October 23rd, 2007 at the Schiphol Airport outside Amsterdam Unibet Group's CEO, Petter Nylander was detained. French authorities issued the arrest under a European warrant citing a main principles breach of the European Union (EU) Treaty regarding lotteries and horse racing.

The EU regulators say French regulations aimed at protecting betting monopolies were not in line with the bloc's rule (group of nations, parties or persons united for common action). It was reported that they threatened to sue France, Sweden and Greece last June for prohibiting foreign sports betting companies.

In 2006, the Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), first company of horse betting and the Française de Jeux (FDJ), French state-owned lottery company filed court proceedings against Unibet for breaching laws regarding French law and state-owned monopolies which have been around for 100 plus years. In contrast in 2007, the European Court of Justice ruled that betting was considered as services covered by the EU Treaty. They stated the Unibet detainment is seen as an unlawful act. Nylander has not been formally charged in this matter.

With a 40 percent share of the bookmaking market, Unibet is the largest non-state bookmaker in France. Licensed in Malta, The UK and Italy, they are allowed to take wagers in France according to Ragnar Hellenius, Unibet CFO. They are also listed on the OMX Nordic Stock Exchange in compliance with European law.

According to Oliver Drewes, spokesman for the European Commission's internal-market unit, "We believe that the French Legislation which is invoked here is, as such, not compatible with community law, should therefore have been changed and could therefore be also no basis for any warrant of any sort, anywhere. It could very well be that somebody has been arrested who is innocent."

Nylander has not been formally charged in this matter. Oliver Drewes has also stated that, "France has until the end of October to conform to EU gaming monopoly legislation, he said, adding that he is 'quite confident that we can work this out' without taking legal action."

- 2007-10-26