Despite being ordered to pay millions of euros in compensation for contravening European law, InterGame has learnt that the Greek Government has drafted a new gaming law, which will also breach EC regulations and have further devastating effects on the market.
Lawyers working for JVH Hellas, Funnet, Funworld, Stadium Bowling and Greece Coin among others have warned that the revised Draft Provisions on Technical Leisure Games submitted by the Greek Government to the European Commission are also in breach of European Community Law and therefore should not be accepted.
According to Professor Drossos, the solicitor working on behalf of the companies: "The revised draft does not indicate a genuine intention of the Greek Government to comply with the judgement of the Court of Justice in the case C-65/05, delivered on October 26, 2006, and condemning Greece for breaches of the European Community Law by the ban of leisure games stipulated by law 3037/2002 and more generally, with the requirements of the European Law with regard to the free circulation of leisure games."
This, according to InterGame sources, is a blow to the consortium of companies which has worked hard to bring the fate of the Greek amusement industry to the attention of the law-makers and the European Courts.
The original law, passed in 2002, was widely criticised for its far-reaching ban on all types of electronic games allowed in Greece. Almost overnight, a thriving industry found itself on its knees.
"If this law is passed it will be devastating for those companies working in the amusement industry in Greece," said Nikos Serdaris of A Kyzakis. "We want the rest of the industry to be aware of what is going on and to back us in our fight for a fair law."
One of the main areas of contention in the new Revised Draft, is the lack of provision for compensation for the thousands of companies which have lost out, despite the fact that the Hellenic Government accepts the current law has contravened European rules on free trade.
The Revised Draft submitted by the Greek government will allow electronic games to be played in specially designated locations. However, members of the Greek coin-op industry have pointed out that this will mean no machines can be placed in cafes, bars or restaurants or in cinema foyers, train stations and other normal operations.
There are also strict conditions - the electronic games cannot be operated freely unless they pass a lengthy, uncertain and complicated licensing system and no games can be played publically via the internet.
