Reactions Mixed Over Online gambling Resolution

Members of the European Parlament have approved a non-binding resolution that calls for greater cooperation between European Union member states on online gambling. The resolution was lead by German MEP Jürgen Creutzmann, and is the follow up to the European Commission’s March 2011 Online Gambling Green Paper. The resolution by German MEP Jürgen Creutzmann was approved by a show of hands, and asked the European Council to end unnecessary licensing duplication, administrative burdens, and take action against European Union treaty violations. Many MEP’s want the European Council to conduct a study on creating an operator blacklist as well as blocking transactions between financial institutions and blacklisted operators.

One MEP voiced her opinion on the resolution, and expressed she was less than impressed, because she felt that the resolution was for the most part, a vote to maintain gambling monopolies that are currently in place in member states. These gambling monopolies are very lucrative, so that also is a factor in why Ashley Fox, MEP for South West England and Gibraltar wasn’t impressed. Ashley Fox referred to online gambling as “a reality that will not stop at national boundaries,” and labeled the resolution “a missed opportunity … Protectionism has won over common sense.”