William Hill, a British online and land-based gaming provider has declared that its William Hill Online subsidiary is no longer receiving bets from clients based in Greece due to insufficient ‘clarity on the regulatory approach to be taken’ by authorities.
William Hill’s final decision comes after an identical move by rival Betfair late last month and is likely to cost the London-based firm £4-5 million in yearly operating revenue.
A statement from William Hill reads “According to our legal advice, we consider the gambling legislation in Greece to be inconsistent with European law and the associated fiscal conditions attached to these permits, which may include payment of retrospective taxes on past revenues, makes the market economically unattractive,” “On this basis, William Hill Online does not currently intend to apply for a licence to operate in Greece.”
“William Hill, along with other operators, has been working with various parties to achieve legislation that allows fair competition in the market in Greece and elsewhere. It is disappointing that the European Commission continues, despite previously stated intentions to the contrary, not to take effective action to prevent protectionist behaviour on behalf of member states of which the Greek, German and Belgian regimes are only the most recent examples.”
