WEBMASTER WORLD
in December 2012 enabling them to
keep transacting with Greek residents.
However, in March 2013, the government
notified draft legislation to the EC which
effectively rescinds the licences; a position
criticised by the EC. Greece’s new
government recently announced plans to
more tightly regulate online gambling and
introduce a new international licensing
tender, to end the on-going transition
position, although it is unclear when
this will be introduced. But following
the monopoly’s recent victories in the
land-based environment, the fate of the 24
licences is still unclear.
HUNGARY
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, poker, casino,
bingo and lottery.
Operator Type: Only the state
monopoly, Szerencsejáték Zrt. and local
concession companies can apply for
a licence.
Status: In October 2014, the Ministry
of National Economy proposed new
amendments that would give Hungary’s
national lottery the exclusive right
to offer online sports betting, and
land-based operators the exclusive
right to online casino games. Further
developments are awaited. ISP blocking
of unlicensed sites since June 2014.
IRELAND
Regulated Gambling Products: Online
gaming is not specifically accounted for
in Ireland’s outdated legislation and as
such is currently unregulated. Online
betting is in the process of becoming a
regulated activity.
Status: Ireland is in the process of
updating its legislation which will create
a comprehensive online gambling regime
and payment restrictions. The Betting
(Amendment) Act 2015 will require
remote bookmakers to hold a licence
by 1 August 2015, after which point
they will also need to start paying a 1%
turnover-based betting duty.
ITALY
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, poker, casino,
bingo and lottery.
Operator Type: All products available to
private operators save for lottery which
is reserved for the monopoly provider.
However, it is currently not possible to
obtain a licence in Italy.
Status: Italy is a fully regulated market.
Italy recently announced a move from
a turnover to GGR-based tax system.
Previous restrictions on the type of
events/markets on which bookmakers
can offer odds is possibly to be abolished,
AAMS have announced.
LUXEMBOURG
Regulated Gambling Products: Lottery
Operator Type: Monopoly.
Status: The general prohibition on
gambling in Luxembourg appears
sufficiently wide to cover all forms of
online gambling.
MALTA
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, poker, casino,
bingo, lottery.
Operator Type: Private operators can
apply for a local licence but not in
relation to lottery products.
Status: On 3 June, Maltese regulator
the Malta Gaming Authority introduced
a number of policy changes. These
include changes regarding hosting servers
abroad, audit requirements and the cloud
environment. It is anticipated that Malta
will update its gambling legislation in the
near future and recent announcements
from the MGA have confirmed
regulations are currently under review.
NETHERLANDS
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, poker, casino,
bingo, lottery.
Operator Type: Monopoly for all
products.
Status: The Remote Gambling Act was
published in May 2013. It stipulates
the conditions which operators will
be able to offer online gambling in the
Netherlands. The Remote Gambling
Act has now received approval from
the Council of Ministers and the
Secretary of State, paving the way for
its implementation. The Netherlands
Gaming Authority has invited gambling
operators to express their interest in
obtaining a licence to offer online
gambling in the Netherlands. Due to
political issues, licences are now unlikely
to be awarded till 2016 or possibly 2017.
In the interim, the regulator has started
to implement enforcement measures,
and signed cooperation agreements
in October 2014 with Dutch banks
and payment processors over blocking
illegal gambling websites. In December
2014, the Dutch regulator fined an
online gambling operator €200,000 for
offering gambling websites targeting the
Netherlands.
A complaint to the European
Commission was filed on 11 May
alleging that the differential tax rate of
20% GGR for online operators amounts
to illegal state aid, as the tax rate for
land-based operators will remain at 29%.
NORWAY
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting and lottery
Operator Type: Online gambling
in Norway is reserved for its two
monopoly providers: Norsk Tipping and
Norsk Rikstoto.
Status: The monopoly has extended
its offering to include live betting,
e-bingo and casino games in an attempt
to redirect traffic from unlicensed
sites. However, the new government
is understood to be considering a
limited licensing regime for foreign
operators, with any proposals likely to
be announced in the 2015 budget.
POLAND
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports