The European Union (EU) has rejected proposals that called upon the organisation to assume responsibility for the regulation of the online gambling industry across the continent.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted overwhelmingly in favour of adopting an own-iniative report on the integrity of online gambling that places regulatory control of online gambling in the hands of individual member states. An alternative report backed by a minority of group of MEPs, which argued that gambling is an economic activity and therefore should adhere to internal market rules, was heavily defeated in a vote.

The decision means that online gambling companies will have to comply with the legal requirements of each individual country in which they operate, despite calls from some for a more liberal attitude towards the industry. Sigrid Ligné, secretary general, European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), welcomed the decision. She said: "Today’s vote shows that we cannot expect an EU-harmonised legislation to be adopted in the near future. This clearly means that it is the rules of the Treaty and the case law of the Court of Justice that continue to apply and that will prevail for our sector in the years to come."