ECJ Upholds Sweden's Gambling Ad Ban
July 8, 2010, 5:29 pm
LUXEMBOURG – In another blow to the online gaming industry, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) Thursday upheld Sweden's right to ban advertisements promoting gambling sites from other countries.
Two Swedish newspapers, Expressen and Aftonbladet, had appealed to the ECJ after a Swedish court fined them for publishing ads for gaming sites located in Malta and the United Kingdom.
"EU law permits restrictions on freedom to provide services [if] justified on grounds of public policy, public security or public health," said the Court, adding, "In the absence of harmonization at EU level with regard to gambling, it is for each Member State to assess in this area, according to its own scale of values, how to protect the interests involved."
In Sweden, gambling operations are generally restricted to organizations with a public or charitable purpose.
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