The Czech Republic’s most prominent gambling firms have resorted to offering simulated and partial online services as attempt to clamber back some of revenue lost to foreign competitors who simple overlook the domestic gambling regulations that Czech firms must adhere to.
‘For the moment, we offer online betting in a virtual form, meaning a client can bet fictive money resulting in nonfinancial credits,’ said Lubomír Ježek, spokesman for Czech betting chain Tipsport.
The Czech Business Weekly reports that officials from the country’s Ministry of Finance have persistently tried to stage crackdowns on what they perceive to be illegal Internet gambling services offered there by nine foreign companies. So far, attempts have frozen to a deadlock as non-Czech operators feel that immunity is provided by the EU’s support of freedom of movement for goods and services.
Czech lottery company Sazka said it would be ready to offer online betting services tomorrow in the event that the law changed overnight.
‘If Internet betting was permitted, we would go ahead and run it as well. We have it prepared and we’re awaiting the next legislative development,’ said Sazka spokesman Zdenk Zikmund.
The Czech Republic’s most prominent gambling firms have resorted to offering simulated and partial online services as attempt to clamber back some of revenue lost to foreign competitors who simple overlook the domestic gambling regulations that Czech firms must adhere to.