WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.97.459
23September 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-3929)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: NETHERLANDS
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofJustice
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above: National enquiry point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Equipment usedinthe
participation, determination ofprizes andestablishment ofwinners ofthesports totalizer
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Decision Granting a
Licence toOrganize Sports Competitions andLottos, aswellastheNumbers Game
Linked tothese Games ofChance (Decision onSports Totalizers) (available inEnglish)
6. Description ofcontent: Article 1oftheBetting andGaming Actbanstheorganization
ofgames ofchance, unless alicence hasbeengranted. Articles 16and27boftheAct
stipulate thatalicence canbegranted fororganizing sports competitions andlottos.
Articles 20and27coftheActspecify thatalicence issubject toregulations, which are
laiddown intheDecision onSports Totalizers. Article 9oftheDecision onSports
Totalizers, which Article could possibly bedeemed atechnical regulation, stipulates that
themechanical, electrical and electronic processes used intheparticipation,
determination ofprizes andestablishment ofwinners oftheSports Totalizer aresubject
totheprior approval andperiodical control byanindependent expert orinspection
institute appointed bytheMinisters. Ifequipment isused intheparticipation,
determination ofprizes andestablishment ofwinners, suchequipment shallbeexamined
prior touseinorder toguarantee thischaracter ofchance. Inspection requirements are
notspecified. Thetypeofequipment used isirrelevant, aslongasthecharacter of
chance isguaranteed when using therelevant equipment.
./.G/TBT/Notif.97.459
Page2
7. Objective andrationale: Therequirements prescribed forequipment used inthe
participation, determination ofprizes andestablishment ofwinners oftheSport
Totalizer, will-without distinction apply toequipment ofDutch orforeign origin. The
Decision onSports Totalizers doesnotprovide foraclause ofmutual recognition of
equipment used intheparticipation, determination ofprizes andestablishment of
winners. Indeed, there arenorequirements forthetrade insuchequipment.
Only atthetimewhen suchequipment isusedintheparticipation, determination
ofprizes andestablishment ofwinners, willitbechecked whether thecharacter of
chance thereof isguaranteed. Theprovisions contained intheDecision onSports
Totalizers arejustified bythenecessity toprotect players against fraud andabuse (public
order andconsumer protection).
8. Relevant documents: TheDecision onSports Totalizers isbased onArticles 16and27b
oftheBetting andGaming Act.
9. Proposed dateofadoption:
Proposed dateofentry intoforce:26October 1997
10. Final dateforcomments: 25October 1997
TheNetherlands willproceed toimplement theproposed measure after45days
ifnocomments orrequests forextension ofthetimelimithavebeenreceived from other
Members within thattime.
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: