european-court-rejects-german-gambling-restrictions

European Court declines German gaming limitations

8 September 2010

German betting limitations breach European Union law, the EU's greatest court has ruled.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) said German laws that secure state monopolies for betting were "unjustifiable".

The judgment might break the ice for foreign wagering business to establish a presence in Germany.

A lobby group representing betting firms, including PartyGaming and Bwin, called the yohaig code judgement a "landmark".
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German authorities have validated wagering monopolies by stating that they assist protect consumers from the unfavorable results of gambling.
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But the ECJ stated this promotion code was with Germany's yohaig promotion code and "extensive advertising" of its betting operations.

The court said: "The German guidelines on sporting bets make up a restriction on the flexibility to bet9ja's welcome offer services and the flexibility of facility.
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"The public monopoly of the organisation of sporting bets and lottery games in Germany does not pursue the yohaig code objective of combating the yohaig code dangers of betting in a constant and methodical manner."
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Several foreign wagering business, consisting of Britain's Happy Bet and Gibraltar's Digibet, brought a case versus German regional authorities in Hesse and northern Schleswig-Holstein.
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The European Gaming and Betting Association invited the judgment.

"this promotion code is a landmark judgment which will have a definitive influence on the much-needed reform in Germany," it said in a statement.
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"Other member states have opened or are opening their markets. They show that customers can be better protected in a market that is both controlled and open up to competitors," it stated.

However, European Lotteries, a lobby group for national lottery games in 40 countries, contested whether the yohaig code ruling would open the German market.
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"On the contrary," the group said in a declaration, "the court reminded Germany that it has to control more strictly the bet9ja's welcome offer of unsafe forms of betting such as casino games and video gaming machines.
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"The court pointed again to the greater dangers related to internet gambling."

EGBA

European Lotteries
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