are due to take effect on 1 August 2017 .
GREECE
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting and lottery . Operator Type : All products are exclusively reserved for the monopoly providers although 24 transitional licences for private operators remain active , with all products permitted . Status : The enabling regulations that implement a Greek online gambling licensing regime are yet to be implemented . In 2012 , a “ transition period ” commenced whereby the Greek government granted 24 transitional licences to operators , enabling them to keep transacting with Greek residents . Greece ’ s government has since announced its intention to issue licences for online gambling to end the ongoing transition position . The fate of the 24 licences is still unclear , although a continued delay to the implementation of the legislation has led to the EC sending a letter of enquiry to the Greek authorities at the beginning of 2017 to question the lack of development in the remote gambling sector . A tax increase has been established on gross gaming revenues , increasing the rate from 30 % to 35 % as of May 2016 .
HUNGARY
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : Only the state monopolies ( Szerencsejáték Zrt . and Magyar Lóversenyfogadást-SzervezőKft ) and local concession companies can apply for a licence . Status : Amendments to Hungarian gambling law came into force on 1 October 2015 which allow only two land-based casinos to hold remote casino concessions . The regulator has since issued fines against unlicensed operators who continue to target the market . ISP blocking of unlicensed sites has occurred since June 2014 . The potential for EC infringement proceedings remains .
IRELAND
Regulated Gambling Products : Online gaming is not specifically accounted for in
Ireland ’ s outdated legislation and as such is currently unregulated . Online betting has been regulated since August 2015 . Status : Updating its legislation , which will create a comprehensive igaming regime and payment restrictions . More substantive developments are expected in 2017 . The Betting ( Amendment ) Act 2015 now requires remote bookmakers to hold a licence , and pay a 1 % turnover-based duty .
ITALY
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : All products available to private operators save for lottery , which is reserved for the monopoly provider . However , it is currently not possible to obtain a licence in Italy . Status : Fully regulated market . A recently passed Stability Law introduces various measures affecting the remote gambling industry , including tax changes and plans for tighter advertising rules . The law will provide for the award of 120 new online gaming licences ( lasting for six years ). The tender process for the award of the licences has been delayed , but it was recently announced that these would be issued in Q1 of 2017 .
LUXEMBOURG
Regulated Gambling Products : Lottery Operator Type : Monopoly . Status : The general prohibition on gambling appears sufficiently wide to cover all forms of online gambling .
MALTA
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : Private operators can apply for a local licence ( save for lottery products ). Status : On 3 June 2014 , Maltese regulator the Malta Gaming Authority introduced a number of policy changes . These included changes regarding hosting servers abroad , audit requirements and the cloud environment . Malta recently introduced the Skill Games Regulations 2016 , which established a regulatory framework for skill games for prizes . The new legislation forms part of Malta ’ s plans to modernise online gambling rules , with further amendments to Malta ’ s gambling laws expected throughout the course of 2017 .
NETHERLANDS
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : After two years of parliamentary debate , the Dutch Lower House approved the Online Gambling Bill , which will introduce an online gambling licensing regime in the Netherlands . The legislation will impose a 29 % GGR tax on both online and landbased operators . The Bill still requires approval from the Senate and licensing is not expected to commence until at least 2019 . In the interim , the regulator continues to implement enforcement measures against those operators targeting Dutch players . In May 2016 , a Dutch court upheld fines issued by the regulator in the first such case to go to trial .
NORWAY
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting and lottery . Operator Type : Online gambling is reserved for its two monopoly providers : Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto . Status : The monopoly has extended its offering to include live betting , online bingo and casino games in an attempt to redirect traffic from unlicensed sites . The government published a long-awaited white paper on how best to regulate the gambling sector in March 2017 . The new government was understood to be considering a limited licensing regime for foreign operators ; however , the white paper instead proposes that the gambling monopoly remain in place and no licensing system be introduced .
POLAND
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting and horse race betting . Casino and poker to be regulated from 1 April 2017 . Operator Type : Betting licences are available for companies with a representative in Poland . Casino
62 iGB Affiliate Issue 62 APR / MAY 2017