Lawyering in the Online Gambling Sector Part 2 - Non-legal Aspects of the In-house Work

September 2014

Abstract

Being an in-house lawyer does not only require top class knowledge of a requisite number of different areas of law but also an in-depth understanding of the products sold by the business as well as non-legal elements that may affect its performance, in particular taxation. This is even more the case in the online gambling sector where competition is tough, regulation is very strict and taxation can seriously impact the future success of the business and its more innovative products. This article will deal with some non-legal aspects of the work of in-house lawyers in the online gambling industry, focussing on the taxation of gambling products and the necessity of cooperating effectively with in-house and external tax advisers, to be able to advise on and deliver external messages about non-legal aspects of the business. It will also deal with the regulatory, tax and other issues associated with the operation of betting exchanges, one of the most innovative products offered across the global online gambling industry. It will highlight some of the challenges an in-house lawyer may face if his objective is to get the innovative products, which some people may find complex, or even controversial, albeit for no good reason, regulated in a new jurisdiction.

Author

Martin Lycka

Legal Counsel , The Betfair Group , UK

Martin Lycka, LL.M., LL.B., solicitor, is a Legal Counsel at Betfair. Martin has worked with Betfair since September 2009; focusing on EU law, competition law, and regulatory and licensing issues. He previously worked with Clariant SA, Aliachem a.s., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and Salans Europe LLP. He graduated from the Charles University in Prague, obtained a LL.M. degree at the College of Europe in Bruges and a LL.B. degree at the University of Law, London. Martin has authored 80 articles on inter alia gaming law and co-authored two books.

Company

The Betfair Group

The Betfair Group of companies is one of the leading online gambling companies, which has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2010; it is headquartered in London with several other offices in Europe and beyond. The Betfair Group is currently licensed in the UK, Malta, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Bulgaria, Romania, the German state of Schleswig-Holstein and the United States (through its subsidiary TVG).

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