Update: Bwin.party Defeated in Portugal

A bitter court defeat after six years of battle After six years of legal battle with the Portuguese gambling authorities over its advertizing, sponsorship and marketing activities, Bwin.party.digital entertainment experienced a defeat in a local court which ordered it to remove all Portuguese advertising and cease all Portuguese sports sponsorship activities, ruling that it is operating illegally in terms of Portuguese law. And this may turn out to be quite an expensive setback for the company, considering its strong presence in the country. What's more, this case could cause a chain reaction against other online gambling companies operating in the country. In addition, there's a serious threat for the company's sponsorship agreement with the Portuguese Football League (LPFP), which not long after the court ruling stated that it plans to appeal the decision, as the judgment could threaten the health of the national game, adding: “As of Monday, the Portuguese professional football league is obliged to remove all advertising that refers to Bwin.” On the other side, Bwin.party claims that the court's decision is in conflict with European Union law: “One cannot aggressively advertise and expand games on the one hand and keep foreign competition out on the other hand.” In addition, it was stated by Eduardo Serra Jorge, a legal representative for Bwin.party: “It is time for the state to legislate and tax online gambling instead of banning it. Regulating it is in the interest of the consumer, the economy and the state budget.”