Stanleybet increases European pressure on Greece

The petition is in response to raids by Greek police on two Stanleybet outlets in Athens and Thessalonica in early November following their launch on October 29th 2009, in a direct challenge to the monopoly of state-controlled operator OPAP. A number of Stanleybet’s customers and intermediaries were arrested as a result for violating Greek sports betting monopoly legislation.

Stanleybet said that the European Parliament Committee on Petitions has agreed to investigate the petition in the face of continuing restrictions on the sports betting market in Greece and procrastination in the Greek judicial process. The Committee has also asked the European Commission to conduct an investigation of the facts.

The petition to the European Parliament makes a number of complaints. Firstly against the legal, judicial and administrative measures taken by the Greek Republic to prevent the provision of betting services in Greece by bookmakers such as Stanleybet, who are legally established in EU Member States.

Secondly in respect of the European Commission’s infringement proceedings against Greek restrictions on the sports betting market, which have not moved forward since the Reasoned Opinion sent in February 2008.

And thirdly against the legal proceedings undertaken by the Greek authorities against Stanleybet’s Greek premises, which the petition claims deprives them of their current and future livelihoods as well as their personal freedom, in clear violation of the EU Treaty and of ECJ case law that prohibits national authorities from arresting individuals for offering sports betting services from an EU licensed operator.

“The Greek authorities’ behaviour is clearly outrageous and I am pleased that the European Parliament has decided to investigate,” said John Whittaker, CEO of Stanleybet.

“This behaviour is all the more unacceptable and unfair given that OPAP, a private Greek company listed in the Athens Stock Exchange which abusively holds an exclusive right to offer sports betting services in Greece, has increased its own activity across state borders. OPAP has expanded its activities not only to other EU Member States but also to other countries, while illegally claiming the Greek market as its own.

“The case is overwhelming and the serious breaches of fundamental rights to equality before the law and due process continue. The European Commission has already condemned the Greek government restrictions against private operators and Members of the European Parliament, such as ALDE Vice-President Karin Riis–Jørgensen, have also publicly questioned the legality of the situation in Greece.

“How long will the Commission procrastinate sending Greece to the ECJ? What more evidence does it need? Is it pandering to political interests to the detriment of its legal duty to enforce the EU Treaty,” asks Whittaker.