Friday June 8, 2012 : SERBIA PREPARES FOR ONLINE GAMBLING (Update)
Soon to publish tech requirements
Serbia's gaming trade association JAKTA reports progress in the countries bid to legislate and introduce an online gambling regime following the Governments ISP ban on 70 black-listed foreign sites earlier this year.
The Serbian Government is said to be close to publishing a new draft pertaining to technical requirements for online gaming along with the launch of a tender calling for bids from state-appointed test gaming laboratories.
JAKTA, president Mirjana Acimovic said at the IV Gaming Congress in Belgrade this week: “While Serbian operators are expecting new regulations regarding technical issues for online gaming, their regulators welcome this event for new ideas and best practices.”
In related news, Serbia's Association of Gambling Providers (AGP) are disputing a deal between online sports betting operator Sportingbet and the State Lottery of Serbia (SLS) Državna lutrija Srbije, saying it violates Serbian laws.
"Existing laws are grossly violated, and local companies unfairly pushed aside," said an AGP statement. "SLS has chosen a foreign partner, company of questionable reputation, in a completely non-transparent way without publicly open competition thus making it impossible for local companies to participate.
"AGP expects that competent authorities will urgently stop the illegal business on the Internet, that the new government will review all contested actions and through consistent respect for the law ensure equal treatment of all participants of the market.
"Also, we hope that Serbian citizens will be protected from the influence of foreign firms and a variety of interest groups with questionable reputation, and that equity will be protected because it is a basic condition for economic prosperity of every country.
"Otherwise, there will be a complete breakdown of the domestic market which will only benefit certain interest groups at the expense of all citizens of Serbia."