Poland Mulls Online Poker Ban

The government of Poland has drafted legislation which would regulate most forms of online gambling, but ban online poker, according to a report by CardPlayerEurope.com.

Current European Union law already covers some of the rules that member states must follow when regulated online gaming. Some speculate that the new legislation would run afoul of many of these regulations. For instance, the European Gaming and Betting Association has said that several provisions are “highly doubtful under EU law,” including the online poker ban. The organization has asked Polish legislators to revise the law in an attempt to craft a better regulatory framework.

“We support the Polish government’s intention to join the growing number of countries regulating the online gaming and betting market in the EU,” said Sigrid Ligné, Secretary General of the EGBA. “However, the current draft foresees a wide range of obstacles and obligations which will make it highly difficult for EU licensed and regulated operators to apply for a license in Poland.”

Other EU member states have also stated their concerns about the proposed Polish legislation. The UK and Malta in particular raised issues with many of the provisions in the draft, as part of a detailed opinion delivered by the European Commission last week. Poland may now respond to the Commission’s concerns, while the legislation’s progress will be halted until August 16, while the bill is in a “standstill” period.

According to Ligné, while the law’s provisions may simply stem from a desire to regulate and enforce online gambling rules, many of the provisions duplicate ones already in place in other jurisdictions within the EU, and other EU-based companies should be able to fulfill any requirements for fraud prevention or consumer protection even if they are not based in Poland.

“This draft law would leave Polish consumers without a fair, secure and competitive online gaming market,” Ligné said.