Reflecting on the past 12 months, ECA chairman Per Jaldung said: "2016 has been a successful year for the European Casino Association. We were delighted to welcome San Marino and Montenegro as our newest members and are proud to now represent the interests of approximately 900 casinos and over 70,000 employees in 26 countries across Europe.”
According to Jaldung, the Brussels-based association has been active in the field of illicit gambling during the year. "We published a position paper on illegal gambling services that called on the European Commission and all policy-makers to develop a comprehensive approach to tackle this growing issue,” he said.
"We suggest some concrete tools that policy-makers can use to combat illegal gambling. For instance, a combination of tools such as payment and IP blocking, as well as the creation of white lists and black lists to inform consumers, banks, media and internet service providers could prove useful to combat illegal gambling.”
The ECA’s role is not only to combat illegal gambling. In addition to facilitating dialogue between its members, the association has also been focusing on numerous events that serve to promote the industry and recognise the efforts of its employees. "For us, the highlights of the year are always the inspiring events we organise,” Jaldung explained. "Like, for instance, the annual European Dealer Championship, which brings together Europe’s best dealers in order to crown Europe’s champion.”
At the recent ECA winter board meeting, the association discussed its goals for 2017. "We want to continue to be a reliable partner for the EU institutions and provide the direct experience from the casino floor in the various ongoing discussions at the political level – on topics such as illegal gambling, anti-money laundering and online gambling, as well as the positive impact of the land-based casino industry to society,” Jaldung said.
"This should be seen in terms of work opportunities, diversity, integration, business opportunities for all related services and goods, such as hotels, taxis, cleaning, flowers and landscaping, food and beverages and construction.”
Earlier this year, the ECA announced it had formed a transatlantic partnership with the American Gaming Association. The partnership was formed amid the rising global nature of illegal gaming and for finding best practice in implementing measures against money laundering.
For 2017, the ECA is preparing its International Casino Conference (ICC), which again takes place at London’s Hippodrome Casino on 6 February. Providing a preview to the conference, Jaldung said: "The topic of this year’s ICC, which is once again organised in collaboration with our partner Clarion, is focused on the future of the casino industry. We will discuss how the casino sector can incorporate new trends and attract new generations through new channels.
"The global outlook of this year, which will see noteworthy speakers from across the world, will be a great opportunity to discuss fresh ideas, regulatory developments and trends from different regions of the world at a high level.”
