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Right2bet are delighted to announce that online betting giant bet365 have pledged their official support to the pan-European campaign.

Right2bet is fighting for the right of all European citizens to be able to bet with the licensed betting operator of their choice, and bet365 are now the latest company to have signed-up as a partner.

Other European operators already partnered with Right2bet include Betfair, Victor Chandler and Stanleybet, with the campaign also boasting strong support from consumers, media publications and consumer groups across the continent.

bet365 Chief Executive John Coates said: "We're delighted to support the right2bet campaign and their goal of ensuring a fair deal for consumers across the EU."

Right2bet spokesman Ari Last said: "We're thrilled that bet365 have pledged their support to the Right2bet campaign. Our ambition has always been to form a partner-list made up of leading organizations and individuals from across the online-gambling spectrum, and the addition of bet365 certainly goes some way to achieving this."

Visitors to the Right2bet website can sign the petition and send a letter to their MEP's as well as catch up with the latest industry news via the campaign's blog. Furthermore, the campaign also recently published its World Cup Report, research it commissioned in order to compare and analyse the prices offered by European betting monopolies, and private operators.

Bayern Munich have been forced to apologise to visiting guests Real Madrid after the Spanish club were banned from wearing their Bwin sponsored football strip during Friday night's charity match.

Slumping to a new low in German - Spanish relations, the Munich authorities also threatened to fine Real €50,000 for non-compliance if they could not get their shirt changed in time.

The decision was taken to prevent German fans from seeing the branding of Austrian-based bwin, despite the online bookmaker being a legal provider licensed under EU law.

The Spanish giants had agreed to play the tribute match in honour of German legend Franz Beckenbauer, and as gesture of goodwill, had fielded a strong first eleven.

Unfortunately such a gesture could not be replicated by Bayern Munich, and their chairman Karl-Heinz Remmenigge felt compelled to apologise for the absurd actions of the German authorities:

"I very much regret this and would like to apologise to Real. We are proud that the largest football team in the world wants to play on this occasion. FC Bayern is known throughout the world for its hospitality.

"Unfortunately, we cannot be as hospitable as we would like to be. The law orders our opponent to play without their original shirt."

This embarrassing situation is yet another example of a Member State going to ridiculous length in their attempts to protect the monopoly betting operator.

We are looking for any German bettors who are frustrated with their state monopoly and want to send a message to their Government. Please get in touch through the Rant Box, send us an email, write to your MEP and crucially, sign our petition.

Over the past few weeks right2bet has received huge support from Bulgarian poker players and sports punters looking for an outlet to oppose anticipated legislation to limit their gambling industry.

The proposed legislation looks to force foreign gaming companies to demonstrate a tangible presence in Bulgaria and an investment of at least $500,000 to be granted a  license. Such a requirement will make applying for a license unworkable for many online operators, who will be unable to make a profit. This will have drastic effects for gambling and poker markets within the country, forcing Bulgarians to bet against themselves, substantially reducing their possible takings.

A spokesperson for the Bulgarian Commission on Gambling (SCG) said the measures were designed to enable the government to control remote gambling with "clear national legislation" and "transparent regulating regimes". She added that the draft law was in the "final stage of development with the hope of putting it into practice by the end of 2010".

Under the new legislation, any Bulgarian gambler found betting with an "illegal" operator could be fined 20,000 to 50,000 leva (€10,000 to €25,000) or jailed for one to five years. A move viewed by one critic as a 'very severe clause' particularly given the barriers to entry for foreign operators to gain a license, "It doesn't help consumers in any way and it doesn't help the gambling companies either. Its only purpose is to make it impossible for foreign companies to get a gambling license in Bulgaria" he said.

Judging by the correspondence right2bet has received, bettors in Bulgaria are just as outraged by the idea, and they want to make their voices heard.

Right 2 Bet is encouraging all Bulgarians to use this site to air their views. We are committed to getting the message across to decision makers, and by signing the petition, emailing your MEP, or writing in the Rant Box you can make a difference.

The messages to the Bulgarian government are clear:

• It's against EU law - according to Article 56 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, EU citizens are entitled to use cross border services.
 
• It's unworkable - online gaming providers will be made to set up at least one gaming point within each of the 28 provinces.  Why does this matter if you're betting online?

• Control advertising, don't ban it - a complete ban on advertising is unnecessarily restrictive

• Where's the social responsibility? - Where are the Bulgarian Governments' plans on age verification, fraud protection and gambling education, which are crucial to EU law?

Get involved, and make a difference.  Sign the right2bet petition today.

Arjel, the French gambling regulator has won its battle to get French internet service providers to block consumer's access to unlicensed online gambling websites.

The French court, Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris, ruled in favour of Arjel who are attempting to clamp down on those they deem to be illegal operators, in the wake of the country's new gambling regime.

As we've commented on in the past, in order to obtain a French license, European operators need to adhere to heavy tax requirements and also need to jump through several  hoops set out by Arjel, this despite having been granted a license elsewhere in the EU.

As a result, several operators have decided against obtaining a French license - highlighted in the fact that according to Arjel's own forecasts, only a fraction of online gambling providers have applied for a license - and as a result, French consumers continue to lose out.

Several ISP's have objected to the proposal, however in light of the court's ruling they will be forced to adhere to Arjel's draconian wishes, or face a hefty penalty of €10,000 for each day they do not comply.

The ruling is another kick in the teeth for French consumers still fuming from the recent legislation which has failed to provide them with an open and fully competitive gambling market.

The idea that in this day and age, a leading country like France can begin censoring the internet is difficult to comprehend, yet such is the desire of Arjel and others to protect local providers, the PMU and FDJ, that these backwards measures are a reality.

Please assist us in our continuing fight against legislation such as this by signing our petition, by writing to your MEP and by spreading the word that the Right2bet campaign is a vehicle that all EU consumers can utilize in their efforts to secure fairness and freedom.

The Right2bet World Cup Report, published last week, has evoked a strong reaction across the online gambling industry, with consumers, consumer groups and operators all coming forward to comment on the report's findings.

The report exclusively revealed that European gambling monopolies offered their customers, on average, 32% worse odds during the World Cup than private and licensed betting operators, and the response across Europe has been one of shock and dismay.

Consumers across Europe contacted Right2bet to voice their reaction to the report.

Julien Beaudet in France said: "As a French player I now feel extremely limited and frustrated with regards to my playing experience. Consumers have been totally denigrated by the supposed French 'liberalisation' and it is totally unfair."

David Atkins of Amsterdam commented: "It never ceases to amaze me how monopolies like De Lotto get away with such blatant exploitation of customers.  This report shows first-hand how much people in the Netherlands and many other EU countries are losing out and I hope it acts as a catalyst to drive the change we need to enable free and fair access to online private operators."

Luca Pappalardo, Chairman of Italian Consumer group ACOGI, said: "We strongly agree with and applaud the output of this report. Even in Member States like Italy where there is no monopoly, the high burdens and barriers to entry make it almost impossible for many operators and as a result, Italian consumers are punished."

Martin Arendts, a prominent online gambling lawyer in Germany, told Right2bet: "A level playing field between state operators and licensed private operators would give customers freedom of choice and would prohibit unfair monopoly gains. With fair competition customers would get a far better value for their money."

Operators too were quick to comment on the report:

Ciaran O'Brien, Head of PR at Ladbrokes commented: "Consumer freedom and choice is at the heart of fundamental EU principles, yet as the Right2bet report shows, millions of Europeans are being denied the choice and the value that healthy competition provides. We urge the Commission to study the findings of the report and do more to rectify the unjust balance that exists between EU citizens living within different Member States."

Tim Phillips, Director of European Public Affairs at Betfair said: "An open and fairly regulated European gambling market is the best way of ensuring that all European consumers are getting the best value in a safe and transparent online environment. The Right2bet report shows quite clearly that consumers are the ultimate losers in Member States where gambling monopolies exist."
 
Right2bet spokesman Mike Robb was delighted with the widespread appreciation of the report.  He said: "I am pleased that the startling results of the report have reached individuals and groups within the online gambling world across Europe. We now urge the European Commission to study the findings and do more to rectify an unjust situation that is to the detriment of millions of European consumers."

Right2bet supporters in Bulgaria have been voicing their contempt for proposed new gambling legislation in the country.  The legislation, which is now in an open consultation phase, flies in the face of EU single market laws and is seen by many Right2bet supporters as unworkable.

Some of the plans being discussed include making all online gaming providers set up an office in each of the country's 28 provinces and prohibiting all advertising.  Much of the new law is unworkable for any cost-effective company looking to operate, aside from the state-owned monopolies.  Consequently, it aims to illegally deprive punters of their chosen betting operator.

"I have been a recreational poker player for the past three years", said one Bulgarian Right2bet supporter.  "There are 50,000 more Bulgarian citizens like me whose hobby is being highly jeopardized by this new law.  They want to filter every player's internet traffic and monitor it to make sure no one tries to play on an unapproved site, which is a clear violation of privacy matters and human rights."

Right2bet is getting behind Bulgarian customers and encouraging them to voice their concerns.  Some large poker affiliates in Bulgaria have already come out en masse to battle the proposals.

The key messages for the campaign are as follows:

• It's against EU law - according to Article 56 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, EU citizens are entitled to use cross border services.
 
• It's unworkable - online gaming providers will be made to set up at least one gaming point within each of the 28 provinces.  Why does this matter if you're betting online?

• Control advertising, don't ban it - a complete ban on advertising is unnecessarily restrictive

• Where's the social responsibility? - Where are the Bulgarian Governments' plans on age verification, fraud protection and gambling education, which are crucial to EU law?

If you would like to get involved and fight the Government on this ill thought out law please drop us an email or comment in the Rant Box on the right2bet homepage.

And most of all, sign the petition!
 

French online gaming regulator Arjel has stepped up its efforts against 'unlicensed' operators, taking seven French Internet Service Providers to court to block access to legitimate EU gaming sites.

Controversially, the ISPs have fought back, claiming British operators Betfred and Stan James, both licensed in Gibraltar, were located in 'EU countries or in countries that have agreements with the Union'.

ISP blocking is an area already fraught with problems, with some providers commenting that blocking sites could slow down networks and that some sites may just change their domain name to sidestep the measures.

Some of the operators being blocked have not been notified of the process, with Tim Cook, General Counsel and Company Secretary for Stan James, commenting that he had 'not been made aware' that Arjel was requesting French ISPs to block access. This will make startling reading for gaming operators, with Arjel threatening fines of €100,00 a day for leaving a site open, regardless of whether it is directed at French customers.

For many, the regulator appears to have bitten off more than it can chew.  Arjel is trying to regulate a global industry in 2010 like a national industry in the 90s. You can't un-invent the internet, or stop new technology. At the end of the day if EU citizens want to access an EU licensed website, why should the government think it can stop them?

Right2bet wants to hear from French customers who have been stopped from using legitimate sites and disagree with their Government on this issue. Please get in touch via the rant box or write to your MEP.

RIGHT2BET has exclusively revealed that throughout the World Cup European state betting monopolies offered their customers, on average, 32% worse odds than those available with private betting companies.

Monopoly customers wishing to back their home nation in South Africa were subjected to 35% worse odds than those being offered by the EU-licensed private sector operators that their governments do not allow them to use.

The startling figures have been revealed in the Right2bet World Cup Report which analysed the odds offered on every World Cup match by seven of Europe's biggest betting monopolies, before comparing them to the equivalent prices being offered by other licensed European operators.

The aim of the report was to investigate whether or not Europe's betting monopolies were short-changing their customers via the help of legislation which protects their existence and market dominance.

Right2bet is campaigning for the right of all European consumers to be able to bet with the licensed operator of their choice, regardless of the Member State in which they are based.

Right2bet spokesman Ari Last said: "The figures emanating from this report are quite shocking. Millions of EU consumers who wanted to bet during the World Cup were subjected to hugely inferior prices by the monopolies that their governments strive so hard to protect."

"The protectionist behaviour of certain Member States when it comes to online gambling is a situation that does not conform to the ethos of the single-market, and we hope that the findings of this report will highlight what is undoubtedly an unjust reality."

Right2bet World Cup Report key points:

• Monopolies offered their customers 32% worse odds than licensed private operators
• The 'Perfect Bettor' forced to bet with a monopoly would have made €629 less than they would have done if they were allowed to bet with other EU-licensed operators in the private sector
• On average, a monopoly customer choosing to back the 'favourite' throughout every one of the 64 tournament matches would have received 38% less value, while one who chose to back the 'outsider' throughout each game of the tournament would have received 35% less value
• Monopolies offered customers wishing to back their home nation 35% worse odds than private operators
• It is clear from the results published in this report that consumers using online gambling services in the EU are receiving significantly lower value when forced to use a state monopoly provider

Country breakdowns:

• Germany: 48% worse off
• Sweden: 40% worse off
• The Netherlands: 35% worse off
• France: 31.5% worse off
• Greece: 31% worse off
• Denmark: 14.4% worse off

 

Gamblers in Romania may face a prison sentence of up to two years if amendments to current legislation are passed. Romania's government submitted their draft gaming law for European consideration at the start of July, with the hope of putting it into practice from the end of 2010. However senior legal figures have criticised the law, calling it 'unclear',  and remarked that it could leave unlicensed online gambling operators facing prosecution as well.

Bogdan Mararu, a senior partner at Romanian gaming law specialists Mararu  & Mararu SCA, said the legislation fails to clarify the current regulatory uncertainty surrounding online gambling in Romania:

"My frustration is with the quality of the legislation in Romania. We so have tough and well-thought legislation in many areas but when it comes to the gambling industry this is unbelievable...The law is there to forbid online gambling, not to regulate it. The way it's drafted is very ambiguous and open to a lot of interpretation. It's basically an unprofessional piece of work."

Implementing a law to regulate online gambling is being considered by the Romanian government so they can collect tax from the industry and boost fiscal revenues.  Unless the government can create a fair and attractive regime which will encourage EU licensed operators to obtain a Romanian licence, Romanian consumers will continue to be offered a lack of choice and not have access to the better priced operators in other parts of the EU. It has been estimated that Romanians spend around €500 million on online betting sites every year, most of which the Romanian Government would deem 'illegal' despite being licensed in another EU member state.

Fortunately the European Commission now has three months to consider the legislation, and is expected to issue a response to the Romanian government about the compatibility of their proposals with EU law by the 4th October. Should the Romanian coalition Government receive the 'green light', the law is expected to pass through their Parliament without problem. However, it is more likely that the Commission will have several concerns about the legislation and its compatibility with single market laws and may issue a Reasoned Opinion to the Romanian government, as it did to the Polish government last week.

Right 2 Bet is encouraging all Romanian gamblers to get in touch with their MEP via the website to make sure their voice is heard in the European Commission.

French regulator ARJEL has begun to send warnings to operators it believes are continuing to take bets from French customers despite new legislation. The warnings, a pre-cursor to applications to have sites blocked or even criminal prosecution, have been sent to an estimated nineteen operators, with twelve thought to have been passed on for prosecution.

The move is an attempt to curb the huge amount of activity going on outside the licensed regime, and an acknowledgement that the number of applications for licences under new French law have been disappointing.

Despite the so-called 'controlled opening' of the online gambling market in June of this year, high taxes, set-up costs and a restricted product offering have resulted in few licensed European operators applying and as a result the options for French consumers are thing on the ground.

Back in 2008 the government predicted it would receive up to 200 applications for licences under the new regime.  The figure has been revised steadily downwards to 50 earlier this year and the number of applications so far is just short of this figure.  This is in stark contrast to the 2700 sites which a recent study by Francis Merlin estimated will be targeting the French market  http://www.igaming-monaco.com/resources/press/3_dossjeuxilleg_fr_light.pdf. Clearly ARJEL has a very long way to go before it makes any real impression on the black market.

The lack of appetite for a French license amongst many foreign operators has fortified the positions of local monopolies the PMU and FDJ,  a situation which continues to  leave French punters with a distinct lack of choice and value.

Right2bet is looking to hear from French punters who want to uphold their rights under EU law and be allowed access to good odds from reputable providers.  Please get in touch with us via email and do not forget to sign our petition.