European Gaming Providers and Regulators Filing Lawsuits Against Greece

Greek lawmakers have been criticized for over a year for the gambling regulations they passed. Many gaming providers have lost a considerable amount of revenue due as the laws OPAP create a monopoly.

Regulators and gaming providers throughout the European Union have tried encouraging the Hellenic Parliament to change their policies. The European Court of Justice ruled that the OPAP monopoly was illegal and insisted Greece change their laws. Gaming providers and regulators hoped that they would listen to the ruling, but lawmakers have shown no inclination to do so.

Stakeholders in other jurisdictions have grown increasingly impatient. They have filed lawsuits against Greece and hope that the country will finally reform its laws to promote free trade and break the monopolist stronghold of OPAP. The existing regulations allow OPAP to be Greece’s exclusive gaming provider until 2030. Some critics wrote in Ekathimerini that OPAP is making obscene amounts of money in the midst of a major economic depression.

The European Gaming and Betting Association and Remote Gambling Association were the first organizations to file a lawsuit this week. The lawsuit charges Greece of violating European Union laws by refusing to allow other providers to offer online gambling.

Private gaming providers have decided to begin litigation this week as well. Stanleybet, a popular online gaming provider in the United Kingdom, threatened to file a lawsuit on Wednesday. As spokesperson from Stanleybet said that Greek regulators turned down an online gaming application they filed in 2004.

They are seeking 240 million euros in damages. Greece’s finance minister has not commented on the pending lawsuit.

This blog entry was posted on Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 at 7:52 pm and is filed under Casino News.