Competition Proves Leisure Case on the Online Poker World in Sweden.

THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) said the organisation was not worried at the prospect of further European gambling monopolies launching online poker sites following in the wake of Swedens Svenska Spel in March 2006.

Sigrid Ligne was speaking after EGBA commended the European Commission for issuing infringement procedures against Sweden and Germany in early February. Said Ligne: Im not at all worried. It shows online poker is a leisure product that is becoming ever more popular and the only reason monopolies want to launch their own products is for business.

In other monopoly-related news, Christophe Blanchard-Dignac, chief executive of French monopoly operator Francaise des Jeux (FDJ), said his company would focus heavily on developing its internet gaming offering in the coming months as it planned to prepare for the future to get up to speed with the latest mediums. Meanwhile, French horse-race betting monopoly Pari Mutuel Urbain also launched a rebranded logo and website.

In further moves this month in Sweden, the Surpeme Court has granted two tabloid newspapers the right to appeal criminal prosecutions for accepting advertisements from foreign companies. The decision means the Swedish Court of Appeal will have to assess the compatibility of Swedish laws on gaming with various European Commission judgements with regard to free trade.

Ligne said the mood across the continent was changing. European national courts are now much more cautious in their rulings and are holding back on gambling-related decisions to make sure they are in line with EU law, she added. It is not surprising that the countries with infringement cases against are the ones launching online poker or playing for time to get up to speed with private operators.