Online gaming on the focus of the 4th edition of the Eastern European Gaming Summit held under the aegis of EUROMAT

The latest trends and regulatory changes in the land based and online gaming were discussed during the Eastern European Gaming Summit, held on 17 October 2011, just a few days after the signing of the new draft of the Bulgarian Gambling Law at the Council of Ministers was announced and its expected voting in Parliament.

The latest trends and regulatory changes in the land based and online gaming were discussed during the Eastern European Gaming Summit, held on 17 October 2011, just a few days after the signing of the new draft of the Bulgarian Gambling Law at the Council of Ministers was announced and its expected voting in Parliament.

This year's conference was held under the aegis of EUROMAT – European Gaming and Amusement Federation and for its 4^th edition gathered together European regulators, associations and experts in Bulgaria, just in time, when adoption of the new Bulgarian Gambling Law was expected, and where the prospects to prepare a single Directive on online gaming were discussed at European level.

Already having strong positions as a leading Eastern European event, EEGS gathered over representatives of the industry and provided a platform for leading experts from the Eastern European region and the rest of the world to discuss and share their opinions on the latest topics related to the industry, including the hottest issue on the online gambling, along with the new regulatory changes in the region, corporate social responsibility and initiatives in this direction.

Welcome speeches at the conference were addressed by Helmut Kafka, Vice President of EUROMAT, Angel Iribozov, Chairman of Bulgarian Gaming Association (BTAMOGI) with the leading speech entitled ‘Prospects and vision of the gaming industry in Bulgaria’ presented by Kaloyan Krastev, Chairman of the Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling.

Conference program included the following highlights:

• Regulations gaining strength in Eastern Europe: motivations and priorities
• Regulating online gambling in the EU
• Online Gaming. Insight from US
• Regulatory Framework: helping or challenging business? How to achieve the right balance
• Online gambling – a new generation of gambling
• Lotteries’ and Sports betting: analysis, trends and prospects

On the focus of the program was the subject of the Online gambling, where Green Paper was discussed by leading European experts, including: Leslie McLeod Miller, Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, European Gaming and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT), Jan Decorte, lawyer and legal adviser, Koan Legal Strategies, Martina Barcarolli, Partner, Vovan & Associates, Nikolaos Roumakis, Consultant, Law Firm, Sinanides and Sinanides.

Presentations of Robert W. Stocker II, Chair of the Gaming Law Committee of the American Bar Association, and Joseph Weinert, Vice President of Spectrum Gaming Group gave an expert comment on the situation of the online gambling in the U.S., which is outlined as one of the most attractive and the most challenging at from a regulatory perspective markets for the development of this sector.

Understanding the importance of such an open forum for discussions, EEGS this year once again reviewed the most actual topics, which happened to be discussed while waiting for the legislative changes, synchronizing the opinions on this specific sector and outlining the strategic actions that may affect the development of gaming industry in the region. National specifics of the regulatory framework of the neighboring countries were also presented and discussed by representatives of the following European gaming associations:

Romania: CRISTIAN PASCU, Executive President, Romanian Gaming Association of Organizers and Producers (RGAOP)
Bulgaria: NADIA HRISTOVA, Member of the Management Board, Bulgarian Trade Association of the Manufacturers and Operators in the Gaming Industry (BTAMOGI)
Serbia: MIRJANA ACIMOVIC, President, Serbian Association of Gaming Organizers, Authorized Technicians and Producers of Gaming Equipment (JAKTA)

Croatia: DANKO VOJNOVIC, Secretary, Croatian association of automat clubs (HUAK)
Hungary: IVAN NEMETH, Hungarian Advisor, Remote Gaming Association (RGA)

A new discussion panel was included in the program of the conference this year, which was dedicated to the lotteries and sports betting, where representatives of the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator, Sportlife from F.Y.R of Macedonia and Mozzartbet from Serbia presented analysis, trends and prospects in their respective countries.

The initiator of the conference is Bulgarian Trade Association of manufacturers and operators in the gaming industry (BTAMOGI). Partners of the Summit this year were Spectrum Gaming Group, Association of Gaming Equipment (AGEM), Bulgarian Association for Management and Human Resource Development (BHRMDA) and the Bulgarian Commercial Chamber. The conference was held with the support of the Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling.

Photos from the conference you may find at http://www.eegamingsummit.com/631