程阳：2009欧洲彩票市场风云跌宕

2009，A Eventful Year of EU Lottery Industry

2009 has been an eventful year for our association and many of its Members. At the European level, we have seen very positive developments. In March, the European Parliament adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution on online gambling. In this so-called Schaldemose report, the only EU representatives directly elected by Europe’s citizens once again objected to the commercialisation of gambling and recognised that the Member States have right to regulate and control their gambling markets in accordance with their traditions and cultures.

In the other legislative body of the EU, the Council, the 27 Member States have built on the European Parliament’s report, deepening the discussion on important aspects addressed by it, such as the fight against the illegal promotion and offer of gambling and betting services. The discussions in the Council will continue throughout 2010.

In September, the European Court of Justice ruled that the European Treaty does not preclude a national monopoly for internet gambling, hereby clarifying the legal situation which commercial online gambling operators have wrongly been contesting for years. After the long deliberations in the bwin/Santa Casa case, the Court is now proceeding quickly with the other cases referred to it by national courts and may come up with a number of rulings in 2010.

With regard to European and national gambling policies, much will of course depend on the political line the new European Commission, which will start its five-year term in office in early 2010, and especially the new Internal Market Commissioner will take.

The successful year 2009 should motivate us to even strengthen our efforts next year when it comes to advocating a sustainable gaming model from which the entire society benefits, and not only “happy few”.

（全文阅读 密码进入）