An ECJA gambler that lost €1 million playing online casino games in Austria is suing the online operator claiming the company violated Austrian online gambling monopoly laws and is seeking to recoup his losses.
The case reached the Austrian Supreme Court, which then asked for a revision of the entire national gambling legislation, according to published reports.
A lower court ruled in the player’s favor, but was overruled by Austria’s Supreme Court, which decided in favor of the online operator. The operator argued that the national gambling law established in Austria was a monopoly against European treaties on the free movement of services.
The case has now gone to the European Court of Justice for further evaluations.
According to industry analysts, a ruling that gambling monopolies are against European rules could have a profound impact.
Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania are all facing legal actions similar to this case. If the gambler were to win back his losses, potentially thousands of similar suits from gamblers could be filed.
