European Union Warns Germany about Internet Gambling Ban – Good Sign for US
German regions have been told by the European Commission to rethink plans to ban online gambling or face possible legal action, an official at the EU’s executive arm said on Friday. It is the latest clash between Brussels and European Union countries over the betting industry, which is restricted to state-owned monopolies in some EU member countries. EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen wrote to German regional state governments on Friday, giving them a month to change a draft treaty on the issue, the EU official said, confirming an earlier Reuters story. “We asked Germany to reconsider the total ban on lottery and sports betting on the Internet. We think a proposed total ban is disproportionate and there are less restrictive measures, such as mandatory prior registration and strict guarantees on identification,” the Commission official said. 
Britain and Austria, two countries with online gaming industries, have challenged the ban. Shares in Austrian online betting firm bwin erased sharp losses after the news Brussels would challenge the ban. Germany is the biggest market for bwin. —————————————————— (This is another very positive sign for Internet gambling sites in the US. Earlier in the week EU ruled that all European countries in the Union who have state run lotteries, or in-country casinos, horse tracks, dog tracks, etc. must also legalize Internet gambling)