European Online Gambling Legislation
The Placanica Ruling
In Europe, different countries have different approaches to the issue of
gambling. Some countries tend to be more permissive, others outlaw gambling
with the exception of very special circumstances. The issue of online casino
gambling is still a relatively new one, and many European nations are still
trying to work out the best approach
European Online Gambling Legislation: Placanica
One of the most important decisions in the world of European online gambling
came in March of 2007. Known as the Placanica Ruling, this decision by the
European court of justice ruled that Italy could not prosecute the provinces of
Placanica and Massimiliano for allowing betting without a license from Italy
The Placanica Ruling
In this case, a company called Stanley Leisure, which was listed on the London
stock exchange, operated gambling activities using Italian data transmission
centers. The state hoped to prosecute the provinces that housed these
transmission centers, but the European court of justice rejected their claim
The Reasoning Behind the Placanica Ruling
The ECJ decided that countries were entitled to restrict gambling freedoms for
moral, religious or cultural reasons. However, the presence of current Italian
gaming operations and the Italian practice of issuing gaming licenses indicated
that this was not the issue in this particular case.
The Future and Implications for European Online Gambling
The implications of this ruling are far reaching, since the ruling suggests
that European countries that allow gaming within their borders cannot restrict
sites providing online slots, blackjack etc. that operate in those countries.
How far reaching this freedom will prove to be is not entirely clear at this
point. However, the ruling struck a strong blow for European Internet gambling.
