Last month Greece passed a bill it hoped would grab a larger share of the nation's 19 billion euro gambling market. Yesterday, the world's biggest online gambling operators asked the EU to review its policies, claiming that it violates free market rules.
 

According to RGA, an association of online gambling companies, the bill's tax provisions allow OPAP, Greece's sports betting monopoly, to receive tax provisions that favor it over competitor online gambling sites, and make it harder for the latter to obtain Greek gambling licenses.
 

The new law exempts OPAP's off-line gambling operations from a 30% gross profit tax that is imposed on other online gambling operators. It also grants OPAP sole rights to operate new gaming machines known as "video lottery terminals" (VLT).
 

But Greek gaming officials argue that the bill has a higher purpose. It was not created to undermine the competitiveness of outside operators. Rather, its measures are aimed at generating revenue for the country's cash-strapped economy.
 

Greece also states that the bill will help to boost OPAP's market value, which currently stands at approximately 2.3 billion euro, and increase the proceeds from an up to 34% stake sale of the sports betting business to a private investor later this year.
 

But RGA isn't buying it. Says Chief Executive Clive Hawkswood: "We are fully aware of the fiscal pressures on the Greek authorities at present, but they do not justify the imposition of anti-competitive tax provision which benefit the existing monopoly gambling provider."
 

Hawkswood and his fellow RGA member operators, which include such notable names as Ladbroke's and William Hill, are urging the European Commission to "investigate the new legislation for being in breach of state aid rules."
 

It's not the first time Greece has found itself in hot water over gambling legislation. In June, Betfair filed a complaint with the EU as well, claiming that Greece's total ban on betting exchanges violates competition rules.