|
ITALIAN ONLINE GAMBLING BAN HITS UP
Feb.
18 2006
The fight by UK online gambling
companies against Italian government action banning online
gambling by blocking sites from Italian ISPs seems to be gaining
momentum.
News to hand this week is that the
Remote Gambling Association
(RGA), whose members include
888
,
Betfair
and
William Hill
, is seeking
legal advice after the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance
approved a law to fine ISPs allowing gamblers to access offshore
sites.
Under the Italian Finance Act 2006,
which came in to force on 1 January, Italian internet service
providers could be fined each time players are allowed to bet
with a 'blacklisted'
To make the law effective with
surprising speed, a number of decrees were passed earlier in
Rome, requiring ISPs to block access to around 500 sites on pain
of fines of up to GBP 120 000.
But three years ago, a European court
ruled that member states are not allowed to block cross-border
gambling services other than on grounds of moral objections.
According to the RGA, the Italian decrees should have been
approved by the EC prior to the law coming into effect.
The RGA has asked the EC to prevent the
restrictions as it argues Italian consumers will suffer from
reduced competition.
Thus far the Italian Ministry of
Economy and Finance has not commented on the RGA.
|
