Execution Pokerstars. Apparently, payment is not voluntary (page 137)

Calm down a bit. The official text of the ECJ ruling (C-440/23 of 16 April 2026) is cautiously worded and primarily supports the right of member states to impose bans and civil sanctions – more so than it grants players an automatic advantage.

Legal action is possible and suspended proceedings can now be resumed, but success is by no means guaranteed. It still depends solely on national law (German Interstate Gambling Treaty or Austrian Gambling Act) and the circumstances of the individual case.

There is no basis for the claim that the ruling is "consistently consumer-friendly".

Additionally: Enforcement or collection in Malta remains very difficult to impossible, as Malta systematically rejects foreign judgments in gambling recovery cases.

Then you read a different press release than I did. It almost seems to me as if you're on the other side 😉

That's it, it's over, that's a fact! Bill 55 is a completely different story. The closing argument will follow on April 23rd.

Anyone who reads anything other than positive into judgment c-440/23 is beyond help 😅

Hello. Does anyone have experience with losses at Ice Casino? Are there any chances of getting refunds for losses there?

The casinos don't give a damn about the ruling. I just messaged one of them and was immediately blocked. They said they're sticking to their guns and won't pay out. And it's about Lottoland, so I'm curious to see if we'll ever get anything.

Do you think this ruling will help against casinos in Curaçao? Or other islands?

That's right! I see it the same way! They knew the verdict would turn out this way anyway.

What are your feelings about the future? Will Joker Stars finally pay?

No one will pay as long as Malta passes its own law and acknowledges that it's illegal. As long as Malta stands behind the casinos, forget it. They're even ignoring the European Court of Justice—what more can you say?

It's awfully quiet here and on the network too. None of the PFs are informing us about the current status or what might happen next. We have to painstakingly piece everything together ourselves. That's not right either.

Everyone is waiting for today's final motion on Bill 55, dated April 23, 2026…

Sounds good for us, right? What do you think?

Yes and no.

The message is excellent: Bill55 is unacceptable. BUT: apparently, no verdict will be reached in the proceedings. This means Bill55 remains in place. This means there will be no enforcement and therefore no money.

Now we have to wait for the EU's infringement proceedings against Malta...which could take forever again.

The world's longest chewing gum keeps stretching...can someone please call Ursula von der Leyen?

https://www.advofin.at/online-casinos/eugh-generalanwalt-bill-55/

When the average citizen receives a legally binding judgment, they expect the matter to be settled. The fact that a Maltese law has now declared the judgment invalid, and that the European Ombudsman (OOM) is proposing not to rule on the case at all for "procedural reasons," gives the impression that justice is being deliberately obstructed. Today, the ball is in the court of the EU Court of Justice. It must decide whether to submit to the OOM's decision as a "bureaucratic" body and declare the case inadmissible, or whether to acknowledge the anger and injustice and deliver a judgment that protects the European legal order.

In your opinion, should the mass media (such as television and major online portals) give more space to the AG's statement in order to transform the public's anger into even stronger public pressure?

Although I understand that, despite positive developments, no payout will be made in my case for the time being as long as Bill 55 remains in effect, the proceedings at the Higher Regional Court have progressed surprisingly quickly. Put simply, the court is indicating that the defendant casino would be well advised to critically examine the prospects of success of the appeal and, if necessary, withdraw it.

The request for a retrial was submitted on April 20th, and the corresponding letter was sent to both parties on April 23rd. The casino has now been given a three-week deadline.

Quote from the Higher Regional Court:

"The defendant is also requested to comment within the aforementioned period as to whether, with regard to

The decision of the ECJ of 16.04.2026 may lead to the withdrawal of the appeal.

In the event of the appeal being withdrawn, the court fees would be reduced from 4.0 to 2.0 fees.

I am now hoping for a settlement offer, even though it seems rather unlikely, since the casinos are still protected by Bill 55.

If your case has also been suspended pending the decision of the ECJ (C-440/23), you should take action independently: Contact your lawyer and ask him to file an application for reopening the case.

This is merely a recommendation. In clear-cut cases, it is very likely that an appeal will be rejected, as the opposing party cannot present any new evidence. Particularly in cases involving casinos, the legal situation has been considered largely settled since the ECJ ruling.

HEADLINE: Milestone before the ECJ: The "Malta Shield" (Bill 55) has effectively fallen! (C-198/24)

Hello everyone,

Today there is historic news from Luxembourg that represents a huge step forward for all of us! The European Court of Justice (ECJ) today (May 21, 2026) delivered its judgment in the long-awaited case C-198/24 (Mr Green) and fully endorsed the consumer-friendly opinion of the Advocate General.

What was it about?

An Austrian player attempted to secure his legally awarded winnings/losses via a European Account Preservation Order (EAPO). The Maltese operators countered with the notorious Maltese law "Bill 55" (Article 56A Gaming Act), which allegedly prohibits enforcement from abroad. They also claimed there was no longer any "urgency" because considerable time had passed since the judgments.

What did the European Court of Justice decide today?

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has given the providers a resounding rebuke:

Maltese law does not override EU law: The existence of legal blockages in Malta (such as Bill 55) is, as of today, official proof that there is a real risk that players will otherwise never see their money. This is the perfect reason for German and Austrian courts to immediately issue EAPO orders (account freezes).

The passage of time does not protect casinos: Just because operators changed their payment methods years ago or a lot of time has passed, the risk for the player does not disappear. As long as the casino refuses payment, the urgency remains.

What does that mean for us specifically?

We no longer need to painstakingly try to collect money directly in Malta. Our lawyers can now use the EAPO procedure to have accounts belonging to Mr Green and similar companies in other EU countries (such as Sweden for Trustly, Luxembourg, or Germany) frozen instantly. Once the accounts are frozen, the casinos will have to pay up to avoid jeopardizing their operations.

Anyone still hesitating or whose case was "on hold" due to Malta: Contact your lawyers or litigation funders immediately! The path to our money is now freer and faster than ever before.

A huge victory for player protection in Europe!

Another tiny spark of hope. It never ends. Hmmm

https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000322566/endet-das-gluecksspielmonopol-neuer-gesetzesentwurf-laesst-darauf-schliessen

Thanks for the info, it all sounds great. The forum was primarily about PokerStars. My lawyer said he doesn't know of any accounts outside of Malta that can be seized, so none of this helps us. (PokerStars) Unless someone has information about PokerStars accounts in Germany, please share it.

Good luck everyone, I've given up hope. There's always some new argument as to why I don't get my losses refunded. So PokerStars won't pay until bill55 is gone, and then what? Even then, you have to enforce the claim, which takes a long time again.

Anyway, just give me TSG's German bank details and everything will be fine 😂