France, Italy And Austria May Get In Trouble For Banning Online Gambling

from the different-continents,-different-rules dept

While the US is going out of its way to ban online gambling, it appears that some European countries aren't going to have it that easy. The European Commission is threatening legal action against France, Italy and Austria for their own efforts to stop online gambling. Similar to the situation in the US where some online gambling executives have been arrested recently, France apparently arrested some online gambling execs as well. However, the European Commission charges that some of these activities may go against certain EU-wide laws that mandate open access to services throughout the EU. The specific problem here is that it appears these countries have state monopolies on gambling. So, they allow it, but only if they're the ones running it -- and that policy is what's causing the problems. In other words, the problem here isn't necessarily having to do with any sense of morality or protecting people, but more about who gets to profit from the gambling (though, of course, some would argue that's really what's at work here in the US as well).
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  • identicon
    dorpus, 13 Oct 2006 @ 2:38am

    Vassal State

    So is it better to have EU bureaucrats in Brussels telling countries what to do, while the gambling business is sold to the highest bidder -- Chechen mafia anyone?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      dorpus_is_a_troll, 13 Oct 2006 @ 3:19am

      Re: Vassal State

      Chechen mafia? Where do you get your inspiration to make up such foundless allegations?

      Most of the big EU online gaming companies are listed on the London Stock exchange and regulated under UK law.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2006 @ 3:23am

        Re: Re: Vassal State

        Your name is hilarious... I like that.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        dorpus, 13 Oct 2006 @ 3:30am

        Re: Re: Vassal State

        What, you're not aware that the Chechens aren't the new Sicilians of European crime? Sicilians have grown rich and soft, while the Chechens do the dirtier work that Sicilians don't want to do anymore.

        If gambling cannot be regulated under UK law, what's to prevent mafias from taking more control? Which Brussels bureaucrats are being paid off?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2006 @ 5:59am

          Re: Re: Re: Vassal State

          Troll,

          You still didn't respond to his question:

          "Chechen mafia? Where do you get your inspiration to make up such foundless allegations?"

          "What, you're not aware that the Chechens aren't the new Sicilians of European crime?!" is not a fact, it's your opinion.

          Stop being a loser chink and back your shit up.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          dorpus_is_a_troll, 13 Oct 2006 @ 8:27am

          Re: Re: Re: Vassal State

          Yawn!

          First off I'll correct your mafia knowledge. The Chechens are big in the former USSR, not Europe. The Albanian mafia are one of the biggest in Europe right now. You can read more about that here;
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chechen_mafia
          and here;
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_mafia

          Secondly, why can't gambling be regulated under UK law? It is, and it will continue to do so in an effective manner. Money laundering will probably be attempted by someone but it would never work. The UKs Gambling Commision would see to it.
          http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Client/index.asp

          Also, if some crime gang did want to launder money then wouldn't be easier to operate in an unregulated country? Why doesn't the US ban Casinos based in unregulated countries? Easy, because it's about taxation, not crime.

          Doprus I don't expect you to answer these questions but I do look forward to your next random made up facts with great interest. Perhaps a career with the RIAA beckons!

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            dorpus, 13 Oct 2006 @ 11:01am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Vassal State

            The premise of the article was that nations would not be allowed to regulate their own casinos, and must let them operate at impunity because the EU says so. Why wouldn't mafia get involved?

            I see somebody is resorting to racial slurs, though.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Franck, 14 Oct 2006 @ 2:25pm

    Monopoly

    France control the gambling industry since 30 years, I am against any monopoly unless you are located in China or North Corea (they don't give you any choice). It is time to give a chance to others. Why countries from France, Italy should take advantage of it? Why not us??? It is a business like another one.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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