Croatia Faces Legal Challenge Over Gambling Act Compliance
The European Gambling and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT) has raised concerns with the European Commission regarding Croatia’s failure to properly notify its Gambling Act (PZ_42) under the TRIS procedure, a crucial aspect of EU law.
Failure to Notify Raises Legal Concerns
EUROMAT objects to the Croatian Government’s decision to advance its legislative process without notifying the European Commission. The amendments include mandatory player identification at venues, a self-exclusion register, advertising restrictions, and stricter rules on the location of gambling venues. They also propose increased licensing fees and taxes. According to EU law, Member States must notify any national regulations that restrict market access or service provision.
Croatia’s failure to notify the amendments could violate EU law. If the law is not properly notified, the European Commission could suspend its application and launch infringement proceedings. In 2014, the Commission intervened when Croatia failed to notify a previous gambling law. This resulted in the withdrawal of that legislation. Croatia also notified a law in 2023, which impacted the amusement sector. EUROMAT highlights that over 500 similar notifications are in the European Commission’s TRIS database.
EU Intervention Could Set a Precedent
EUROMAT President Jason Frost stressed the importance of Commission intervention.
“If the Commission is serious about strengthening the Internal Market, then it has to ensure that Member States respect the law”, he said.
Frost pointed to the 2014 intervention, which led to the withdrawal of Croatia’s gambling law. This underlines the importance of the notification procedure in maintaining legal certainty.
“Companies need legal certainty to invest and operate in Europe. If the Commission allows Member States to disregard their responsibilities, it sets a concerning precedent”, Frost added.
Croatian Industry Leaders Call for Responsibility
Filip Jelavic, General Secretary of the Croatian Gaming Association, criticized the situation. He called it “inconceivable” that an EU Member State could introduce such significant legal changes without following the proper procedures. Jelavic urged the Croatian Government to act responsibly and comply with the law.