EU Challenges US Online Gambling Laws

Onlinecasino.org News | 01.02.2007 | 08:10:30 | Views: 960 | Casino News

According to one of its top financial regulators, the European Union plans to challenge US online gambling laws.

Once the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was signed into law, many British online gaming companies were immediately forced out of the US market, leaving member of the EU keeping a close eye over the American governments' motives for introducing the Act.

EU Internal Market Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, told the European

Parliament, "In my view it is probably a restrictive practice and we might take it up in another form."

McCreevy continued to suggest that the US was safeguarding its own gambling industry by preventing foreign companies from entering the online betting sector.

"It's not my intention to bring forward a harmonized piece of legislation on gambling in the European Union," McCreevy said.

The EU trade commissioner later told reporters that the US rules and regulations were a 'prima facie' case of protectionism, and that the World Trade Organization was a possible forum for tackling them.

McCreevy has already begun legal action against many EU countries in an attempt to deal with obstacles to foreign competition.

UK, SPAIN, ITALY, BELGIUM and other EU countries have all decided to legalize online gambling.

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