Right2Bet discusses Poland, UIGEA delay
30 November 2009
(PRESS RELEASE) -- In a big week for the Gambling industry regarding de-regulation, the Right2bet campaign has been at the forefront of the action in Europe, protesting against the continent's muddied and uncompetitive rules on online sports and casino gambling.
The big news in Europe this week has been the introduction of regulations in Poland, where the government has brought in new ruling in a response to the recent corruption allegations against government officials. The new rulings, however, merely strengthen the position of existing land based casinos – those accused of the original corruption – by eliminating any new competition online! The government has also insisted it will ban the advertising of foreign operators, despite the obvious disadvantages this creates, with several leading Polish football teams dependent on these sponsorship deals to compete in European Competition against clubs from territories with far more relaxed rules.
Meanwhile, across the pond, the big news of the week is the postponement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the United States for a further six months, with many political commentators believing that the bill will now never become law. The act, drafted by the departed Republican administration, aimed to hold banks responsible for allowing their customers to use online casinos and Sportsbooks. It drew major criticism from the Finance industry (which described it as 'unworkable'), the voting public and, most importantly of all, the World Trade Organisation, which was reportedly due to step in to halt the perceived unfair restriction of trade.
The Right2bet campaign's Charity Challenge continued over the weekend, with Chelsea's 3-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium netting for the charity fund. The challenge picks a weekly football match somewhere in Europe and then finds the prices offered by the State Monopolies (the only operators available to punters in these countries) and the best price from a private operator (which can be taken by customers from any other E.U country, such as Britain or Ireland), then places a 'bet' at these prices with each operator on the winning outcome. The difference between the best commercial price and worst state operator is then added to the charity kitty, which will be donated to a worthy charity come the end of the season.
The idea is to highlight the large difference in possible winnings between the Commercial and State companies and so far the difference is looking rather bigger than even the campaigners could have imagined, with the last three rounds showing winners with German Operator Lotto-Bayern losing out to the sum of 67% against winners with the Commercial companies!
In addition to the Charity Challenge, the campaign's site – available at Home / right2bet / Fighting for an EU citizen's right to choose - features the latest news and views from the deregulation campaign, the chance to directly e-mail your local M.E.P, and light-hearted items such as the 'poetry corner'.
30 November 2009
(PRESS RELEASE) -- In a big week for the Gambling industry regarding de-regulation, the Right2bet campaign has been at the forefront of the action in Europe, protesting against the continent's muddied and uncompetitive rules on online sports and casino gambling.
The big news in Europe this week has been the introduction of regulations in Poland, where the government has brought in new ruling in a response to the recent corruption allegations against government officials. The new rulings, however, merely strengthen the position of existing land based casinos – those accused of the original corruption – by eliminating any new competition online! The government has also insisted it will ban the advertising of foreign operators, despite the obvious disadvantages this creates, with several leading Polish football teams dependent on these sponsorship deals to compete in European Competition against clubs from territories with far more relaxed rules.
Meanwhile, across the pond, the big news of the week is the postponement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the United States for a further six months, with many political commentators believing that the bill will now never become law. The act, drafted by the departed Republican administration, aimed to hold banks responsible for allowing their customers to use online casinos and Sportsbooks. It drew major criticism from the Finance industry (which described it as 'unworkable'), the voting public and, most importantly of all, the World Trade Organisation, which was reportedly due to step in to halt the perceived unfair restriction of trade.
The Right2bet campaign's Charity Challenge continued over the weekend, with Chelsea's 3-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium netting for the charity fund. The challenge picks a weekly football match somewhere in Europe and then finds the prices offered by the State Monopolies (the only operators available to punters in these countries) and the best price from a private operator (which can be taken by customers from any other E.U country, such as Britain or Ireland), then places a 'bet' at these prices with each operator on the winning outcome. The difference between the best commercial price and worst state operator is then added to the charity kitty, which will be donated to a worthy charity come the end of the season.
The idea is to highlight the large difference in possible winnings between the Commercial and State companies and so far the difference is looking rather bigger than even the campaigners could have imagined, with the last three rounds showing winners with German Operator Lotto-Bayern losing out to the sum of 67% against winners with the Commercial companies!
In addition to the Charity Challenge, the campaign's site – available at Home / right2bet / Fighting for an EU citizen's right to choose - features the latest news and views from the deregulation campaign, the chance to directly e-mail your local M.E.P, and light-hearted items such as the 'poetry corner'.