The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Victor Negrescu, proposes the establishment of a European tax dedicated to financing education, applied to the online gambling and betting industry. In the plenary session of the European Parliament, he reiterated the initiative, which is gaining more and more support at European level.
According to the MEP, the online gambling market is one of the fastest-growing digital industries, generating tens of billions of euros annually, but a significant portion of these profits escapes fair taxation, and rules remain fragmented across the European Union.
His proposal provides for a European contribution applied on top of existing national taxes on turnover, the adoption of a strong directive against illegal platforms, and uniform enforcement to avoid distortions and unfair tax competition.
“My proposal is clear and responsible: a European contribution applied on top of existing national taxes on turnover; a strong European directive against illegal and unauthorised platforms; uniform application to avoid distortions and unfair tax competition,” Victor Negrescu emphasised.
Estimates indicate that such a measure could generate between €2 billion and €4 billion annually, which would amount to approximately €28 billion over the duration of the next long-term European budget.
Data presented earlier in the budget debates show that the online gambling industry had a turnover of around €130 billion in 2022 and is currently approaching €200 billion, with an annual growth rate of at least 5%. At the same time, the level of taxation varies considerably between Member States, creating imbalances in the single market.
“Europe needs credible resources of its own. These funds could go directly to education, skills training, prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health. If we want a Union that invests in people and in the future, we must have the courage to rethink our sources of funding,” said the Vice-President of the European Parliament.
