Mr Green lodges Austria tax bill appeal

Casino operator Mr Green has launched an appeal over its £8.5m Austrian tax charge with the firm seeking recourse both through the Austrian courts and the European Commission.

In February the Malta-based operator announced it had set aside SEK108m (£8.5m) within its 2014 accounts as a provision for its ongoing tax dispute with Austrian authorities.

But the company has now decided to contest the liability to pay the tax in its entirety on multiple grounds and has filed an appeal with the Administrative Court in Austria as well as submitting a complaint to the European Commission.

“We contest the tax liability in its entirety and are hopeful that our objections will be given due consideration,” Per Norman, CEO of Mr Green & Co, said.

The firm has submitted a payment plan to the Austrian tax authority for the total, which is connected to the self-assessment period between Jan 2011 and August 2014, with payment expected to take place in 2015 and 2016.

Mr Green had been in discussions with authorities over a partial payment plan, but Norman would not reveal any details from the negotiations.

Since 2011, Austria has attempted to enforce a tax rate on online casinos at 40% of their Austria-derived gross gaming win. The tax is applied regardless of an operator’s licensing situation in the country or where its operations are based.