Topics particularly suitable for international cooperation

Horizon 2020, the Framework Programm for Research and Innovation, is open to international partners. Researchers from EU Member States/ Associated countries and third countries can cooperate in may topics. In addition, in the work programme 2016/2017, there is a range of topics in which the participation of entities from third countries is particularly suitable. It is important to note that the explicit mentioning of third countries in the work programme does not presuppose automatic funding for partners from industrialised and emerging economies.

International Co-operation with online casinos in 2018

As you know, gambling in European Union countries is not so easy when it comes to online casinos. For once, however, this is not due to the bureaucrats in Brussels, but to the completely different laws in the nation states themselves. Germany, Hungary and Austria in particular are extremely stubborn, making only the smallest concessions and trying in this way to keep the undoubtedly most interesting offers for many players outside on the Internet.

Of course, digital only works to a limited extent and it is not surprising that, despite all the hurdles and restrictions, people in Europe are extremely fond of gambling. If you want to register at an online casino, you should therefore take a close look at the conditions and, above all, at the test seals – otherwise there are still nasty surprises in the end when it comes to later payouts of winnings.

Focus on sports betting and slot machines

On some Austrian portals, here for example, you can read about the ambivalence of the Alpine Republic when it comes to online casinos: Although sports betting is permitted via a state-licensed provider, there are plenty of offers and operators on the net, which of course also offer slot machines, roulette, blackjack and countless other classic games of chance.

Absurdly, some companies even have to pay taxes, even though the actual range of games is strictly speaking illegal! The authorities in Austria are not too foolish to come here and keep finding new excuses for these shenanigans, which are close to complete arbitrariness.

Players will find plenty of opportunity to gamble. In Austria there are not only famous manufacturers of slot machines, but also a very active community, which is not deterred from gambling by bureaucratic requirements and limits. Here lobby groups like Casinos Austria try to secure their ancient monopoly and this leads to a deadlocked, not very advantageous situation in the country.

The situation in Hungary is equally strange, there are only a very limited number of casinoswhich you can see at magyaronlinecasino.co.hu, with an actual licence given by the government.

Data and the question of player protection

But first a look at the statistics: At present more than 2000 online casinos are active and in Malta alone more than 300 of these Internet gaming halls are registered! A circumstance, by the way, that guarantees European legal certainty and that is worth more for gamblers than any licensing in a banana republic in the middle of the Caribbean! Malta earns a lot of money by auditing and controlling casino companies, which should guarantee a secure audit process in any case.

But once again a look back at the situation in Austria. At the moment, politicians of all colours are once again trying to change the situation and the main focus is on the possibility of legal action against illegal offers. Players should be able to claim losses at illegal online casinos for the last 30 years!

Logically, more and more providers are avoiding the players between Vienna and Salzburg, so that the lobby groups in the country have done a lot of work only by announcing such laws. Again and again at this point the word is spoken to a supposedly necessary player protection, knowing well that in the game libraries of Novomatic and the Casinos Austria the danger of pathological games is just as given as in the Internet.

Changes are not to be expected so quickly

Although European jurisprudence – the key word here is the freedom to provide services throughout the EU – requires uniform regulation, neither Austria nor Germany, which has similar problems, is bothered by this. This is clearly intended to protect the domestic vending machine industry and casino industry, which may sound noble, but looks quite hypocritical in the arguments used to protect players. Will the EU interfere at this point and ensure clear conditions per player and per economy? When it comes to cucumber curvature, this also worked – why not around the extremely popular online casinos?