EUROMAT NEWS

MEMBER STATE NEWS

31/11/11 – 15 of the 16 German Länder announced an agreement on revised terms for the German Interstate Treaty on Gambling. The revised proposals include a reduction of the tax rate, allowing more licences for sports betting, but also an extension of the ban on online casino and poker. This latest version has failed to win support of the Schleswig-Holstein region that, for the time being, continues to press ahead with plans to launch a rival market in 2012. The deadline to reach an agreement between the Länder is 15 December 2011.

31/10/11 – The Belgian Gaming Commission is in the process of finalising a white list of regulated gambling sites and a black list of illegal ones with the intention of implementing them through internet and payment blocking as of January 2012. The Commission unveiled that the internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed on a written procedure for the blocking of illegal websites. Moreover, Febelfin, the umbrella federation of Belgian banks, has also agreed to close off any new relationships with illegal operators.