Why Does This Matter?

The benefits of the freedom of trade laws are evident: consumers now enjoy far better value for money and the range and quality of products has increased.

Yet where gambling is concerned this principle is ignored as Member States are allowed to break the laws that underpin the Union in order to operate protectionist regimes to the detriment of the consumers they are supposed to serve.

Upholding the law for gambling would yield precisely the same benefits - particularly better value for the customer. According to the EGBA (European Gaming and Betting Association), "the average pay-out on a state-owned site is significantly lower than that of the competitive private sector. State-owned sites can be as low as 50-55% pay-out compared to an average of around 95% pay-out on EGBA members' sports and casino sites."

It is one thing if a government wants to ban gambling altogether but something else completely if they decide that it is acceptable to allow a state-run monopoly while at the same time excluding private-sector companies. Many states are currently doing just that under the guise of 'protecting the consumer'.

The European Commission must fulfil its duty to enforce the laws of the EU, by protecting a company's right to offer its services in any Member State and ensure consumers have the right to bet with any operator of their choosing.

The principle of our campaign is that the law is not being enforced evenly. The EU is not a sweet shop where a Member State can simply choose which laws to adhere to. The internal market is not applicable to some areas and not to others.

Our cause is gambling, but the principle runs deep throughout any and all sectors. A Frenchman should not be limited to driving only a Renault; a German should not be restricted to drinking only Beck's beer; and an Italian should not be prohibited from eating pizzas baked outside of the ovens of Naples, Rome or Milan.

Likewise, a Frenchman, German, Italian, Swede, Dutchman or any citizen of Europe should have the right to choose which betting company they wish to use and should not be limited to the government-protected offering based within their borders.

The European project was designed to break the barriers of geography and create a single market for the provision of goods and services. By not enforcing free-trade legislation, the EU is going against its very purpose.

As a result, signing this petition is about so much more than just gambling. It is about not allowing Member States to get away with refusing to implement (and effecitively breaking) EU law. If they are allowed to get away with it on this occasion, they will continue to do so without being held to account. Whether your enjoy a bet or not, the right2bet campaign needs and deserves your support as, next time, the legislation ignored may be something which impacts even more on our everyday lives.

Article 49 EC Treaty
The majority of grievances relating to the issue of cross-border gambling prohibition come down to Article 49 of the EC Treaty, which enshrines the freedom to provide services in any Member State of the European Union, irrespective of which EU country the service originates.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that state monopolies are a clear violation of Article 49, and have ruled so specifically in relation to gambling. Whilst the outright offering of gambling services can legally be prohibited by Member States, they cannot be when there exists such a monopoly.