(Jamma) The report on online gambling in the internal market prepared by the IMCO Commission was adopted today in plenary by the European Parliament. While on the one hand, the Remote Gambling Association welcomes some positive aspects of the report, in other points it contests the excessively restrictive regime.
The resolution of the European Parliament - explains the association - follows the publication of the Action Plan on online gambling published last year by the Commission. Drafted by Ashley Fox (MEP), the resolution has a number of positive elements for licensed online gambling operators. In particular, it promotes cooperation between national gaming regulators; the benefits that can be derived from more transparent licensing procedures and the need to avoid unnecessary administrative burdens.
The various industry associations have welcomed Parliament's vote even as the Commission is called upon to continue to respect European Union law and, if necessary, proceed with infringement proceedings against Member States which have not complied comply with internal market rules.
Unfortunately, the resolution appears to have been unduly influenced by those members of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee who oppose the opening up of the online gaming market, who have re-proposed consumer protection issues to justify maintaining barriers to market entry.
While the RGA actively supports the need to protect minors, vulnerable people as well as all consumers from harm resulting from gambling, it believes that all concerns related to this economic sector should be addressed through the adoption of a viable and coherent licensing regime and ensure that Member States can apply it in a non-discriminatory way to all operators concerned.
The RGA shares the European Parliament's desire to safeguard the integrity of sport; however, it is fundamentally wrong to believe that the licensed betting industry poses a threat. On the contrary, Rga is actively collaborating with various national and international organisations, such as the IOC and the Council of Europe, to help identify and combat the real causes of concern which tend to be associated with criminal enterprises and corrupt sporting bodies.
