European Poker Enemies Beware: McCreevy is on Your Tail

The European Union’s maverick compliance commissioner Charlie McCreevy has continued to aggressively scrutinize member nations that choose to defy EU gambling laws. McCreevy gave a warning this week at the European Policy Centre meeting in Brussels, asserting that it is “inevitable” that some of the cases his staff is currently undertaking will go to the European Court of Justice.

"We have a lot of countries where we are at various stages of the legal procedures," McCreevy said at a European Policy Centre event. According to European Commission spokesmen, there are currently ten countries that are under investigation. They all share the same crime – the specific countries being scrutinized have all denied companies in other EU countries access to their gambling industry, while at the same time trying to maintain state monopolies over their gambling markets.

McCreevy’s hit list currently includes: France, Germany, Denmark Sweden, The Netherlands and Greece.

"We have a dialogue going on with some member states... but for those where we cannot reach agreement we will proceed to the European Court of justice," McCreevy firmly stated. "It's inevitable that some cases will be heard before the ECJ," he concluded.