Quebec 1/6/2010 1:51:03 AM
Belgian Government pens new law to curb online gambling
Last December Belgian Government approved a bill for curbing the expansion of websites on illegal sports betting, poker, and online casinos.
Last December Belgian Government approved a bill for curbing the expansion of websites on illegal sports betting, poker, and online casinos. Politicians representing the Belgian House of Representatives considered these sites to be extremely lucrative and they wished to regulate their illegal operations. .
But it seems that European commission is not convinced with the text of the bill. The bill approved by Belgian Government is the text published on games of chance in the year 1999. In November 2009 The Upper House of the Kingdom of Belgium adopted its exclusive law. The language of the text has been validated without making any change.
After these laws were established EGBA, European Gaming and Betting Association decided to oppose. They have been trying to organize major European operators of online. EGBA decided to opposes to clause of the laws that forces the online gambling operators to obtain an online license before having a terrestrial casino license.
According to EGBA this decision would only benefit the online operators running casino or sports betting sites in Belgium and also the physical casino house operators of the country. Three sections of the bill are going to affect the policies of European Commission, as stated by EGBA. It may be noted that recently EGBA reacted to the French gaming laws as well.
As per EGBA this section o the text would curb the freedom of traffic of services in countries that are part of European Community. Belgium would create hindrance to the principles of the Commission with the risk of a procedural infraction. However, Belgium can save their business interest by closing “Santa Casa” that allows the countries to restrict the entry of other operators in a country who may have mollified interest with fraud and criminal motives. In that case it can be promoted as a gesture to save the interest of the nationals.
