EU targets Germany and Sweden over gambling
The European Commission opened legal actions against Germany and Sweden on Thursday as part of wider efforts to crack down on hurdles to competition in the sector. EU Internal Market Commissioner -Â Charlie McCreevy -Â has asked Germany for information so that Brussels can assess whether a new treaty that came into force this month to ban online gambling was in line with the bloc’s rules on the free movement of services. Germany has two months in which to respond. The Commission hopes that the answers it receives will lead to an early and satisfactory resolution of the matter. The Commission is looking at the treaty’s total prohibition of casino games of chance on the Internet, particularly sports betting. 
The Commission also opened legal action against Sweden to verify whether all national measures relating to poker games and tournaments are compatible with EU laws on the free movement of services. Brussels also gave Stockholm two months to respond. The legal actions are part of a Three-Stage process that ends up in the European Court of Justice, which has powers to fine EU states and force them to change their laws. Major online gambling companies both within and outside Germany have protested against the ban and urged the European Commission to take action.