Poker to Be Further Regulated in the EU
As reported by the newspaper The Parliament, Members of the Eureopean Parlieamnet in Strasbourg have endorsed a report which effectively upholds the existing right of member states to control poker, gambling, casino online, and sports betting. The outcome comes as a setback to those who are pressing for EU-wide liberalisation of the gambling industry.
Deputies overwhelmingly voted in favor of an own-initiative report by Danish Socialist member Christel Schaldemose on the ‘integrity’ of online gambling, the newspaper reports.
.An alternative report, supported by UK center-right MEP Malcolm Harbour, argued that internal market rules should apply to gambling activities but was heavily defeated. He reacted by saying parliament had ‘missed an opportunity’ for a more open gambling market, adding, “Several member states continue to have their heads in the sand, failing to recognize the realities of a dynamic gambling market.” .Schaldemose said there had been an ‘explosion’ in online gambling and was among those members who called for action on the 4bn internet gambling market in order to protect young people and prevent fraud.
This is a very disheartening ruling. While the EU is much more favorable to online poker than the U.S. is, this ruling still could give some EU nations the right to wrongfully outlaw poker online in their country. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen.
