Blow to Malta as ECJ upholds ban on gambling websites advertising
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) today upheld a Swedish ban on the advertising of gambling websites hosted in other EU member states, including Malta.
The court said such a ban was legal as long as the penalties are the same as for the organisers of illegal gambling within the country.
The case is being considered as ground-breaking because it effectively allows a national government to stop its citizens advertising services which are legal in other EU states but illegal at home, as long as it can prove that this is in the public interest.
Swedish law bans the organisation of gambling for profit. The only groups which are allowed to run betting in the country are those which use the money for "socially beneficial objectives." But in 2003 and 2004, Swedish papers Expressen and Aftonbladet advertised online betting on four commercial websites in Britain and Malta. The Swedish government therefore fined the chief editor and publisher of the papers, Otto Sjoberg and Anders Gerdin, 50,000 crowns (roughly 6,500 dollars) each.
Both men appealed against the fines, and the Swedish appeals court asked the ECJ whether the Swedish law was in line with EU rulings.
In a statement, European Lotteries, a grouping which represents state lotteries and opposes cross-border online gambling, welcomed the ECJ decision describing it as "another serious blow to the commercial online gambling industry."
Malta and the UK currently host the majority of online gaming operators in the EU.
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Alison Muscat
Jul 22nd 2010, 16:29
For those of you who do not know, sites DO have links directing people for help should they have a gambling problem and all the necessary assistance and precautions are taken in order to help these people with their problem.
As O R Busuttil said hereunder, look at the Super 5 sales!!! Come on, who are we kidding! As soon as the amount to be won exceeds €250,000, you get people paying 100's of Euro in order to hit the jackpot. And may I add.....doing is this is WORSE than having IGaming companies here in Malta!!!!
Chris Vidal
Jul 9th 2010, 10:19
Politicians do not care about the consequences of gambling. Most important is the economy. Today we are slaves of the economy. First we create opportunities for increasing problems to people and families and then we try to solve them or pretend to do so, although in malta not even the opportunity of divorce for victims of gambling is given
William Sciberras
Jul 9th 2010, 12:37
First of all i-gaming services are regulated and almost all of them carry warnings against excessive gambling (you can check that out yourself). If the state ever tries to stop i-gaming it will only drive it underground, and that's where things get bad. Also keep in mind that the services offered by all the i-gaming companies present in Malta cannot be used by the Maltese - So they really don't affect Malta negatively, just POSITIVELY! Ever talked to an excessive gambler? Ask him if removing all ILLEGAL gambling arcades helped! Ask him if he would still gamble on relatively anything, say the weather (sounds stupid but it's true)! Ask him who's fault is it that they became excessive gamblers, and you'll see that in most cases they admit it's only their fault and no one else! The help they need lies in their reintegration into society - something which unfortunately lacks.
O R Busuttil
Jul 9th 2010, 09:28
Smoking is widely proven to be a killer while draining state funds as well due to the disease increase. But, it's not illegal to advertise it. Nowhere. The "smoking harms your health" slogan on the packet is considered enough to calm the Health ministers' conscience all over the world. Why don't these guys place a link in their website that directs you to Gamblers Anonymous? That should solve the problem!
This is ridiculous and I quite agree with the opinion below, the big guns in the EU do not make a profit out of it so they took the occasion to make us believe they have a heart. We all know that beneath it all they just don't care. What is your poison? Cigarettes, alcohol, guns, 200mph cars, porn, IS-SUPER 5??? This is business and anything they take away from us is negative.
Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jul 9th 2010, 08:48
Doesn't Gonzi and his Catholic mates know anything about the evils of gambling? They sure know a great deal about homosexuality and divorce.
Stephen Saliba
Jul 9th 2010, 06:47
This is a typical knee jerked reaction. Once France, germany and some of the other powers are not making oney out of this system (on line gambling) then they will pull enough strings to try to kill it. This is a shame on the EU by allowing these vested interests to override other aspects. what about all the talk of one market, freedom of this an d the other. All of a sudden online gambling is a big bad wolf!? What double faced double standards nitwits. Malta made headways because it had the sound judgement of forseeing the 'importance' of this industry and took appropriate measures to get the forefront. Now that these people have woken up and realised the revenue generated that want to topedoe Malta's brilliant efforts. Shame. As Tommy Lee says gambling should be left as a personal choice. I for one do not.but that does not mean that others should not have the liberty to do so. After all Malta's efforts are very well regulated and the whole industry is very carefully scrutinised.
joseph abela
Jul 8th 2010, 23:38
At least in Sweeden they care for their people because they have a social conscience. We have lost that long ago. We only pay lip service to social conscience and we don't really care for our society. What matters today is money, money and money even if we sell our soul. I am glad that the european court did not stop sweeden. I am against gambling because it is a bad thing. Ask Appogg and Caritas and they will tell you waht gambling is for those who seek their services.
Ramon Casha
Jul 8th 2010, 20:52
Although I am against gambling, I strongly feel that the objectives of the state lotteries organisation was not to protect the citizens, but their monopoly on the gambling profits.
J Oatmon
Jul 8th 2010, 20:03
The less gambling we have in Malta the better in my opinion.
Gambling is usually called an 'industry' but it is not - what gambling really is, is a social disease based on the systematic fleecing of the gullible and the uniformed (the odds always with the 'house' and the odds are always stacked against the betting public). You can only loose over time, there is no other possible outcome.
Gambling does not benefit anyone, except the casino's and websites/employees, at the expense of the public. Money is wasted on gambling instead of going for food and clothing etc.
Tommy Lee
Jul 8th 2010, 20:58
Millions of Adults gamble,life is a lottery, luck accounts for most things in life.
Consenting adults who want to gamble should be allowed to freely without busybodies telling them what not to do.
William Sciberras
Jul 8th 2010, 21:45
Gambling is an entertainment industry like many others where money is spent. It becomes a social ill when a person thinks that gambling is an alternative source of income. I like many others use gambling services moderatly. Why should anyone stop me from using such services? Am I harming anyone? Am I putting myself to risk? Remove all sources of gambling and you'll see how the compulsive gambler will find an alternative source for gambling - they will gamble on EVERYTHING that comes to mind - literaly. Also.. Do you know how many i-gaming companies are here in Malta? And the amount of locals they employ? Giving that up is just insane! These services are not guilty of excessive gambling. Gulity is the state in failing to provide proper education about the consequences of excessive gambling - that is where action is needed!
Gordon Farrugia
Jul 9th 2010, 00:38
What you don't realise is that life is inherently tied to chance. The stock market is gambling fullstops. This news is a blow to Malta indeed as it restricts movement of free trade and restricts us access to country members markets. The online gambling (say gaming!) market in Malta employs thousands of people today with good paying jobs + add to that the taxes that these companies pay to the local government. For instance such companies generated some EUR90 million if I'm not mistaken for Guernsey in 2009 so they can be very lucrative for the local economy.
Michael Pace
Jul 8th 2010, 19:58
What´s a "blow to Malta" is its serving as base for gambling websites.
M Palermo
Jul 8th 2010, 23:59
Mr Pace,
If you think its a blow and would rather Malta remove all gambling companies here say bye bye to tens of millions of EUR per year in revenue for Malta. Apart from this, thousands of job losses and the gambling companies will still set up shop somewhere else and find an alternative... but they will still be open for maltese to play on wherever they are. Just cause malta is a gambling hub for COMPANIES does not mean people are forced or will gamble more...
Use some common sense guys on this subject....