WEBMASTER WORLD
Operator Type : Sports betting , poker and casino licences are available to private operators . Bingo , lottery and horse race betting ( fixed odds only ) are controlled by the state monopoly . Bingo and horse race betting to be available to private operators from 1 January 2018 . Status : Sports betting , poker and casino licences are available to private operators . Bingo , lottery and horse race betting ( fixed odds only ) are controlled by the state monopoly . Bingo and horse race betting to be available to private operators from 1 January 2018 .
ESTONIA
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : Licences for all gambling products are available for private operators save that the monopoly has exclusive rights to lottery . Status : Operators seeking to accept business from players in Estonia must be issued an activity licence for the type of gambling they wish to offer , then an operating permit to provide the services remotely . A blacklist of around 1,100 operators is maintained and updated by local authorities and ISP and payment blocking is in force . Though some operators argue that the regime is still not compatible with EU law , there has been no criticism or open challenge by the EC to date .
FINLAND
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : All gambling products are under the exclusive control of the three monopoly providers , Rahaautomaatiyhdistys (“ RAY ”), Fintoto Oy and Veikkaus Oy . The monopolies merged into one state entity as of 1 January 2017 . Status : An ECJ ruling confirmed that Finland ’ s three monopoly providers are legally permitted , which was subsequently written into law . In November 2013 , the EC also withdrew infringement proceedings . Active enforcement measures are in place ( restrictive marketing for offshore operators and ISP blocking ).
FRANCE
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : Private operators can obtain online licences for sports betting , horse race betting and poker . The monopoly has exclusive rights to bingo and lottery . Status : A regulated market since the introduction of a licensing regime in 2010 , following which the EC withdrew its infringement proceedings . Parliament announced a full review of French gambling legislation in 2016 , although little progress has been made to date except for changes to allow for international poker liquidity and provisions relating to the organisation of esports tournaments . The French regulator is understood to have renewed calls for tax reforms recently amid concern of continued growth in illegal offerings in the country .
GERMANY
Regulated Gambling Products : Schleswig-Holstein , a small Northern German state , regulates sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino and bingo . The other 15 states of Germany currently only permit sports betting and horse race betting . Operator Type : Private operators can no longer obtain licences in Schleswig- Holstein , and those in existence will expire on 30 June 2019 . In the other 15 states , horse race betting licences are available at a regional level but the position surrounding the 20 available sports betting licences is still uncertain . Status : The licensing regime in Germany is in a state of flux . The tender for 20 Federal sports betting licences was abortive , following a number of appeals by operators who were not granted a licence . The CJEU ruled in 2016 that Germany ’ s sports betting regulation is incompatible with EU law and that enforcement actions will be unlawful where none
of the 20 licences could , in practice , be acquired . The decision led to calls for comprehensive legal reform of Germany ’ s gambling legislation . In March 2017 , all 16 German states signed amendments to the country ’ s gambling law which will allow for an unlimited number of sports betting licences , although the ban on online casinos will be upheld . The decision to only make minimal amendments has drawn widespread criticism , particularly from the EC and more recently , from political parties in Schleswig-Holstein who are seeking to reject the amendments . Without the support of each state , the intended reforms will not take effect . The amendments are currently scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2018 .
GREAT BRITAIN
Regulated Gambling Products : Sports betting , horse race betting , poker , casino , bingo and lottery . Operator Type : All licences are available to private operators save for lottery , which is reserved exclusively for the monopoly provider , Camelot . Status : Any operator that transacts with , or advertises to , British residents requires a licence from the Gambling Commission . Licensed operators are required to source gambling software from Commission-licensed businesses . A corresponding tax rate of 15 % of gross profits was introduced on 1 December 2014 . A Gibraltar trade association challenged the taxation regime by arguing that it infringed EU law , but the CJEU ruled in June 2017 that Gibraltar and the UK should , for the provision of services , be considered a single member state as a matter of EU law . On 5 December 2016 , the UK government announced that the first use of free-plays for remote gaming will be taxed and winnings will be brought into the duty calculation at the end of the rewagering process . The changes are set to be included in the Finance Bill 2017 and are due to take effect on 1 August 2017 . The Horserace Betting Levy Regulations 2017 became effective on 25 April 2017 , requiring all gambling operators ( including companies based overseas ) who offer bets on horseracing in Great Britain to pay a
iGB Affiliate Issue 64 AUG / SEP 2017
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