Illegal gambling is when gambling services or products are offered in a jurisdiction where this activity is not licenced or generally allowed. The European Casino Association (ECA) herein provides key considerations for a more effective approach towards illegal gambling services. The ECA aims to encourage stronger enforcement through increased cooperation between countries and with the support of the EU institutions and relevant international organisations.
What problems are related to illegal gambling operations?
Gambling is a sensitive activity and is embedded in the social, economic and cultural environments specific to each Member State. National gambling regulations respect the different ethical, religious, cultural and historical backgrounds that exist across Europe. A gambling operator that provides cross-border services illegally does not respect these differences. An illegal gambling operator that is not subject to the rules and conditions, nor to the respective controls that have been created to protect the consumer and guarantee public order, as such allows irresponsible business interests to circumvent the public interest. The existence of illegal gambling services in European markets leads to concrete problems, namely
