Ladbrokes Supports Monopoly

12/30/2008		Ladbrokes Supports Monopoly
Home History Games News Dictionary		This week saw a number of statements being made by major names in the online gambling industry on a number of issues hot on the table, not the least of which comes a testimony by major gambling company Ladbrokes on the monopoly debate in Sweden. Their report stands out from others not only because of the power behind the ‘Ladbrokes’ label, but also in the strong terms used throughout the piece; little diplomacy was used as the company is obviously confident in their member base. The piece called the Swedish National Gambling Consultation anti-competitive and protectionist in their viewpoint. They strongly support the expansion of sports betting competition to pump up the industry, but encouraged no change when it came to online casinos, horseracing, lotteries, online bingo, and online poker, stating that the state monopoly should receive stronger enforcement in those areas. One of the contributors to the statement, John O’Reilly, the Managing Director of Remote Betting and Gaming for Ladbrokes made the following quote: “This is a last-ditch attempt to avoid a referral to the European Court of Justice for Sweden's protectionist and unfair betting and gaming laws and yet, even now, the report seeks to extend the reach of the monopoly to cover online gaming including poker and bingo and further enshrines protection in land-based lotteries, slot machines, casinos and horseracing.” He went on to say that the report did not take any of the EU issues on free and fair competition against borders into consideration. More monopoly will ensure a negative effect on consumers as well as penalizing the competition and protecting government monies. The only winner in the deal is the Swedish government, he implies. Despite the conservative overview of the statement, Ladbrokes is certainly keeping their own company’s best interests in mind. Fair competition is the goal: “All operators like Ladbrokes ask is the ability to compete on a level playing field. We see no reason why Ladbrokes cannot abide by Swedish regulations as well as any monopoly operator,” O’Reilly concluded.

12/30/2008

Ladbrokes Supports Monopoly

This week saw a number of statements being made by major names in the online gambling industry on a number of issues hot on the table, not the least of which comes a testimony by major gambling company Ladbrokes on the monopoly debate in Sweden. Their report stands out from others not only because of the power behind the ‘Ladbrokes’ label, but also in the strong terms used throughout the piece; little diplomacy was used as the company is obviously confident in their member base.

The piece called the Swedish National Gambling Consultation anti-competitive and protectionist in their viewpoint. They strongly support the expansion of sports betting competition to pump up the industry, but encouraged no change when it came to online casinos, horseracing, lotteries, online bingo, and online poker, stating that the state monopoly should receive stronger enforcement in those areas.

One of the contributors to the statement, John O’Reilly, the Managing Director of Remote Betting and Gaming for Ladbrokes made the following quote: “This is a last-ditch attempt to avoid a referral to the European Court of Justice for Sweden's protectionist and unfair betting and gaming laws and yet, even now, the report seeks to extend the reach of the monopoly to cover online gaming including poker and bingo and further enshrines protection in land-based lotteries, slot machines, casinos and horseracing.”

He went on to say that the report did not take any of the EU issues on free and fair competition against borders into consideration. More monopoly will ensure a negative effect on consumers as well as penalizing the competition and protecting government monies. The only winner in the deal is the Swedish government, he implies.

Despite the conservative overview of the statement, Ladbrokes is certainly keeping their own company’s best interests in mind. Fair competition is the goal: “All operators like Ladbrokes ask is the ability to compete on a level playing field. We see no reason why Ladbrokes cannot abide by Swedish regulations as well as any monopoly operator,” O’Reilly concluded.