(This post has been published also in Italian)
Last Monday January 16th many Italian poker players received following mail from Winamax, reputed French poker licensee that vies to PokerStars the market leadership:
“Hello, we are contacting you concerning your Winamax account. Due to the online gaming legislation in place in Italy, we are unable to offer you access to our platform. As a result, the funds remaining on your account have been paid out to your bank account. The payment made was for the total balance on your account including the monetary value of your Miles. We appreciate you having chosen us as your online poker room and it is our hope that you have enjoyed your time playing with Winamax. Should the legislation related to online poker in your country change to permit you to play on Winamax, we will be happy to welcome you once again. We wish you best of luck in the future. Kind regards, The Winamax Team”.
Winamax offered gambling in the Italian market till last Monday in compliance with the French legislation but in violation of the Italian one.
Between ADM and ARJEL, Italian gambling and French online gambling authorities, had been draft an international cooperation agreement since 2011, to fight against illegal gambling and to protect ethics in sport. Stop of Winamax gambling offer to Italian resident players, in lack of Italian license, is a result of that cooperation. It would be now fine same cooperation could let again Italian player to play against the French ones by the introduction of awaited transnational liquidity.
This is the first case in which the Italian Authority threatens sanctions directly against an online foreign operator acting against its illegal offer in the Italian territory. It could prelude to a new policy to fight by criminal proceeding foreign operators cross border offer through the Internet. It must be remembered either any Italian court or the Supreme European Court itself never questioned the full legitimacy of the Italian online gambling license and the obligation to hold it to offer online gambling in Italy.
