FA L L I N G I N T O L I N E F E A T U R E
However, its compliance with European law has been contested with some taking issue with the requirement that operators must ?rst possess a land-based licence (or a partnership with a land-based licensee) in order to receive online accreditation. To date, both bwin.party and bet-athome have taken the BGC to court, with the former seeing its claims dismissed and the latter case yet to be resolved. It has, unlike its fellow Benelux country, opened up a licensing process. This has led to the award of three category A+ licences (for casino and poker), as well as multiple licences for amusement arcades offering online gambling (B+) and sports betting (F1+). The award of a licence in each of these categories must be accompanied by a land-based
presence, leading PokerStars to seek out a partnership with Casino de Namur, while Unibet was required to apply for land-based and online licences in January, only receiving accreditation in June. However, continued legal disputes – backed up by lobby group the European Gaming and Betting Association which remains convinced of Belgian egaming legislation’s continued non-compliance with EU law – could still threaten the future of the current regulations.
DOT.COUNTRY DISSENT:
SERBIA’S ROUGH RIDE TOWARDS REGULATION
BELGIUM
A D U LT POPULATION
7 JUNE 2012: SERBIAN OPERATORS PROTEST S P O RT I N G B E T- L O T T E RY D E A L
The Serbian Association of Gambling Providers (UPIS) reacted angrily to a partnership between Sportingbet and the country’s national lottery Državna lutrija Srbije, accusing the lottery of “organising sports betting via the internet in a completely unlawful and illegal way”. In an open letter, the association criticised the lo \?H??]?[??8?'???? H ?[?]Y^\?[??]???'H?H ?[X?[????[??] ? ??\?] ?? ??? ?? ???? ?X? ?\?][??Y\? ?YZ? ?] H?\?]??&\???[?[??\??X?Y\??Z[??8?' ??\?Y?H ?o?]??H ] ?Z?H??Z?x?'K???]?\? H ?K[X]?[?[?\^H?] [?? ]??H\? ??YY?H??[??] \?[?? H? \?x?&\??\?][??X?[??K ?XHH \??\??\ ?] H?\?]??&\??YZ?[??[?[?X\??][?? \??\??[? ?X?][ [YYXK?^]X? ??Y\? H ?? ?\?H??[??\?? ???? ?? X? ?? H ?]K[?? Y[??? ??[???[? ??]??\??[Y\?H?? ??\??H\???H YH ? H?X? ] ?[H?\??Xx?&\? \?X[Y[? \??YY?[Z[??Y?\?][?[???[X?\?\? YX\?8?$? [?\? ?X? ?X??\??[\ X?[? ? ??[?H]?\?Y L YX\??\?][??X?[??\? ?] ^ ?]]
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