E.U.Internal Market Commissioner Wants Online Gambling Clarity

The European Union is feeling a little beleaguered by the constant confusion surrounding online gambling within the member states. The new Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier, has stated he will sort out the difficulties and make things run smoothly. Malta is watching his every move in an attempt to keep up with the latest regulations template. Barnier, not long after taking on the position instructed the European Commission services to draft a green paper on online gambling. With the European Union extremely divided on this issue the new Internal Market Commissioner has his work cut out for him. Malta has been a proponent of regulated and licensed online gambling operations and is vocal in pointing out incongruence within the member nation's application of the free ecommerce trade agreements. Portugal was recently given the green light to keep it's monopoly by the European Court of Justice which is totally against what the E.U. is asking for. France has also made it clear they want to keep their stronghold on the lucrative online gambling business as long as they can. Mr. Barnier suggested, that according to the Commission's legal services, the ruling did not give member states more freedom but justified certain restrictions on strict criteria. He said it was, among others, built on the historic and atypical nature of the Portuguese institution, which had a monopoly on the organisation of gambling. To address these and other pressing issues Mr. Barnier has launched the start of a consultation process with member states and stakeholders so that a precise analysis of the situation could be made, in the form of a green paper due out by next fall, subject to agreement of the College of Commissioners."We will be on the lookout as we think remote gaming should follow free movement," A gambling expert from Malta said. "Malta is all for more clarification of the rules but these should not be used to introduce restrictive practices," Malta's economy is largely based on the online gambling industry and it's regulatory structure which is estimated to be the second largest in the E.U. employing thousands and returning large revenues to the tax base there.