International: Europarl debates iGambling report

Monday, Europarl announced that Members of European Parliament will debate a report that would leave regulating online gambling up to individual member states.

The report, prepared by Danish Socialist Christel Schaldemose, was adopted 32-10 by the Internal Market Committee after generating marked controversy. Some 400 amendments were tabled in Committee, with dissenting members maintaining a strong stance against several provisions after the vote.

Schaldemose’s report specifically stipulates the EU take a super-national stance against gambling addiction, personal data farming and match fixing. It also proposes banning credit transactions and setting age limits and includes an amendment by Dutch Liberal Toine Manders that would impose ceilings on the amount a person can gamble each month.

The report would leave other responsibilities, including taxing and policing online casinos and poker rooms, to national parliaments and would generally prevent regulation in line with other internal-market activities.

MEPs are expected to debate the report during the current plenary session.