igbaffiliate . com
REGULATION
gambling if they obtain a land-based casino or betting licence . STATUS : Attempts by the Ministry to update its gambling legislation have been subject to criticism in respect of EU incompatibility issues ( including the requirement that only holders of land-based licences can offer online gambling ). Regulatory reforms appear to have stalled in the country .
CYPRUS REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Sports betting , horse race betting and lottery . OPERATOR TYPE : OPAP has a monopoly over lottery operations ; betting licences are available to private operators . STATUS : Cyprus regulated online betting in July 2012 , although a licensing regime was not established until 2016 . ISPs are obliged to implement blocking measures to prohibit Cypriot residents from accessing unlicensed gambling websites . A new betting law , which entered into force in March 2019 , replaces the 2012 Betting Law . The provisions of the new law are substantially the same , with minor amends introduced to address EU incompatibility concerns under the previous law ( such as the requirement to have a local branch in order to obtain a betting licence ). In July 2021 the local regulator introduced new rules and restrictions on gambling advertising .
CZECH REPUBLIC REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . OPERATOR TYPE : EU and EEA-based operators are able to apply for licences . STATUS : The new gambling regulatory regime entered into force in the Czech Republic on 1 January 2017 , allowing EU / EEA companies to enter the market . ISP-blocking measures are active in the jurisdiction . Tax rates reportedly increased to up to 30 % of GGR for certain online gambling activities from January 2020 .
DENMARK REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Sports betting , fantasy sports , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . OPERATOR TYPE : Licences for all gambling products are available to private operators save for lotteries , which are controlled by the state monopoly . STATUS : The Danish online gambling regime went live on 1 January 2012 . ISP-blocking measures are active in the jurisdiction and the Danish Gaming Authority ( DGA ) has been granted an injunction to block operators and suppliers that have been targeting Danish customers without the requisite licence . As of 1 January 2020 , licensed operators are required to ensure that customers have set deposit limits before they are allowed to gamble , although it is understood this applies to online casino only . The DGA introduced new marketing regulations , effective from 1 April 2020 . In August 2021 the selfregulatory body the ‘ Gambling Advertising Board ’ was established .
ESTONIA REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . OPERATOR TYPE : Licences for all gambling products are available to private operators save for lotteries , which are reserved for the monopoly operator . STATUS : Operators seeking to accept business from players in Estonia must be issued an activity licence for the type of gambling they wish to offer , then an operating permit to provide the services online . A blacklist of operators is maintained and updated by local authorities and ISP and payment blocking is in force . Though some operators argue that the regime is still not compatible with EU law , no notification alleging incompatibility has been issued by the EC since the requirement for licensees to main servers in Estonia was removed .
FINLAND REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . OPERATOR TYPE : All gambling products are under the exclusive control of monopoly provider Veikkaus Oy . STATUS : Despite the existence of a national monopoly , EC enforcement action was dropped subsequent to various changes to Finnish laws . Active enforcement measures are in place ( restrictive marketing for offshore operators in particular ) and the government is exploring measures to further restrict the offshore supply of gambling services . In September 2021 , the Finnish government submitted its proposal to parliament to amend the nation ’ s gambling legislation . Proposals include the introduction of ( i ) financial penalties for violating marketing rules ; and ( ii ) payment blocking measures .
FRANCE REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , bingo and lottery . OPERATOR TYPE : Private operators can obtain online licences for sports betting , horse race betting and poker . The monopoly has exclusive rights to bingo and lottery . STATUS : A regulated market since the introduction of a licensing regime in 2010 , following which the EC withdrew its infringement proceedings . A new regulatory authority , L ’ Autorité Nationale des Jeux , took over from ARJEL in June 2020 . Responsible gambling advice has been issued during the Covid-19 crisis , with a warning against using bonuses to attract new players to poker . In July 2021 a draft law proposing a ban on gambling advertising was submitted to parliament , which ( if adopted ) is anticipated to enter into force on 1 January 2022 .
GERMANY REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS : Prior to 1 July , online poker and virtual
66 • ISSUE 89 • Q1 2022