It’s time to stop talking about regulating online gambling and...

at the EU level that respect the principle of subsidiarity, he said. That principle holds that the EU won’t take action except in areas that fall within its exclusive jurisdiction unless it’s more effective than action taken at the national, regional or local level, according to an EU glossary. The EU should help members regulate online gambling effectively, in line with their own national traditions but also in compliance with the EU Treaty, he said. There’s added value in having EU law protect citizens while respecting subsidiarity, he said. That value can take different forms, he said: (1) More effective clampdowns on the many illegal websites, often hosted in offshore havens. (2) Development, where allowed, of legal alternatives that are attractive enough to undermine clandestine offerings. (3) Support measures to prevent “undesirable drift” that could arise from uncontrolled development of online betting and gambling. Barnier said he'll propose in the fall a plan of action to regulate and supervise online gambling. While it’s too soon to lay out the details, there will be three main elements, he said. There must be a set of basic guarantees applicable across Europe, he said. Minors must be protected, through technical solutions and awareness-raising, but also by industry shouldering its responsibilities, he said. There should also be clear advertising rules on gambling sites that bar minors and warn against the financial, social and health risks associated with excessive betting and gambling, he said. Although studies have yet to draw firm conclusions about the scale and seriousness of gambling addiction, he said, the EC is talking to experts to develop common definitions for evaluating the nature and scale of risks. But there must also be an anti-addiction policy based on reality, he said. The second key element of EC action will be to provide more clarity in the application of money-laundering rules to betting and gambling, he said. The third element will seek to ensure effective cooperation between national regulators, online operators and sports federations to prevent match-fixing, he said. The EC statement will detail an action plan that involves all EU governments and develops administrative cooperation, he said. Barnier will propose the creation of an experts’ group of representatives from EU countries to help prepare and evaluate initiatives, he said. The action plan will also encourage the development of attractive, legal services, he said. Finally, Barnier said, it’s essential that European rules be respected. Parliament has urged the EC to continue to investigate situations of noncompliance with the Treaty or case law of the European Court of Justice, he said. The EC will contact the affected governments and suggest they rectify the problems, he said, but if they don’t, “I will not hesitate to propose to my colleagues that the appropriate proceedings be taken or relaunched."