Betfair Dealt Legal Blow After European Court Upholds Banning Decision
Betfair Casino
The European Court of Justice has found that Dutch courts had the right to ban British bookmakers Betfair and Ladbrokes, in a move that will no doubt come as a blow to gambling companies in the EU. The court found that the Dutch authorities were legally allowed to block citizens in Holland from accessing gambling websites located in other EU member states, such as the UK.
The court suggested that Holland’s decision to ban Betfair and Ladbrokes was “justified”, noting that the legislation was motivated by a need to protect consumers and “preserve public order”. At the moment, the De Lotto organisation has a monopoly over gambling in Holland, but the European Court of Justice noted that it was down to the Dutch authorities to ensure De Lotto is both fair and follows current gambling regulations.
Betfair and Ladbrokes had originally argued that as they have gaming licenses in the UK and the UK is part of the EU, they are legally allowed to promote their services in other countries within the European Union. The European Court of Justice’s decision will no doubt affect a variety of UK bookmakers who are looking to expand operations in the EU. The BBC has noted that as gambling legislation in the EU isn’t “harmonised” the UK licenses obtained by bookmakers such as Betfair are practically meaningless in other EU member states.
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