Sazka Group AS addressed to the European Commission to investigate the Czech lottery tax, which, in SAZKA’s opinion, is unfairly favoring other gambling operators.
Sazka, owned by Czech billionaire Karel Komarek, in a statement asks the EU government aid unit to vote against a 35% lottery tax introduced in January. According to company representatives, such tax puts casino and betting operators, who pay 23%, in a more favorable financial position. The Brussels-based commission responded that it would review this complaint.
The Czech Ministry of Finance stated that a different tax regime is not a discriminatory or illegal form of support from the state, as different gambling services do not directly compete with each other. EU governments also have the right to set different rates for each type of tax.
