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An advertising war is set to be unleashed in Greece as the country's government yesterday pushed through egaming legislation which would authorise all forms of advertising by applicant operators ahead of licences being granted.
Under changes introduced into the legislation by the Greek government yesterday and passed by its parliament, EU-licensed operators entering the licensing process in Greece will pay 30% GPT and players a 10% tax on winnings during a six-month transitional period. This will commence once the Control Committee to be established under the law has been formed, allowing operators to offer products and advertise freely across all online and offline media, including TV. A date for the establishment of the Committee has not yet been set.
Betfair, which in June lodged a complaint with the EC regarding the exclusion of betting exhanges from the law, told eGaming Review: “The Greek government’s decision to recognise the licenses held by EU betting operators during the transitional phase is a positive step. Betfair will continue to engage with the Greek Government during this time, working on elements of the law which we believe could be brought more into line with EU principles."
In addition to an apparent u-turn on its earlier intention to impose a six-month blackout period designed to protect state-run and part-owned monopoly incumbent OPAP, criticised this week by industry lobby group the Remote Gambling Association, a clause limiting licences to between 15 and 50 has also been scrapped, eGR understands.
ERG LIVE SOURCE
Under changes introduced into the legislation by the Greek government yesterday and passed by its parliament, EU-licensed operators entering the licensing process in Greece will pay 30% GPT and players a 10% tax on winnings during a six-month transitional period. This will commence once the Control Committee to be established under the law has been formed, allowing operators to offer products and advertise freely across all online and offline media, including TV. A date for the establishment of the Committee has not yet been set.
Betfair, which in June lodged a complaint with the EC regarding the exclusion of betting exhanges from the law, told eGaming Review: “The Greek government’s decision to recognise the licenses held by EU betting operators during the transitional phase is a positive step. Betfair will continue to engage with the Greek Government during this time, working on elements of the law which we believe could be brought more into line with EU principles."
In addition to an apparent u-turn on its earlier intention to impose a six-month blackout period designed to protect state-run and part-owned monopoly incumbent OPAP, criticised this week by industry lobby group the Remote Gambling Association, a clause limiting licences to between 15 and 50 has also been scrapped, eGR understands.
ERG LIVE SOURCE