EUROPEAN REGULATION
Status: Following Croatia’s accession to the EU
in 2013, it was understood that it would submit
new legislation that was compatible with EU law.
However, on 5 March, 2014, the Croatian government
notifi ed a draft bill to embolden the position of the
monopoly and local operators, giving rise to further
incompatibility issues. The receipt of a detailed
opinion from the EC stalled the legislative process.
CYPRUS
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting,
horse race betting and lottery.
Operator type: OPAP has a monopoly over lottery
operations; sports-betting licences are available to
private operators.
Status: Cyprus regulated online betting in
July 2012, although a licensing regime was not
established until 2016. Applications for online
sports-betting licences were accepted for a one-
month period only from 3 October, 2016. ISPs are
obliged to implement blocking measures to prohibit
Cypriot residents from accessing unlicensed
gambling websites. Cyprus has notifi ed new draft
gambling legislation to the EC in response to
concerns about the local establishment requirement
under the Betting Law and the equal treatment of
gambling operators in the country (principally as a
result of the exemption afforded to OPAP).
CZECH REPUBLIC
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting,
horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.
Operator type: EU and EEA-based operators are
able to apply for licences.
Status: The new gambling regulatory regime
entered into force in the Czech Republic on 1
January, 2017, allowing EU/EEA companies to
enter the market. The licensing regime has been
called into question after a number of foreign
operators are believed to have withdrawn from the
licensing process, citing the current regime as being
incompatible with EU law. ISP-blocking measures
are active in the jurisdiction.
DENMARK
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting,
fantasy sports, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo
and lottery.
Operator type: Sports betting, poker and casino
licences are available to private operators. Lottery is
controlled by the state monopoly.
Status: The Danish online gambling regime went
live on 1 January, 2012. ISP-blocking measures are
active in the jurisdiction and the Danish Gaming
Authority has been granted an injunction to block
operators and suppliers that have been targeting
Danish customers without the requisite licence.
Danish political parties have reached an agreement
to introduce limits on bonuses. The Ministry of
Taxation is understood to be aiming for a 1 January,
2019 implementation, although the exact proposed
changes are currently unknown.
ESTONIA
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting,
horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.
Operator type: Licences for all gambling products
are available to private operators save for lotteries,
which are reserved exclusively for the monopoly
operator.
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 about 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 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 monopoly provider Veikkaus Oy.
Status: Despite the existence of a national
monopoly, EC enforcement action has been dropped
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