 4. The country is in the midst
of opening up gaming to foreign operators by licensing more
sports betting and horse racing shops and so-called ``remote
gaming'' by Internet and telephone.
Initial Threat
Today's actions represent an initial threat, which would be
followed by a more detailed opinion before the commission could
file suit at the EU's highest court.
The other countries put on notice April 4 were Germany, the
Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
``There's been a massive attack coming from the remote
gaming operators,'' said Tjeerd Veenstra, the legal director for
European Lotteries, an association of state gaming monopolies.
``The pressure they put on the European Commission will increase
even more after the online ban in the U.S. limited their markets
and the whole battle moves to Europe.''
Gambling features again in the commission's final warning
to France about takeover restrictions. The French government
enacted a law in December requiring government approval for a
foreign company to make acquisitions in 11 designated
industries. The law covers computer network security,
encryption, vaccines and casinos.
French Law
The French government termed it a national security decree,
not subject to EU rules. Casinos are covered to ensure they
aren't abused by for money-laundering and terrorism finance.
The commission objected that the authorization requirements
hinder investments by EU companies, especially if they have
shareholders from outside the bloc. The French government has
two months to respond or face a suit at the European Court of
Justice in Luxembourg.
France also faces an investigation of subsidies for the
state-owned mail service La Poste, the commission said today.
The challenge comes ahead of a proposal next week to open up
mail delivery to more competition.
The agency also sued Italy and Finland for crimping
competition in certain motor vehicle insurance. Germany got a
warning for not letting insurance policyholders exercise their
right to withdraw from contracts.
Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic also were ordered to
implement an EU-wide law on pension supervision.
Telecommunications
The commission, which has challenged all 25 EU countries at
different times on incorrect implementation of
telecommunications legislation, pressed several more cases,
including a threat to Slovakia for failing to let customers keep
their numbers when switching phone companies.
Enforcing mutual recognition of professional
qualifications, the commission sued France for not granting the
title ``doctor'' to dental surgeons from other EU countries.
Luxembourg was warned to change a law that bars midwives from
conducting certain examinations.
Declaring victory in another challenge to protectionism,
the commission dropped a case against Italy for defending power
companies including Edison SpA and Enel SpA. The agency said
Italy changed a law that had capped the voting power of foreign
utilities such as Electricite de France SA.
--With reporting by Joyce Gatsoulis in Athens and Meera Louis in
Brussels. Editor: Costelloe