Finland Bids Farwell to Online Casino Licensing Bid
Scandinavian country holds onto to its gambling monopoly as Ladbrokes bid is rejected
Friday 11th May 2007
The Finnish government has rejected Ladbrokes' gaming licence application on the grounds that a license has already been granted to the country’s state owned national lottery and gaming company, Oy Veikkaus Ab.
Finland’s 2002 Act on Gaming, states that only a single license can be operational at any one time. The ruling marks a second blow for the British Bookmaker’s attempt to get a foothold in the Scandinavian country after its 2003 application was denied by the Finnish government's Ministry of the Interior.
Despite Finland's Supreme Administrative Court (KHO) overturning the decision in 2004 and ordering it to be re-evaluated, the KHO last week stated that the government had the legal jurisdiction to dismiss Ladbrokes’ 2007 application.
During both proceedings Ladbrokes has argued its case on the basis that a
gaming monopoly is in breech of EU rules supporting the free movement of goods and services.
The Finnish government has rejected Ladbrokes' gaming licence application on the grounds that a license has already been granted to the country’s state owned national lottery and gaming company, Oy Veikkaus Ab.