Brief commentary on the statement by the Federal Ministry of Finance on the draft bill of the Upper House (Bundesrat) on taxation of sports gaming (E 15)

By German Lawyer Dr. Bremer, WIRTSCHAFTSRAT GmbH and Prof. Dr. Englisch, University of Münster

With date on 26 March 2012, the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) presented the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Lower House (Bundestag) with its assessment of the state aid problem in the draft bill of the Upper House on taxation of sports gaming. The starting point of the legal review was merely the reduction of the tax rate with regard to horse racing bets. What at first glance … Continue Reading

Skill games: Will skill games be regulated in France?

By Thibault Verbiest, Attorney at the Paris and Brussels bar, Founding partner of Ulys Law Firm and Deborah Modiano, Attorney at the Paris bar

On February, 24^th, 2012, the French online gambling regulator, ARJEL, submitted a set of four reports to the Ministry of Budget, Public Accounts and State Reform, including one relating to online skill games. This report was drafted at the request of the Ministry of Budget in order to regulate the online skill games industry and to increase French tax revenues. This report has not been published yet.

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Chambers Band 1 ranking VMW Taxand’s Gaming, Sports & Entertainment practice group

VMW Taxand shareholder Justin Franssen preserved a band 1 ranking in the category “Gaming and Gambling” in Chambers Global Edition 2012 for the fifth consecutive year. His international work is recognized by Chambers Global: “Justin Franssen works closely with his fellow European experts on pan-regional issues. He recently achieved a landmark decision allowing Betfair to compete for Dutch licences that is likely to have ripple effects in the wider market.” … Continue Reading

Brussels stops revision of German gaming law

by Dr. Wulf Hambach, Maximilian Riege

21 Mar. 2012

The EU Commission continues to block the planned revision of gaming law. The first draft for a new inter-state treaty had already fallen through with a big bang and, in its reaction to the revised draft which was published on Tuesday, Brussels does not hold back with its criticism either – in spite of the diplomatic tone. “The example of Schleswig-Holstein could now become the way out of the mess”, say Wulf Hambach and Maximilian Riege. … Continue Reading

One Country, Two Sets of Laws – Sports Gaming Summit at Schwielowsee: Gaming providers expect a chaotic year – will further federal states follow the Schleswig-Holstein model?

Potsdam/Werder, in March 2012. One question has continuously been hovering in the background: What will Brussels say? Anticipating a statement from the European Commission on the so-called E-15 Draft for a new inter-state treaty on gambling (GlüStV) which has been initiated by all German federal states with the exception of Schleswig-Holstein, more than 100 top representatives from the gaming sector, media and sports met at Schwielowsee near Potsdam for the Sports Gaming Summit organised by the trade magazine Sponsors http://www.sponsors.de to discuss the current market and legal situation.

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