Public Consultation for EU Green Paper

April 18, 2011 | News Category: Gaming Law

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The European Union recently released the European Commission's Green Paper on Online Gambling. Since the release, there has been much discussion in the European online gambling world regarding what the results of the Green Paper may be.

The European Commission has now announced that the Green Paper's release is going to have the chance to test the public's opinion by offering a follow up consultation that allows the public to comment. The follow up consultation will be issued in the form of a questionnaire which can easily be answered.

The reactions from the various parties involved in the online gambling industry were somewhat mixed. The Green Paper on Online Gambling is certainly a controversial issue.

Various online gambling trade associations, which have much influence in the online gambling industry, are somewhat concerned about some issues connected to the Green Paper on Online Gambling. One of these associations, the RGA (Remote Gaming Association) is somewhat concerned that there seems to be little commitment from the European Commission to enforce the European Union's fundamental principles that would greatly affect the online gambling industry. The issues in question regard the free movement of goods and services within the European Union. Free trade is a particularly big issue at this time.

It seems that the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, is leaning toward a more fragmented and individualized approach to online gambling regulation on a national level. Another online gambling trade association that is concerned about the same issues is the European Gaming and Betting Association.

The European Commission has specifically invited those that are directly involved in the online gambling market to respond to the questionnaire. This includes any governments that would be involved, national authorities, and other interested parties. Any parties who wish to respond may do so via the questionnaire that can be found online. The more parties that respond, the more chance there is of the European Commission seeing what the people think about this issue. The questionnaire is an exercise to gather as much information as possible.

For those who wish to respond to the questionnaire, it needs to be filled in and submitted to the European Commission via the website by July 31st, 2011. Those who respond to the questionnaire should know that all the submissions that are received will be published for public viewing on the Internet.

The responses to the questionnaire will help the European Commission to work out what, if any, follow up action needs to take place with regard to online gambling.