Greek court rules OPAP’s monopoly is legal
A Greek court ruled on Tuesday that OPAP’s betting monopoly in the country is legal, court officials said, rejecting a longstanding challenge by rival firms and securing the company’s market dominance in Greece.
OPAP, one of Europe’s biggest betting firms, has the exclusive right to offer lotteries in debt-laden Greece until 2030 and sports betting until 2020.
But British sports betting firms William Hill, Sportingbet and Stanleybet have challenged its monopoly since 2004, saying that it violated European Union rules on freedom of services.
The Council of State ruled yesterday that reforms in the gambling sector that Athens has implemented since 2011 protect OPAP’s monopoly in line with European law.
[Reuters]
