The member countries of the European Union are in conflict with their fellow member country of Finland. Presently Finland does not permit its citizens to gamble at online web sites that are not controlled by their country so any online casino sites based in other countries are forbidden. The one website that its citizens are permitted to gamble at is controlled by the Finnish government. The Finnish government is reluctant to expand their citizens’ access to online gambling because they feel that it will be much more difficult for the government to regulate such play. The government of Finland also asserts that Internet gambling is not an industry that should be permitted to interact freely throughout the European Union. This has upset the European Union. Finland’s current online gambling policies do not promote the free flow of services that remembering countries of the European Union. This has upset the EU even more because the Finnish government has taken steps to implement their legislation by imposing significantly high penalties to online gambling operators who do business with Finnish citizens.
Some argue that these actions of the Finnish government are not exclusively to the concerns of protecting their citizens. Some instead see this as an attempt by Finland to regulate the market within their country. This has enraged members of the European Union as a goes against basic tenets of the group. Presently the European Union has given the Finland a deadline of two months in order to change their policies so that they comply with the regulations of the European Union. The country of Finland has not made any moves towards resolving the situation which further has upset the member countries of the European Union.
A proposal has been made that would permit to Finland the ability to restrict gambling within their country. This proposal has been presented to the Court of Justice of the European Communities. Currently the European Union awaits a ruling by the court to solve this dilemma. If the court rules in favour of the proposal, then Finland would be permitted to regulate online gambling in the manner in which they choose. Some argue that this may set a dangerous precedent that will cause other member countries to seek similar action.
By stickystebee
The member countries of the European Union are in conflict with their fellow member country of Finland. Presently Finland does not permit its citizens to gamble at online web sites that are not controlled by their country so any online casino sites based in other countries are forbidden. The one website that its citizens are permitted to gamble at is controlled by the Finnish government.