EUROPEAN REGULATION
Status: In November 2016, a bill amending
the existing gambling legal framework was
approved. The amendments, which entered
into force on 1 January 2017, include the
introduction of ISP and payment blocking of
illegal online gambling offerings in the Slovak
territory. The supervisory function in respect
of ISP and payment blocking measures will not
be active until July 2017. Whether amendments
will also be made to introduce a formal licensing
system remains unclear.
SLOVENIA
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo
and lottery.
Operator Type: Online gambling must
be operated by land-based casinos or lotteries
and, as a result, only the monopoly holds online
licences in Slovenia.
Status: The Finance Ministry notified
secondary regulations for the operation of online
gambling services to the EC on 17 August 2016.
The proposals would remove the cap on the
number of licences and the requirement for a
local establishment, although sports betting
would remain as a monopoly.
SWEDEN
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, poker, bingo
and lottery.
Operator Type: Only public benefit
organisations, the horse racing industry
and the state lottery may obtain a licence.
No licences are available for private operators.
Status: The Swedish government is under
pressure to update its regulations following
the commencement of infringement proceedings
by the EC. On 31 March 2017, the government
published its long-awaited report on the
re-regulation of the online gambling market,
which includes a proposal to introduce a
licensing regime which will allow private
operators to obtain a local licence. The report
is seen to be a key driver behind draft legislation
to be published later this year, with a licensing
regime not likely to emerge before 2019.
In the interim, a bill that sets out to strengthen
the position of gambling monopolies has been
submitted to parliament.
SPAIN
Regulated Gambling Products: Sports
betting, horse race betting, casino, poker, bingo
and lottery.
Operator Type: Private operators can
apply for licences for all gambling products save
for lottery.
Status: The first online licences were issued
on 1 June 2012. Under the law, operators must
hold a general licence and a specific licence
for each activity from the National Gambling
Commission. In June 2015, 10 new licences
were awarded, the first since the market opened
in 2012. Also 25 online slot permits were issued
to new and existing operators. This followed
the approval of the regulation of slots and
betting exchanges.
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