US EditionGermany Allowed to Ban Online Casino Games by Malta-Licensed Companies
The court said EU law allows member states to ban online gambling and lets players seek restitution when bets were illegal at home.
- On Thursday, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that European Union nations may restrict online gambling services, allowing users to sue operators for reimbursement if betting was illegal in their home country when placed.
- This judgment involved two Malta-licensed companies offering virtual slot machines and lottery bets to players in Germany, with Maltese courts referring three questions to the CJEU regarding European Union law.
- The ECJ stated that freedom to provide services can be restricted for "consumer protection and the protection of the social order," citing online gambling's unique risks from player isolation and anonymity.
- European Union law does not preclude "a civil action for restitution of the stakes lost," the Court ruled, and Germany's later legalization of such gambling does not affect eligibility for past reimbursement.
- While Malta sought to shield gaming companies from foreign judgments with its controversial Bill 55, the ruling paves the way for Germans and European Union residents to reclaim money lost on illegal online bets.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Loss of online gambling can be recovered from the provider if the provider did not have a license in the player's country.
Germany allowed to ban online casino games by Malta-licensed companies
European Union law does not prevent a member state from banning certain online gambling services offered from another EU country, a top EU court has ruled.The judgment, delivered Thursday by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), involved two Malta-licensed companies which offered online virtual slot machine games and betting on lottery results...
Top EU court says German online gambler can sue for refund
The ECJ has ruled that online gamblers can seek compensation if they lost money when gambling was illegal in their home country, even if the laws have since changed. This could pave the way for others to reclaim losses.
Tagesschau
op-online.deThe highest European court strengthens the position of gamblers: Reclaims of unauthorized online offers are possible. The decision also has consequences for proceedings in Germany.
Many players hope to repay their losses from gambling providers on the net without a German license. What are the problems with unauthorized Zock offers?
EU Court Deals Setback to Malta Freedom of Movement Argument
Malta’s legal defence of its gaming framework and licensing system has suffered another setback after a ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which sided with the interpretation that EU member states may restrict online gambling services from operators licensed in other member states without breaching EU law. The case forms part of a wider dispute between German authorities and Malta-based gambling operators, including divisions of Lo…
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