5 1 January 2006

News:

The UK government is launching a Global Summit on remote gambling in Autumn 2006. UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Tessa Jowell, said, "This is a global problem and requires a global solution".

The High Court ruling on December 21 that the British Horseracing Board (BHB) abused its dominant market position in its conduct towards At The Races (ATR) has far reaching implications for the use of competition law as well as more directly on the funding of the BHB.

The Paris Court of Appeal confirmed in a 4 January judgment that Malta-based operator Zeturf is not permitted to offer its online betting services to customers in French territories.

Features:

The latest defeat for the BHB in its case against At The Races not only represents another significant blow to its funding strategies, but more importantly is the first case in the English Courts where an undertaking has been found to have abused its dominant position under UK competition legislation. Neil Baylis and Martin King of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP analyse the case and its implications

A recent case launched by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) serves as a warning that some betting and gaming schemes may need to be FSA authorised. Philip Morgan, Head of Financial Services Group, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP looks at the issues.

With most member states restricting the right to offer gambling services to their own national operators, questions exist over the authority and commitment of the EU Commission, as guardian of the EC Treaty, to challenge national monopolies and enforce the rights of private operators throughout the EU. Thibault Verbiest and Evelyn Heffermehl of ULYS law firm examine the issues.

With 2006 expected to bring further Congressional activity by opponents of remote gambling, Rick Smith and Keith Furlong of the Interactive Gaming Council speculate on the key developments for the coming year.

Gibraltar, home to some of the leading remote gambling brands, will shortly bring into effect new gambling legislation. Peter C Montegriffo, Senior Partner, Hassans. Analyses the new regime.

The Italian Financial Act 2006, which came into effect on 1 January to amend current betting and gaming legislation, has controversial implications for remote operators, particularly those licensed in Europe and overseas. Quirino Mancini, partner at Italian law firm Sinisi, Ceschini Mancini analyses the legislation and its consequences for those operators targeting the Italian market.