European Parliament, Strasbourg: EUROMAT calls for equitable treatment of all forms of gambling service distribution across the EU


Bulgarian gaming association (BTAMOGI) were present among the Members of EUROMAT, were its delegate also met the Euro deputies to discuss the focal points of the official topic, touching the issues of gaming regulation in Bulgaria.

Approximately 20 representatives of the different member associations of the European Gaming and Amusement Federation, EUROMAT, gathered today in Strasbourg to reach out to a variety of political persuasions and nationalities among Members of the European Parliament as part of a wider awareness raising campaign about gambling regulation in the EU. The European gaming sector saw revenues of just over 21 billion in 2009 and directly employs more than 280,000 people across the EU. “Today has been all about ensuring that when decisions are made at EU level which impact our sector, that those decisions are based on concrete knowledge as to how our sector operates, how many people we employ and our commitment to providing gambling services in a responsible manner”, said Annette Kok, President of EUROMAT and its Dutch member VAN. “With a Green Paper on remote gambling set to be adopted by the Commission this spring, the next 18-24 months will be critical for our sector”.


In light of the forthcoming publication of this Green Paper and the Council Conclusions on the framework for gambling and betting in the EU adopted late last year, EUROMAT members were keen to converse with MEPs on the future for gaming in the EU, both from a commercial and social perspective. With new distribution channels for gaming on the increase through various remote distribution channels, the EUROMAT members pressed MEPs on the need for equitable treatment of all channels used to provide gambling services, be they traditional or remote, state or privately owned.


The agenda for the day included an intensive program of meetings with more than 25 MEPs and a lunch hosted by MEP Christofer Fjellner (Sweden, EPP) who highlighted the necessity to ensure that EU decisionmakers are well informed about the challenges faced by the gaming and amusement sector. “We need a true European Internal Market for gambling. Member States worry more about protecting their own illegal monopolies than protecting consumers. Therefore it is urgent that the European Commission acts”, said MEP Fjellner.

 

Source: BTAMOGI