Maltese company scams Hungarian gamblers, receives gigantic fine

A nefarious trick was used to rip off people who thought they were playing with the products of Hungarian state-run Szerencsejáték. In fact, a Maltese company simply copied the Hungarian company’s games.

Hungary’s Competition Office (GVH) has fined Deutsche Lotto- und Sportwetten Limited, registered in Malta, HUF 345 million (EUR 873,000) for operating a Hungarian language lottery website intended to replicate one run by state-owned lottery company Szerencsejáték.

GVH said it had taken into account the traffic generated by the Lottoland website, as well as the operator’s decision to waive its right of appeal when determining the size of the fine. Szerencsejáték earlier sued the Lottoland operator for trademark infringement and won.

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