EUROPEAN REGULATION
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 November 2015,
the regulator levied its highest ever fine on two
gambling operators for continuing to target Dutch
players.
NORWAY
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports betting,
horse race betting and lottery
Operator Type: Online gambling 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. The government is preparing a
white paper on how best to regulate the gambling
sector, and aims to present this to Parliament in
November 2016.
POLAND
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports betting
and horse race betting.
Operator Type: From 3 September, licences
are now available for companies with a
representative in Poland as opposed to a local
establishment.
Status: Legislation enacted 1 January 2012 only
permits betting and only four licences were
granted to local companies (Fortuna, Milenium,
STS and Totolotek).
The recent amendment to Poland’s Gambling
Act removes the requirement to incorporate a
separate Polish limited liability or joint stock
company.
In April 2016, Poland’s Finance Minister
announced that it would soon make a proposal
to further amend the existing legislation, with
suggestions that an open licensing regime and
GGR-tax will be introduced, although details are
yet unclear.
18 | Marketplace 2016/17
Sponsored by
PORTUGAL
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports betting,
horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo, lottery.
Operator Type: Monopoly for all products, but
changes imminent.
Status: Portugal’s online gambling legislation was
passed by Parliament in late February and came
into force on 29 June 2015. While operators can
now apply for licences, their Portuguese revenue
streams will be subject to comparatively high
tax rates, particularly sports betting, the subject
of a 8-16% tax on turnover. The RGA recently
filed a state aid case with the EC challenging the
Portuguese betting tax as breaking EU trade rules.
There is no deadline for the licensing window or
limit on the number of licences that may be issued.
Delayed technical standards were introduced on 23
December, paving the way for operators to certify
their online systems to obtain a licence. According
to the regulator, Portugal’s first online gambling
licences are expected to be issued in June.
ROMANIA
Regulated Gambling Products: Mutual horse
racing, parimutuel sports betting
and lottery.
Operator Type: Regulation pending
Status: The Romanian government passed
legislation at the very end of 2014 that allows entities
within the EU to apply for a licence, imposes a
reform on licence fees and eliminates many (but not
all) of the tax burdens placed on player revenues.
The Gambling Law (as amended) introduced a legal
framework for a fully regulated online gambling
market, and requires licences to be held by online
gambling operators, as well as software providers,
payment processors, affiliates and testing labs. After
some delay, the secondary legislation which fully
implemented the new licensing regime came into
force on 26 February 2016.
The law includes a provision requiring
prospective licensees to pay back-taxes (20% of
GGR) if they have taken Romanian customers
dating back to December 2010 or risk criminal
charges. Under the new law, operators that wished