Popular sport events, such as the Euro 2004 or the summer Olympics, are the highlights for betting providers and bookmakers. But this may be the last year that state-licensed monopolies dominate the European betting market and profit from the increase in betting all across Europe.

The European Court of Justice decided at the end of last year that the prohibition by EU states against foreign (EU-based) betting services is a restriction of the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services across the EU. Now it is up to the national courts to examine and decide whether in the various monopolies the objective of limiting gambling has taken the backseat to a focus on turnover and profit; if this is the case, they stand to lose their status as monopolies.

EU___Monopolies-Executive_Summary.pdf