Annual Reports and Accounts 2007-2008

Financial Statements

• Financial Review
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Corporate Governance Statement
• Directors' Report
• Remuneration Report
• Regulatory Developments
  • United Kingdom
  • The European Union
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Germany
  • Australia
  • United States
  • Asia
  • Turkey
• Report of the Independent Auditor to the members of Sportingbet Plc

---

Regulatory Developments

Italy

Italy has changed its monopoly-orientated stance on online gambling and has started to permit a number of non-Italian bookmakers to obtain licences to operate online betting offerings from certain outlets such as newsagents, bars and cafes.

However, Italy currently requires that even EU-licensed operators obtain an additional gambling licence in Italy in order to target its domestic market. Such an approach appears to be in breach of the EU principle of mutual recognition of businesses licensed elsewhere in the EU. It remains to be seen whether such a stance will be permitted by the Commission in the long term.

---