Online Casino Integrity Questioned in Europe

The integrity of online casinos and internet gambling is one that is often questioned in the media as well as in the courtrooms. Recently the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee met to discuss just that in Brussels. They met in order to discuss a draft of a report that was filed for a European Parliament Resolution. The issues that they discussed in regards to the online casino industry were not favorable, according to reports by the Danish Socialist MEP, Christel Schaldemose. The politicians involved had until mid December to put the final touches on the amendments which will be discussed further in the early months of 2009.

The report that was released regarding the online casino issues that the European countries are facing. The findings of the report will not completely determine the out come of the proposed amendments to the European Commission. Many issues will be raised regarding some of the key issues facing online casinos such as monopolies, across the border gambling enforcement, national sovereignty, EC enforcement and other moral issues. Online gambling only accounts for a small percentage of the total European gambling markets, as stated by the Schaldemose report. The committee wants to make an effort to make the gambling industries more accountable for their actions.

The issues that they want to tackle are, unfortunately, very common online casino news topics. The areas include money laundering, underage gambling, fraud, rigged games and last but not least, addiction. The general opinions of online casinos were not favorable, but the industry is hopeful that with hard work they can gain the trust of the government and gambling committees. There will be more calls to the commission on this issue. The saga continues when it comes to the world of online gambling as reports only state unfavorable positions taken by cases that have been brought forth to the European Court of Justice.