ISPs ordered to block 70 gaming sites in Serbia
Bwin, 888, William Hill and Ladbrokes among 70 operators targeted by Serbian Gaming Board.
The Serbian Gaming Board has ordered internet service providers to block 70 foreign egaming operators’ sites from being accessible to local players, eGR has learned.
The list of banned sites includes bwin, 888 and Titan Bet, which were also named on the Belgian Gaming Commission’s blacklist last week, alongside other major European operators such as Betsson, Sportingbet, William Hill, Betfair, Ladbrokes and Unibet.
Serbian tabloid newspaper Blic reported that the Gaming Board could be looking to have the ban enforced as early as this week. This has led to the commissioner for information of public importance and personal data protection Rodoljub Sabic speaking out against the move, claiming IP-blocking amounted to censorship, which is banned under Article 50 of the Constitution of Serbia.
However, a court order can be obtained to prevent the spreading of information through mass media if it is seen as necessary to prevent incitement to religious, ethnic or racial hatred; the violation of Serbia’s territorial integrity; or incitement to overthrow the elected government. It is unclear whether the Serbian Gaming Board will attempt to have the ban enforced through the courts.
This is the third time the Gaming Board has attempted to block gaming IPs after attempts to enforce a ban through the Serbian Broadcasting Agency (RRA) and Ministry of Culture and Information Security failed.
The country is currently experiencing a financial crisis resulting in a shutdown of all its businesses this Friday in an attempt to conserve electricity. Gambling regulation is seen as a source of potential revenue and legislation passed last year set up a regulatory framework in which successful applicants would be awarded 10-year operating licences, with tax set at 5% of gross gaming yield.
Director of the Serbian Gaming Board Aleksandar VuloviÄ told Blic the ban was necessary, with more than half of Serbia’s total gaming revenues currently going to unlicensed operators.
“We had to prevent access to illegal sites in order to have a regulated market, with leading players who will operate under the law and allow the state will reap the benefits. Currently online gambling is one of the most profitable industries and it is estimated that the revenue will double by 2013. It is simply wrong that the state does not collect a penny of the millions from the sector,” VuloviÄ explained.
Thomas Smallwood of Serbia-based marketing company eGaming Consulting told eGR that the size of the market and low wages means that the majority of operators would be unlikely to apply for a licence.
“Serbia has a population of around 7 “ 8m; it’s much smaller than markets like Italy or France. The average wage is very low compared to Western Europe and so whether many companies would try to acquire a licence is questionable,” Smallwood added.