Sweden to get rapped over gambling

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Published: 25th June 2007 16:05 CET
thelocal.se

The European Commission will censure Sweden this week for restrictions it has put on sports gambling, sources close to the matter said Monday.

The European Union's executive arm will give final warnings to Sweden and France on Wednesday before taking them to the European Court of Justice, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Greece will get a first warning from the European Commission, the sources also said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Commission also has cases underway against Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands.

Although the European Commission is not seeking to liberalise the sports gambling market, it has recently been leading an offensive against state monopolies in the sector, which it says keep out newcomers.

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EU targeting France, Greece, Sweden over sports gambling

BRUSSELS (Thomson Financial) - The European Commission will censure France, Greece and Sweden this week for restrictions they have placed on sports gambling, Agence France-Presse reported, citing sources close to the matter.

The EU's executive arm will give final warnings to Paris and Stockholm on Wednesday before taking them to the European Court of Justice -- the EU's highest court -- the sources said.

Meanwhile, Greece will get a first warning from the Commission, the sources added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The EU executive also has cases underway against Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands.

Although the European Commission is not seeking to liberalise the sports gambling market, it has recently been leading an offensive against state monopolies in the sector, which it says keep out newcomers.