Ladbrokes, one of the world's biggest bookmakers and part of the Hilton Group, was today in a Dutch court in Arnhem to appeal against a ruling banning Dutch residents from placing sports bets over the Internet with Ladbrokes.com.
 |
"The Dutch court has the complete power to come to a verdict."
- Tjeerd Veenstra
De Lotto
|
|
The court imposed the ban in February as a result of proceedings brought by De Lotto, the state-licensed monopoly sports betting operator. De Lotto had claimed that Ladbrokes infringed Dutch law by accepting bets over the Internet from Dutch residents.
The basis of Ladbrokes' appeal was that the Dutch ban breaches its fundamental right under the principle of the European single market to accept bets from customers anywhere in the European Union.
"Yes, in general the Ladbrokes lawyers tried to refer the case to the E.U. Court of Justice," stated Tjeerd Veenstra, the executive director of De Lotto, executive committee member of the European Lotteries (EL) and chairman of the legal working group of the EL. "Our view, however, is that the Dutch court has the complete power to come to a verdict."
|
"Ladbrokes has a fundamental right under European Union law to distribute its services freely across borders."
- John O'Reilly
Ladbrokes
|
|
John O'Reilly, managing director of Ladbrokes e-gaming and telephone betting, has the opinion that, "as a responsible and regulated U.K. bookmaker, Ladbrokes has a fundamental right under European Union law to distribute its services freely across borders. By opening up betting and gambling to competition, the consumer will have greater value and choice".
The verdict for the summary proceedings will be announced Sept. 9, 2003.
In the same matter, De Lotto versus Ladbrokes, Ladbrokes also started a procedure on the merits, which will take place Nov. 24, 2003.