European round up from Malta; EGBA; and Austria

eu flagMalta’s Lotteries and Gaming Authority has signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). It allows the two sides to exchange information on eligibility assessments of licence applicants and will be of great help to AGCO ahead of the opening of Ontario’s online gaming industry market this year. The industry’s latest MOU will give the sides the chance to work together on compliance and regulatory assurance activities in relation to gaming. It’s the second such partnership that the AGCO has entered after a similar deal was hammered out between themselves and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

The European Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA) has published a five point plan for the future of responsible online gaming on the continent as part of a new manifesto. The five points are as follows:

1. The European Commission fulfilling its role as Guardian of the Treaty

2. Structured regulatory cooperation among national authorities

3. An EU legal framework for online gambling

4. Problem gambling prevention measures based on evidence

5. EU action to fight sport fraud

The release comes ahead of the European Commission’s next meeting with gambling regulators in order to discuss EU-level cooperation. Secretary general Sigird Ligne commented: “We are calling for the introduction of European rules to ensure proper protection for consumers while affording fair and transparent licensing conditions for EU operators.”

Austrian restrictions on gambling industry advertising have been deemed “discriminatory” and represent a “potential hidden total ban on cross border advertising”. The ruling was made by the European Union Court of Justice’s Advocate General (AG) Mazak and EGBA Director for Regulatory Affairs Maarten Haijer added: “We welcome AG Mazak’s opinion also for pointing out that the actual level of protection provided by the operator should be considered. All EGBA members comply with the agreement on Responsible Remote Gambling Measures that was agreed in the context of the European Standardisation Committee.” The opinion doesn’t mark the end of the debate on this issue and the court will make its final ruling before the summer.