The European Gambling and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT) has submitted a formal objection with the European Commission of Croatia amending its Gambling Act.
Directive (EU) 2015/1535 obliges member countries to notify the commission of such changes through the Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS). EUROMAT stated that it is “concerned” that the Croatian government is proceeding without any such notification.
Croatia has complied with the TRIS procedure in 2014 and in 2023, meaning to not do so would be a departure from previous practice, EUROMAT pointed out.
“If the Commission is serious about strengthening the internal market, then it has to ensure that Member States respect the law,” said EUROMAT president Jason Frost.
“The commission intervened in 2014 and, as a result, Croatia had to withdraw its gambling law which underlines how important the notification procedure is. The commission needs to intervene again but this time to ensure that Croatia actually notifies.
“Companies need legal certainty to invest and operate in Europe and if the commission allows member states to disregard their responsibilities, then it sets a very concerning precedent.”
