EUROMAT urges European Commission to take action against the Valencian gambling law

(PRESS RELEASE) -- The European Gaming and Amusement Federation, representing the interests of the amusement and low-stakes gaming machine industry, is urging the European Commission to address transparency and procedural concerns in the Valencian Government’s adoption of its gambling law (Valencia Law 1/2020, of 11 June 2020, of the Generalitat, on the regulation of gambling and the prevention of pathological gambling in the Valencian Community).

EUROMAT is concerned that an obligation on Member States, imposed by Directive (EU) 2015/1535, to notify the European Commission of draft technical regulations prior to their adoption was not observed by the Valencian Government. Several amendments to the law, resulting in significant modifications, were introduced between an initial TRIS notification in March 2018 and the adoption of a final text in June 2020 which should have triggered a new notification. The European Commission is currently investigating the matter.

Commenting on the case, EUROMAT President Jason Frost said: “It is important that EU law is fully respected by all Member States and that legal changes are thoroughly scrutinized using the correct notification procedure. We are urging the European Commission to look in detail at this particular case as there were clearly substantive amendments to the gambling law which were not notified. Unless EU law is properly enforced, business has no legal certainty”.

Proper notification and re-notification of legal texts by Members States is essential for comprehensive reviews by the Commission and affected EU countries. EUROMAT has raised this concern with the Commission and hope for a swift conclusion to its investigation.