Thursday, May 10, 2007

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Finland denies Ladbrokes a second time

By Erin Warner

Finland's supreme court upheld a decision to shut out online gambling operator Ladbrokes from the country, stating the government had a legal right to reject the company's licensing application.

The ruling was handed down Tuesday by the Supreme Administrative Court, reports Finnish news service Helsingin Sanomat.

The government decision - which blocked Ladbrokes from setting up betting and gaming operations in the Finland - was made because of legislation that allows only one gambling license to be in effect.

This license in currently held by Oy Veikkaus Ab, a state-owned lottery and gaming company.

This is the second time the Finnish government has rejected Ladbrokes's application. The company applied for a license in 2003 and was rejected in 2004. The next year the court overturned the decision for reconsideration.

But the company's application was rejected a second time in 2005; Ladbrokes appealed the decision, but the courts sided with the government.

In its decision, the court found the government's Act on Gaming is in line with European Union legislation and that its gambling monopoly is non-discriminatory and in the public interest, said Helsingin Sanomat.

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