The European Parliament’s plenary will vote next Tuesday on a report on online gambling by Ashley Fox MEP calling for enhanced cooperation between Member States. The report initially recommended the EU-wide licensing of igaming operators, but was then changed to take account of numerous amendments and Member States’ will to regulate their online gaming sectors individually.
The report will recommend continuing that policy of regulation, but with increased co-operation between member states on consumer protection and money laundering. Member states are encouraged to exchange blacklists of operators and to consider blocking access to illegal websites. The report is the Parliament’s response to a ‘road map’ adopted by the European Commission last October.
The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) has agreed an affiliate partnership with the European Gaming and Betting Association, a move it hopes “will assist EU policy makers to learn more about online gaming in Gibraltar and allow the Gibraltar-based remote gambling industry to input on important industry matters at international level”.
GBGA chief executive Peter Howitt said, “Partnership with the EGBA will allow us to work in tandem with the EGBA to better represent Gibraltar gaming operators in the EU on key issues relating to consumer protection, anti-money laundering and effective regulation within the context of an increasingly competitive environment.” He added, “As well as learning more about how EU policy makers carry out their work, we hope that policy makers will gain a better understanding of online gaming, how the Gibraltar industry works, and why Gibraltar is one of the world leaders in the online gaming industry.”
EGBA Secretary General Maarten Haijer commented, “Not only does the GBGA represent a significant portion of the EU’s online gaming offering, but both organisations share the vision of a strictly regulated, cross border industry with high standards and consumer protection as priorities. We are therefore thrilled to welcome the GBGA to the fold.”
