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NewsvineThe case, however, was short lived, as a judge ruled that the bookmakers in question (Ladbrokes, Bwin, and Betfair) had not done anything illegal by accepting wagers on tennis sporting events. In fact, the honorable judge said that licensed online betting sites in the European Union already abide by stringent regulatory protocols that ensure the integrity of sports betting, most notably in the areas of fraud and the protection of minors.
Not only didn't the FFT get their way, they were ordered to pay 5,000 Euro per case to recover legal fees. Bwin now also has a defamation suit against the FFT, who by their own claims in the original suite attempted to make Bwin's online casino and sportsbook look like a haven for internet criminals.
The European Gaming and Betting Association praised the ruling, stating it comfirmed their original sentiment that the bookmakers had done nothing wrong. Overall, the ruling is a great victory for the online gambling industry as a whole, especially in Europe, where certain State-run gambling monopolies have been known to be anything short of bullying. The case will hopefully serve as warning to other land-based institutions set on persecuting legally regulated online casinos and sportsbooks as a means of protecting their betting empires.