Chief Executive Officer of online gaming firm, Unibet, Petter Nylander, has been arrested by Dutch police based on the European Commissions monopolistic policy on online gambling.
The Financial Times newspaper reported that the French Government has ordered the case against Nylander to be dropped, but events had already been set in motion with the warrant having been served.
The warrant was issued based on proceedings from last year against Unibet by the French lottery monopoly, Francaise Des Jeux and PMU, the monopoly that governs betting on horses. These organizations said that Unibet breached the national laws protecting State-owned monopolies.
A spokesperson for the Budget Ministry of France, said, “It is not a matter between the State and Unibet.”
“Francaise Des Jeux and PMU will be told to drop their complaint.”
The newspaper also reported that the arrest was criticized by Unibet, the European Commission and Swedish politicians, all saying that Unibet’s operations were legal under European Union law.
A member of the European Parliament forSweden, Christofer Fjellner, said, “A worrying fact is that the European arrest warrant, an instrument put into place to combat terrorism and organized crime, is now used by the French Government to punish those who fight French protectionism.”
“What will be the next sector to be threatened with French arrests? The French are turning the European arrest warrant into a political tool,” he added.
Petter Nylander will appear before a judge in Amsterdamto decide the length of his detention, however a source from the European Commission seems to think the proceedings will be dropped.