Czech government struggles to collect online gambling fines

The Czech media is criticising the government for its perceived inability in collecting fines from online gambling operators that operate without a license in the country. According to the media in general, the government is not meeting out fitting punishment to the offenders.

For example, Czech media outlet E15 recently reported that the Ministry of Finance has been failing to collect the fines imposed on internationally licensed online gambling operators have not obtained a license after the new regulatory regime that came into force on 1 January 2017.

The Ministry slapped 24 fines totalling CZK455m (US$20.4m) since the launch of the regulated market, but has to date collected only CZK240k ($10,750). Ministry’s lack of any real resources to force the companies is seen as the reason for the poor collection.

The Ministry responded to the article through a statement that acknowledged the difficulties in trying to force “operators based in the Caribbean, for example” to ship their outstanding fine payments across the pond.

The Ministry further claimed that “the main purpose of the fines is not the enrichment of the Treasury, but the restriction of the illegal offer of gambling. Fines have not only a restrictive but also a preventative effect.” The Ministry insisted that if any of these online rogues were to seek a Czech online gambling license, payment of outstanding fines would be a prerequisite.

The Ministry’s blacklist of rogue online gambling companies lists 116 entities only.

Source: CalvinAyre