Egaming execs call for Belgium action
Letter to Financial Times from heads of 12 Power 50 operators attempts to persuade European Commission to ensure Member State complies with EU law.
Fourteen executives from 12 members of the eGaming Review Power 50 have written to the Financial Times calling for the European Commission to force Belgium to comply with EU law following last week’s questioning of bwin.party co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger in Brussels.
The letter, signed by Teufelberger and fellow bwin.party co-chief Jim Ryan, as well as the president of Betclic Everest, managing director of Gamesys and CEOs of nine further operators, argues: The time for polite rhetoric is now over. It is time for deeds not words.
It makes reference to the direct complaint launched against Belgium by the European Commission in 2010 following the earlier rejection of the country’s draft regulation, and argues: “While the Belgian authorities are free to intimidate Europe’s leading online gaming groups with threats about the consequences of challenging their domestic gambling laws, the European Commission has yet to receive an answer to its own concerns regarding the regulatory regime in Belgium that have remained unresolved since issuing its detailed opinion back in 2009.”
Since adding a number of dot.com operators to its blacklist of unlicensed sites, the Belgium has become engaged in legal wrangles with both bwin.party and bet-at-home. While a number of operators (including PokerStars and Unibet) have secured licences in the jurisdiction, others with licences in other territories have declined to apply on the basis that they consider Belgian egaming law not to comply with EU requirements.
The former lost an initial appeal against its blacklisting in June, with lawyer Bart Heynickx saying: “Had the court granted [bwin.party’s] request, it would have been astonishing and would have been a slippery slope leading to all sorts of abuses. Those who choose to operate outside the law cannot then claim its protection.” However a further case brought on the matter is still ongoing, as is a similar dispute with bet-at-home, part of the Betclic Everest Group.
It was bwin.party’s continued operation in Belgium which brought about Teufelberger’s detainment and questioning in Brussels last week, following his closing speech at the European Gaming and Betting Association’s responsible gaming day, and following his release the Austrian was encouraged by the BGC to return to the Belgian capital on 17 December to explain his company’s unlicensed activity in the country.
The operator issued a response last Wednesday in which it stated: “bwin.party maintains the position that it is acting and has always acted in compliance with applicable laws.”
Last week’s events also brought about a statement from lobby group the Remote Gambling Association calling for the European Commission to “Act quickly and decisively” against regulatory regimes which fail to comply with EU law, not just in Belgium but also in Greece and Germany.
This follows the October publication of the EC Action Plan on Online Gambling, in which the commission pledged to ensure all member states comply with EU law as a “Prerequisite of a successful EU policy on online gambling.”
Those to have signed the letter to the Financial Times are as follows:
- Michael Carlton, Chief Executive, Victor Chandler International
- Denise Coates and John Coates, Joint Chief Executives, bet365
- Stéphane Courbit, President, Betclic Everest Group
- Canel Frichet, Chief Executive, Winamax
- Noel Hayden, Managing Director, Gamesys
- Denis Kelly, Chief Executive, Stan James
- Brian Mattingley, Chief Executive, 888 Holdings
- Andrew McIver, Chief Executive, Sportingbet
- Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger, Co-Chief Executives, bwin.party digital entertainment
- Magnus Silfverberg, Chief Executive, Betsson
- Ralph Topping, Chief Executive, William Hill
- Ed Ware, Chief Executive, 32Red
(Photo courtesy of Mike Hammerton under Creative Commons licence)