Bulgarian government to block unlicensed operators
Motion carried with only one MP speaking out against the proposals.
The Bulgarian government has passed a motion to mandate internet service providers to block access unlicensed gambling sites, as it continues to debate egaming legislation.
The ban can now be implemented by the State Gambling Commission with the approval of a Sofia Regional Court, according to the Sofia News Agency, after the Bulgarian parliament passed the motion following a second reading with only one MP speaking out against it.
Rumen Ovcharov, MP for the Bulgarian Socialist Party, called for the state to draw up a blacklist of unlicensed operators to be blocked and have other unlicensed sites prosecuted under the Gambling Act. However, this was rejected by Deyan Chervenkondev of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party who said a blacklist can be put together once regulation is passed.
The parliament will now continue to debate gambling legislation after the European Union was notified of draft leglisation in March last year. A 17% gross profit tax rate had been agreed with applicants required to have at least five years’ experience of operating in Bulgaria as well as a physical presence in the country.
Similar leglisation in Greece has drawn criticism from operator associations such as the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and the European Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA).
The move to have internet service providers block sites’ IPs follows a similar ruling in Serbia in February would see the likes of William Hill, 888 and Betfair blocked if the decree is upheld.