{"id":123666,"date":"2026-03-14T06:20:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T05:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/?p=123666"},"modified":"2026-03-14T06:20:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T05:20:42","slug":"eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Opinion Supports Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>EU Advocate General Says Courts May Freeze Offshore Gambling Accounts \u2013 Insolvency Outside the Bloc Not Automatic Barrier<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"key-takeaways\" title=\"Key Takeaways\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union stated that EU courts may issue preservation orders against offshore gambling operators, even if insolvency proceedings are opened outside the EU.<\/li><li>The opinion concerns Case C-716\/24, involving a German player seeking to recover around 57,000 euros from a Cura\u00e7ao-licensed operator.<\/li><li>The European Account Preservation Order mechanism allows courts to freeze bank accounts across EU Member States before enforcement.<\/li><li>Insolvency proceedings in third countries should be assessed at the enforcement stage, not when issuing a preservation order.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"opinion-in-case-c-716-24-addresses-offshore-gambling-structures\" title=\"Opinion in Case C-716\/24 Addresses Offshore Gambling Structures\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Opinion in Case C-716\/24 Addresses Offshore Gambling Structures<\/h2>\n\n<p>On 5 March, Advocate General Rimvydas Norkus delivered his opinion in Case C-716\/24, addressing how EU cross-border debt recovery tools interact with insolvency proceedings opened outside the European Union.<\/p>\n\n<p>The case stems from a claim brought by a German player who sought to recover approximately 57,000 euros in online gambling losses from DX Ltd NV, a company incorporated in Cura\u00e7ao. After obtaining a default judgment in Germany, the claimant applied for a European Account Preservation Order, known as EAPO, to freeze bank accounts believed to belong to the operator in Cyprus.<\/p>\n\n<p>The legal question examined by the Advocate General was whether insolvency proceedings opened in a non-EU jurisdiction should prevent an EU court from issuing such a preservation order against bank accounts located within the Union.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"how-the-european-account-preservation-order-works\" title=\"How the European Account Preservation Order Works\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How the European Account Preservation Order Works<\/h2>\n\n<p>The EAPO framework was created to enable creditors to secure assets held in bank accounts across EU Member States before enforcement takes place. In practical terms, it allows a court in one Member State to freeze funds in another Member State in order to prevent a debtor from transferring or withdrawing assets before a claim can be enforced.<\/p>\n\n<p>The mechanism is designed as a uniform cross-border enforcement tool. It aims to reduce the risk that debtors move funds across jurisdictions within the EU to avoid payment after a judgment has been issued.<\/p>\n\n<p>In the case at hand, the German claimant used this instrument to target accounts in Cyprus that were allegedly linked to the Cura\u00e7ao-licensed operator.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"insolvency-proceedings-in-third-countries-not-an-automatic-obstacle\" title=\"Insolvency Proceedings in Third Countries Not an Automatic Obstacle\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insolvency Proceedings in Third Countries Not an Automatic Obstacle<\/h2>\n\n<p>Complicating the matter, insolvency proceedings had been opened against DX Ltd NV in Cura\u00e7ao. As Cura\u00e7ao is not part of the European Union, its insolvency framework falls outside the EU Recast Insolvency Regulation.<\/p>\n\n<p>According to the Advocate General, Article 2(2)(c) of the EAPO Regulation must be interpreted as not precluding the issuing of a preservation order where national law in the Member State issuing the order recognises insolvency proceedings opened in a third country.<\/p>\n\n<p>In practical terms, this means that EU courts may still issue preservation orders freezing bank accounts within the EU even when insolvency proceedings against the debtor have been opened abroad and recognised under national law.<\/p>\n\n<p>The opinion clarifies that the reference to insolvency proceedings in the EAPO Regulation concerns only proceedings opened in EU Member States. Proceedings initiated in third countries fall outside that specific exclusion.<\/p>\n\n<p>The Advocate General further stated that potential conflicts between a preservation order and foreign insolvency proceedings should be examined at the enforcement stage rather than at the stage of issuing the order. A preservation order is considered a temporary measure intended solely to secure assets. Whether those assets can ultimately be used to satisfy a claim may depend on how courts reconcile the preservation order with foreign insolvency regimes later in the process.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"implications-for-cross-border-gambling-disputes\" title=\"Implications for Cross-Border Gambling Disputes\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implications for Cross-Border Gambling Disputes<\/h2>\n\n<p>The opinion highlights the legal exposure of offshore gambling operators that serve EU-based customers while maintaining corporate registration outside the bloc.<\/p>\n\n<p>Many operators licensed in jurisdictions such as Cura\u00e7ao rely on payment infrastructure located in EU financial centres, including Cyprus, Malta, Luxembourg and Ireland. This structure enables access to European banking systems even when operators do not hold national licences in the countries where their customers reside.<\/p>\n\n<p>According to the Advocate General\u2019s interpretation, such arrangements may not shield operators from asset-preservation measures if EU players obtain court judgments in their home jurisdictions.<\/p>\n\n<p>The opinion also follows another recent development at the Court of Justice of the European Union. In January 2026, in Case C-77\/24, referred to as the Wunner case, the Court ruled that plaintiffs may generally bring claims under the law of their home country when pursuing unlicensed operators. In that case, the Court supported the view of Austrian courts that, despite the absence of harmonised EU gambling laws, disputes can be pursued under national consumer and tort law. Malta had rejected that interpretation, arguing that foreign courts should not intervene in matters related to licences issued under the Malta Gambling Act.<\/p>\n\n<p>Taken together, these cases address how EU legal tools apply to operators established outside the Union but active within it.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"next-steps-in-the-judicial-process\" title=\"Next Steps in the Judicial Process\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Next Steps in the Judicial Process<\/h2>\n\n<p>The Advocate General\u2019s opinion is not the final judgment. A ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-716\/24 is expected later in 2026. The Court may follow the reasoning of the Advocate General or adopt a different interpretation.<\/p>\n\n<p>The final decision will determine whether EU courts can consistently rely on the EAPO framework to freeze accounts linked to offshore gambling operators, even where insolvency proceedings have been initiated outside the EU.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"our-assessment\" title=\"Our Assessment\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Assessment<\/h2>\n\n<p>The Advocate General\u2019s opinion in Case C-716\/24 states that insolvency proceedings opened in third countries should not automatically prevent EU courts from issuing preservation orders under the EAPO framework. For offshore gambling operators with banking infrastructure inside the EU, this interpretation indicates that assets held within Member States may be subject to freezing orders in cross-border disputes. A final judgment later in 2026 will clarify whether this approach becomes binding across the European Union.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"gambling-disclaimer\">\n\t<p>\n\t\tWe have imposed strict editorial guidelines on ourselves and explain our testing methods openly and comprehensively. We also communicate transparently how our work is financed. This site may contain tracking links, but this does not influence our objective view in any way.\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Advocate General of the CJEU stated that EU courts may freeze bank accounts of offshore gambling operators even if insolvency proceedings are opened outside the EU. A final ruling is expected later in 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":123665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[241],"tags":[],"news_crypto_coin":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-123666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"acf":{"faqs":null,"sort_number":20,"sort_number_no_override":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>EU Court Opinion on Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An EU Advocate General says courts may freeze EU bank accounts of offshore gambling operators despite non-EU insolvency proceedings.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kryptocasinos.com EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An EU Advocate General says courts may freeze EU bank accounts of offshore gambling operators despite non-EU insolvency proceedings.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kryptocasinos.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-14T05:20:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-14T05:20:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1408\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"736\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Isabella Brown\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Isabella Brown\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Isabella Brown\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/badee6a5ed8b6777da5bd380d112bcdc\"},\"headline\":\"EU Opinion Supports Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-14T06:20:38+01:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-14T06:20:42+01:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\"},\"wordCount\":973,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#respond\"]}],\"description\":\"\",\"isAccessibleForFree\":true,\"articleBody\":\"EU Advocate General Says Courts May Freeze Offshore Gambling Accounts - Insolvency Outside the Bloc Not Automatic Barrier\\n\\nKey Takeaways\\n\\nThe Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union stated that EU courts may issue preservation orders against offshore gambling operators, even if insolvency proceedings are opened outside the EU.The opinion concerns Case C-716\/24, involving a German player seeking to recover around 57,000 euros from a Cura\u00e7ao-licensed operator.The European Account Preservation Order mechanism allows courts to freeze bank accounts across EU Member States before enforcement.Insolvency proceedings in third countries should be assessed at the enforcement stage, not when issuing a preservation order.\\n\\nOpinion in Case C-716\/24 Addresses Offshore Gambling Structures\\n\\nOn 5 March, Advocate General Rimvydas Norkus delivered his opinion in Case C-716\/24, addressing how EU cross-border debt recovery tools interact with insolvency proceedings opened outside the European Union.\\n\\nThe case stems from a claim brought by a German player who sought to recover approximately 57,000 euros in online gambling losses from DX Ltd NV, a company incorporated in Cura\u00e7ao. After obtaining a default judgment in Germany, the claimant applied for a European Account Preservation Order, known as EAPO, to freeze bank accounts believed to belong to the operator in Cyprus.\\n\\nThe legal question examined by the Advocate General was whether insolvency proceedings opened in a non-EU jurisdiction should prevent an EU court from issuing such a preservation order against bank accounts located within the Union.\\n\\nHow the European Account Preservation Order Works\\n\\nThe EAPO framework was created to enable creditors to secure assets held in bank accounts across EU Member States before enforcement takes place. In practical terms, it allows a court in one Member State to freeze funds in another Member State in order to prevent a debtor from transferring or withdrawing assets before a claim can be enforced.\\n\\nThe mechanism is designed as a uniform cross-border enforcement tool. It aims to reduce the risk that debtors move funds across jurisdictions within the EU to avoid payment after a judgment has been issued.\\n\\nIn the case at hand, the German claimant used this instrument to target accounts in Cyprus that were allegedly linked to the Cura\u00e7ao-licensed operator.\\n\\nInsolvency Proceedings in Third Countries Not an Automatic Obstacle\\n\\nComplicating the matter, insolvency proceedings had been opened against DX Ltd NV in Cura\u00e7ao. As Cura\u00e7ao is not part of the European Union, its insolvency framework falls outside the EU Recast Insolvency Regulation.\\n\\nAccording to the Advocate General, Article 2(2)(c) of the EAPO Regulation must be interpreted as not precluding the issuing of a preservation order where national law in the Member State issuing the order recognises insolvency proceedings opened in a third country.\\n\\nIn practical terms, this means that EU courts may still issue preservation orders freezing bank accounts within the EU even when insolvency proceedings against the debtor have been opened abroad and recognised under national law.\\n\\nThe opinion clarifies that the reference to insolvency proceedings in the EAPO Regulation concerns only proceedings opened in EU Member States. Proceedings initiated in third countries fall outside that specific exclusion.\\n\\nThe Advocate General further stated that potential conflicts between a preservation order and foreign insolvency proceedings should be examined at the enforcement stage rather than at the stage of issuing the order. A preservation order is considered a temporary measure intended solely to secure assets. Whether those assets can ultimately be used to satisfy a claim may depend on how courts reconcile the preservation order with foreign insolvency regimes later in the process.\\n\\nImplications for Cross-Border Gambling Disputes\\n\\nThe opinion highlights the legal exposure of offshore gambling operators that serve EU-based customers while maintaining corporate registration outside the bloc.\\n\\nMany operators licensed in jurisdictions such as Cura\u00e7ao rely on payment infrastructure located in EU financial centres, including Cyprus, Malta, Luxembourg and Ireland. This structure enables access to European banking systems even when operators do not hold national licences in the countries where their customers reside.\\n\\nAccording to the Advocate General\u2019s interpretation, such arrangements may not shield operators from asset-preservation measures if EU players obtain court judgments in their home jurisdictions.\\n\\nThe opinion also follows another recent development at the Court of Justice of the European Union. In January 2026, in Case C-77\/24, referred to as the Wunner case, the Court ruled that plaintiffs may generally bring claims under the law of their home country when pursuing unlicensed operators. In that case, the Court supported the view of Austrian courts that, despite the absence of harmonised EU gambling laws, disputes can be pursued under national consumer and tort law. Malta had rejected that interpretation, arguing that foreign courts should not intervene in matters related to licences issued under the Malta Gambling Act.\\n\\nTaken together, these cases address how EU legal tools apply to operators established outside the Union but active within it.\\n\\nNext Steps in the Judicial Process\\n\\nThe Advocate General\u2019s opinion is not the final judgment. A ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-716\/24 is expected later in 2026. The Court may follow the reasoning of the Advocate General or adopt a different interpretation.\\n\\nThe final decision will determine whether EU courts can consistently rely on the EAPO framework to freeze accounts linked to offshore gambling operators, even where insolvency proceedings have been initiated outside the EU.\\n\\nOur Assessment\\n\\nThe Advocate General\u2019s opinion in Case C-716\/24 states that insolvency proceedings opened in third countries should not automatically prevent EU courts from issuing preservation orders under the EAPO framework. For offshore gambling operators with banking infrastructure inside the EU, this interpretation indicates that assets held within Member States may be subject to freezing orders in cross-border disputes. A final judgment later in 2026 will clarify whether this approach becomes binding across the European Union.\\n\\n\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\",\"name\":\"EU Court Opinion on Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-14T06:20:38+01:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-14T06:20:42+01:00\",\"description\":\"An EU Advocate General says courts may freeze EU bank accounts of offshore gambling operators despite non-EU insolvency proceedings.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg\",\"width\":1408,\"height\":736,\"caption\":\"EU courthouse with star emblem, island bank, palm tree, and frozen vault door locked with ice and chains\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"EU Opinion Supports Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Kryptocasinos.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Kryptocasinos.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg\",\"width\":109,\"height\":34,\"caption\":\"Kryptocasinos.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/\"],\"description\":\"Discover top-rated crypto casinos for %%currentyear%% with fast Bitcoin payouts, trustworthy security, and fair bonuses. See which casinos truly deliver.\",\"address\":{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"streetAddress\":\"557 Fuk Wing St\",\"addressLocality\":\"Cheung Sha Wan\",\"addressRegion\":\"HK\",\"postalCode\":\"999077\",\"addressCountry\":\"CN\"},\"contactPoint\":{\"@type\":\"ContactPoint\",\"email\":\"contact@kryptocasinos.com\"},\"foundingDate\":\"2021-03-27\",\"email\":\"hello@kryptocasinos.com\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"11\",\"maxValue\":\"50\"},\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/editorial-guidelines\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/badee6a5ed8b6777da5bd380d112bcdc\",\"name\":\"Isabella Brown\",\"description\":\"Online Gambling, Greece and my dog Gringo are my three favorite things in my life. Before working for Kryptocasinos.com I was leading the content team of an iGaming Online magazine where I was focused on researching casinos, their licenses and the connection between the members of the industry.\",\"birthDate\":\"1995-02-13\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/author\/isabella\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"EU Court Opinion on Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts","description":"An EU Advocate General says courts may freeze EU bank accounts of offshore gambling operators despite non-EU insolvency proceedings.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/","og_type":"article","og_title":"Kryptocasinos.com EN","og_description":"An EU Advocate General says courts may freeze EU bank accounts of offshore gambling operators despite non-EU insolvency proceedings.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/","og_site_name":"Kryptocasinos.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/","article_published_time":"2026-03-14T05:20:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-14T05:20:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1408,"height":736,"url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Isabella Brown","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Isabella Brown","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/"},"author":{"name":"Isabella Brown","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/badee6a5ed8b6777da5bd380d112bcdc"},"headline":"EU Opinion Supports Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts","datePublished":"2026-03-14T06:20:38+01:00","dateModified":"2026-03-14T06:20:42+01:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/"},"wordCount":973,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#respond"]}],"description":"","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleBody":"EU Advocate General Says Courts May Freeze Offshore Gambling Accounts - Insolvency Outside the Bloc Not Automatic Barrier\n\nKey Takeaways\n\nThe Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union stated that EU courts may issue preservation orders against offshore gambling operators, even if insolvency proceedings are opened outside the EU.The opinion concerns Case C-716\/24, involving a German player seeking to recover around 57,000 euros from a Cura\u00e7ao-licensed operator.The European Account Preservation Order mechanism allows courts to freeze bank accounts across EU Member States before enforcement.Insolvency proceedings in third countries should be assessed at the enforcement stage, not when issuing a preservation order.\n\nOpinion in Case C-716\/24 Addresses Offshore Gambling Structures\n\nOn 5 March, Advocate General Rimvydas Norkus delivered his opinion in Case C-716\/24, addressing how EU cross-border debt recovery tools interact with insolvency proceedings opened outside the European Union.\n\nThe case stems from a claim brought by a German player who sought to recover approximately 57,000 euros in online gambling losses from DX Ltd NV, a company incorporated in Cura\u00e7ao. After obtaining a default judgment in Germany, the claimant applied for a European Account Preservation Order, known as EAPO, to freeze bank accounts believed to belong to the operator in Cyprus.\n\nThe legal question examined by the Advocate General was whether insolvency proceedings opened in a non-EU jurisdiction should prevent an EU court from issuing such a preservation order against bank accounts located within the Union.\n\nHow the European Account Preservation Order Works\n\nThe EAPO framework was created to enable creditors to secure assets held in bank accounts across EU Member States before enforcement takes place. In practical terms, it allows a court in one Member State to freeze funds in another Member State in order to prevent a debtor from transferring or withdrawing assets before a claim can be enforced.\n\nThe mechanism is designed as a uniform cross-border enforcement tool. It aims to reduce the risk that debtors move funds across jurisdictions within the EU to avoid payment after a judgment has been issued.\n\nIn the case at hand, the German claimant used this instrument to target accounts in Cyprus that were allegedly linked to the Cura\u00e7ao-licensed operator.\n\nInsolvency Proceedings in Third Countries Not an Automatic Obstacle\n\nComplicating the matter, insolvency proceedings had been opened against DX Ltd NV in Cura\u00e7ao. As Cura\u00e7ao is not part of the European Union, its insolvency framework falls outside the EU Recast Insolvency Regulation.\n\nAccording to the Advocate General, Article 2(2)(c) of the EAPO Regulation must be interpreted as not precluding the issuing of a preservation order where national law in the Member State issuing the order recognises insolvency proceedings opened in a third country.\n\nIn practical terms, this means that EU courts may still issue preservation orders freezing bank accounts within the EU even when insolvency proceedings against the debtor have been opened abroad and recognised under national law.\n\nThe opinion clarifies that the reference to insolvency proceedings in the EAPO Regulation concerns only proceedings opened in EU Member States. Proceedings initiated in third countries fall outside that specific exclusion.\n\nThe Advocate General further stated that potential conflicts between a preservation order and foreign insolvency proceedings should be examined at the enforcement stage rather than at the stage of issuing the order. A preservation order is considered a temporary measure intended solely to secure assets. Whether those assets can ultimately be used to satisfy a claim may depend on how courts reconcile the preservation order with foreign insolvency regimes later in the process.\n\nImplications for Cross-Border Gambling Disputes\n\nThe opinion highlights the legal exposure of offshore gambling operators that serve EU-based customers while maintaining corporate registration outside the bloc.\n\nMany operators licensed in jurisdictions such as Cura\u00e7ao rely on payment infrastructure located in EU financial centres, including Cyprus, Malta, Luxembourg and Ireland. This structure enables access to European banking systems even when operators do not hold national licences in the countries where their customers reside.\n\nAccording to the Advocate General\u2019s interpretation, such arrangements may not shield operators from asset-preservation measures if EU players obtain court judgments in their home jurisdictions.\n\nThe opinion also follows another recent development at the Court of Justice of the European Union. In January 2026, in Case C-77\/24, referred to as the Wunner case, the Court ruled that plaintiffs may generally bring claims under the law of their home country when pursuing unlicensed operators. In that case, the Court supported the view of Austrian courts that, despite the absence of harmonised EU gambling laws, disputes can be pursued under national consumer and tort law. Malta had rejected that interpretation, arguing that foreign courts should not intervene in matters related to licences issued under the Malta Gambling Act.\n\nTaken together, these cases address how EU legal tools apply to operators established outside the Union but active within it.\n\nNext Steps in the Judicial Process\n\nThe Advocate General\u2019s opinion is not the final judgment. A ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-716\/24 is expected later in 2026. The Court may follow the reasoning of the Advocate General or adopt a different interpretation.\n\nThe final decision will determine whether EU courts can consistently rely on the EAPO framework to freeze accounts linked to offshore gambling operators, even where insolvency proceedings have been initiated outside the EU.\n\nOur Assessment\n\nThe Advocate General\u2019s opinion in Case C-716\/24 states that insolvency proceedings opened in third countries should not automatically prevent EU courts from issuing preservation orders under the EAPO framework. For offshore gambling operators with banking infrastructure inside the EU, this interpretation indicates that assets held within Member States may be subject to freezing orders in cross-border disputes. A final judgment later in 2026 will clarify whether this approach becomes binding across the European Union.\n\n"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/","name":"EU Court Opinion on Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-14T06:20:38+01:00","dateModified":"2026-03-14T06:20:42+01:00","description":"An EU Advocate General says courts may freeze EU bank accounts of offshore gambling operators despite non-EU insolvency proceedings.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts.jpg","width":1408,"height":736,"caption":"EU courthouse with star emblem, island bank, palm tree, and frozen vault door locked with ice and chains"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/eu-court-opinion-freezing-offshore-gambling-accounts\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"EU Opinion Supports Freezing Offshore Gambling Accounts"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/","name":"Kryptocasinos.com","description":"","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Kryptocasinos.com","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg","width":109,"height":34,"caption":"Kryptocasinos.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/"],"description":"Discover top-rated crypto casinos for %%currentyear%% with fast Bitcoin payouts, trustworthy security, and fair bonuses. 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