Brussels raises doubts on the German Interstate Treaty

In September 2011, we reported that the German state of Schleswig-Holstein had liberalised its online gambling market.
The piece of legislation currently in force allows operators to offer sports betting, poker and online casino games – the taxation stands at 20%  of the gross gaming revenue.
However, the German länder would now have to incorporate the German Interstate Treaty, mentioned in this piece, which limits the number of licences that may be granted to 20, only gives the possibility to offer sports betting and imposes a 5% tax on bets.
After examining a detailed opinion, the European Commission has expressed serious doubts about the compatibility of this incorporation.
In October, the Commission reiterated that –  for the sake of the success of the policy of the European Union on gambling online – it would not hesitate to take the necessary measures against Member States adopting laws that do not comply with the EU Treaty.