Czech Republic to limit online gambling

Internet service providers may be forced by the government to restrict access to gambling websites.

Czech Republic.- The Czech Parliament is currently debating a bill on lotteries, under which the Ministry of Finance will have the prerogative to compile a list of gambling websites and ask Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict access to them.

The Minister of Finance backs the proposed legislation noting that foreign gambling websites are exempt from taxes. Meanwhile, domestic operators offering online gambling services in the European country, find themselves in a disadvantageous position.

The most controversial and criticised part of the draft is that the Ministry of Finance shall not need a court’s decision to add any given gambling website to the prohibited list. The draft act on lotteries was adopted in the Lower House of Parliament and from there it will now proceed to the Senate.