In copy-catting what they see as a successful strategy to thwart online gambling, Germany like the United States is threatening to arrest British gambling company executives if they venture into their country.

In the wake of the arrests by US authorities of David Carruthers and Peter Dicks, talk of international conspiracy is in the air as Germany–like France-prepares to follow suit in prosecuting online businesses that compete with national gambling monopolies. German officials have told the UK publication The Business that foreign companies courting their country’s residents to place online bets are breaking the law and will face prosecution if they enter Germany.

Hesse, Bavaria and Saxony in attempting to protect their monopoly on sports gambling have banned the Austrian online company Bwin from advertising or promoting in any way, their services in their states. In their nation’s attempts to minimize money laundering and addiction as well as collect taxes, France and Germany claim they need oversight for all forms of gambling. Germany’s official sports betting outlet, Offset, claims it has lost 20 percent in revenue since the online industry led by BWIN has flooded the market.

The European Commission is likely to decide Internet gambling’s fate when they launch an investigation into the practices of countries who that would like to protect their gambling monopolies at the expense of online companies.

-Danny Davis