The ECJ on Gambling Addiction - Absence of an Evidence-Oriented Approach
European Journal of Risk Regulation, Forthcoming
7 Pages Posted: 6 Sep 2010 Last revised: 24 Apr 2012
Date Written: August 23, 2010
Abstract
Case C-203/08 Sporting Exchange Ltd, trading as ‘Betfair’, v. Minister van Justitie, intervening party: Stichting de Nationale Sporttotalisator [2010] nyr.
Case C-258/08 Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Ltd, Ladbrokes International Ltd v. Stichting de Nationale Sporttotalisator [2010] nyr.
1. The principles of equal treatment and transparency do not apply in situations where a license is granted or renewed to a (single) private operator whose activities are subject to strict control by the public authorities. 2. Implementing measures (e.g. injunction for interim relief) are an indispensable element to ensure the effectiveness of the national law on games of chance. They do not need to be separately assessed on their proportionality, indispensible of their nature (here, civil action). 3. The Court continues to rely on assumptions regarding the mechanisms of gambling addiction. The absence of an evidence-oriented approach prevents an adequate assessment of health risks inherent to gambling activities.
Keywords: gambling, online gambling, ECJ, addiction
JEL Classification: K33, L83, K23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation