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BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- France, Greece and Sweden may face legal action over their gambling rules, the European Commission said Tuesday.
The commission will decide Wednesday whether or not to pursue legal steps against the three countries over laws that restrict competition or discriminate against certain players in the sector.
Gambling activities are run by state monopolies in many E.U. countries, providing a rich revenue source for governments.
A number of E.U. countries, including Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, have been investigated by the European Commission for restricting gambling activities to benefit their own providers.
In a warning sent to France last October, the commission noted that some foreign gambling operators are kept out of France - apparently to protect consumers from becoming addicted to gambling - while the French sport betting market continues to expand.
Gambling rules must be non-discriminatory, providing equal treatment for all," said commission spokesman Oliver Drewes.
But Drewes said the commission wouldn't go so far as to try to harmonize gambling regulations across the E.U.
Earlier this year, the European Court of Justice ruled an Italian law preventing Italians from placing bets with bookmakers not licensed by the Italian government is illegal.
-By Rachel Bayefsky, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2741 1487; rachel.bayefsky@ dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-26-071212ET
Copyright (c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
The commission will decide Wednesday whether or not to pursue legal steps against the three countries over laws that restrict competition or discriminate against certain players in the sector.
Gambling activities are run by state monopolies in many E.U. countries, providing a rich revenue source for governments.
A number of E.U. countries, including Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, have been investigated by the European Commission for restricting gambling activities to benefit their own providers.
In a warning sent to France last October, the commission noted that some foreign gambling operators are kept out of France - apparently to protect consumers from becoming addicted to gambling - while the French sport betting market continues to expand.
Gambling rules must be non-discriminatory, providing equal treatment for all," said commission spokesman Oliver Drewes.
But Drewes said the commission wouldn't go so far as to try to harmonize gambling regulations across the E.U.
Earlier this year, the European Court of Justice ruled an Italian law preventing Italians from placing bets with bookmakers not licensed by the Italian government is illegal.
-By Rachel Bayefsky, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2741 1487; rachel.bayefsky@ dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-26-071212ET
Copyright (c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.