欧盟委员会批准在线体育博彩（OPAP）的独家投注权利(2)

　译文：

　　The European commission approval online sports betting （OPAP） sole betting rights

　　The European Union's Competition Commission has in a surprising move announced today that the online sports betting monopoly OPAP enjoys in Greece is not breaching EU laws. OPAP is allowed to be the sole provider of online betting services in Greece until 2030.

　　In a move that was somewhat unexpected, the EU Competition Commission has decided that OPAP is allowed to retain its exclusive online sports betting rights given by the Greek government. As a consequence, OPAP will be able to remain the only legal provider of online sports betting services in Greece at least until 2030.

　　The EU Competition Commission argued that Greece's measures regarding OPAP's monopoly comply with all EU state-aid rules. This decision could very likely result in Greece deciding not to issue any new online sports betting licenses to private companies in the future. Such a move would highly infuriate various major European sports betting operators.

　　EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia commented that:"Greece has cooperated fully with the Commission to ensure that OPAP will not benefit from any undue financial advantage through the prolongation of its exclusive rights and its license for video lottery terminals. This allows for a timely privatization of the gambling operator."

　　Various online gambling operators such as Stanleybet International Ltd., William Hill Plc. and Sportingbet Plc. have recently submitted a complaint to the European Commission regarding Greece's refusal of awarding them with an online sports betting license. After today's decision of the Competition Commission, it's likely that these complaints will be dismissed.

　　Greece also announced last week that it intends to sell almost its entire stake in OPAP, effectively privatizing the company. Despite the fact that the company will be privatized, it will continue to retain a sports betting monopoly in the country.

　　A European Union Advocate General recently said that OPAP constitutes an illegal online gambling monopoly. It appears that the EU Competition Commission did not take this legal opinion into consideration and cleared the venture of any wrongdoings.

　　This week's decision might increase the value of the company after it has been lowered due to the recent accusations by EU Advocate General Mazak and the Greek government's decision to impose the country's high online gambling taxes on OPAP as well beginning January 1st 2013.