20 October 2022, Budapest – The Hungarian Competition Authority has launched an investigation against an undertaking with a registered seat in Malta for possibly misleading Hungarian consumers by promoting its online gambling services. 

The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has launched a proceeding against Deutsche Lotto- und Sportwetten Limited an undertaking registered in Malta, for allegedly misleading domestic consumers with the gambling services on its Hungarian-language website, called "Lottoland".

The GVH suspects that the company makes the false impression that it offers the services available on its website legally – as they probably have no licence to organise on-line gambling in Hungary. In addition, the company deliberately advertises certain services in a way similar to the legal and authorised gambles of other businesses (among others, with same names and designs), but this may mislead consumers. On their website, the name and the contact data of the company are indicated in an unclear and misleading way, which may also be suitable to exert an unfair influence on consumers’ decisions.

The initiation of the proceeding by the GVH does not mean that the undertaking has committed the infringement. The procedure aims to clarify the facts and thereby prove the alleged infringement. The time period provided for the completion of the proceeding is three months, which can be extended on two occasions in justified cases, with maximum two months in each case.

Case number: VJ/35/2022.

Press Office of the GVH

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