From Mr Adrian Morris.

Sir, Roger Blitz (“A better hand”, February 4) is right to say that the “European Commission, pushing to open gambling markets, repeatedly threatens member states with enforcement action if they continue to take a hard line”. The problem is that these threats have not been followed up by any sanctions, and so they appear increasingly idle.

The 2003 landmark Gambelli ruling for Stanleybet International at the European Court of Justice secured the right of betting operators legally established in one member state to trade cross-border in another.

Since then, while a number of member states have received “final warnings” in the form of reasoned opinions requiring them to amend their national legislation into conformity with European Union law and remove anti-competitive restrictions, many remain in open defiance of the Commission, which has still not progressed these opinions into the Court of Justice.

It is true that some countries have produced statements of intent, but these have not been backed up by action, and promises of reform appear little more than prevaricating tactics.

If anything, the situation in many member states is getting worse, not better. In Greece at the end of last year, for example, two Stanleybet International intermediaries and three customers were arrested and held in custody after the company opened outlets in Athens and Thessaloniki in direct contravention of EU law.

Therefore the internal market remains little more than a dream in the gambling sector. This damages consumers, who are deprived of the benefits that a properly regulated market can bring in terms of customer value, product quality and innovation.

The sooner the Commission intervenes with firm action against recalcitrant member states, the better it will be for everyone.

Adrian Morris,
Director,
FairPlayforSportsBetting,
Liverpool, UK