European Union Investigating Finland Online Casino Rules
The Finnish monopoly on Internet gambling has been an issue with the European Commission, which sees the block of external online casinos as against EU free trade agreements. Now Finland's legislators are making conditions worse by outlawing even the marketing of unlicensed online gambling sites.
New laws would include prison time not only for Internet gaming operators, but also media members and advertising companies who help market the sites. Current Finnish law allows only .license, which is provided to Veikkas, the state-owned gambling operator.
Finland has told EU investigators that the creation of a monopoly was to control the spread of gambling and inherent social ills. But the EC ruled that the Finnish laws broke the EU Treaty providing for the free flow of services between member-states.
The European Gaming and Betting Association pressed for action, saying the EC had been overly patient in addressing the initial Finnish violation and should be forced into action by the present moves.
Sigrid Ligne, Secretary General of the EGBA, said, "This shows all too clearly that the Finnish authorities have for the past two years enhanced their protectionist legislation rather than removed it. The Commission's patience has clearly not paid off. We now call on the Guardian of the Treaty to defend our rights and to bring Finland to the ECJ."
