And yet another referral to the ECJ from Italy with regard to the cross-border provision of sports betting ("Minesi")

Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Tribunale del Riesame di Verbania (Italy) lodged on 4 June 2010 - Criminal proceedings against Matteo Minesi

(Case C-279/10)

Language of the case: Italian

Referring court

Tribunale del Riesame di Verbania

Party to the main proceedings

Matteo Minesi

Question referred

The Court of Justice is requested to interpret Articles 43 and 49 of the Treaty establishing the European Union with reference to freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services in the sector of betting on sports events in order to establish whether or not those Treaty provisions permit national rules establishing a State monopoly and a system of licences and authorisations which, within the context of a given number of licences:

(a) tend generally to protect holders of licences issued at an earlier period on the basis of a procedure that unlawfully excluded some operators;

(b) in fact ensure the maintenance of commercial positions acquired following a procedure that unlawfully excluded certain operators (by, for example, prohibiting new licensees from locating their kiosks within a specified distance of those already in existence);

(c) provide cases in which the licence may lapse with forfeiture of very large guarantee deposits, including the case in which the licensee directly or indirectly carries on cross-border gaming activities analogous to those under the licence.