Some EU States Still Bucking Online Gambling Laws

Although the European Union (EU) has set down hard and fast online gambling regulations for its member states to follow, many EU states are stubbornly refusing to amend their draconian and often monopolistic gambling policies which is preventing a 'level playing field' for all European gaming operators.

While European countries such as the United Kingdom and Italy  have made huge strides to 'open up' their gambling industries for the benefit of all European online gambling firms, others are reportedly still bucking directives made by the European Commission (EC) to make their gambling industries accessible by all.

Of the 27 EU states, a newly published report by a reputable European gambling organization has revealed that 19 are still reportedly attempting to set up a network of national licensing regimes. As a result, it seems that online gambling-friendly jurisdictions such as the UK and Malta are being increasingly marginalized.

According to the report, even as other EU member states follow the leads of Italy and the UK in expressly regulating internet gambling, the majority of European jurisdictions are continuing to restrict access to their gambling markets to those operators they choose to license and their government-approved monopolies.

The report has demonstrated just how divided the EU is regarding the subject of online gambling, a growing internet pastime worth billions of pounds in revenues each year. Since its inception over a decade ago, online gambling has always been a contentious and controversial issue, and one that continues to rage today.