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  Gaming Regulators European Forum
 

ANNUAL MEETING OF GREF IN ST. JULIAN'S, MALTA, 24 - 28 APRIL 2002

The Gaming Regulators European Forum, or GREF in its abbreviated form, was founded in 1989 and consists of representatives from gaming regulatory organisations throughout Europe. Its two main objects as stated in its constitution are:
  1. to provide a forum in which European gaming regulators can meet, exchange views and information and discuss policy on gaming matters; and
    2.
  2. on special occasions and with the agreement of participants represent the different views of European gaming regulators and also provide a central point of contact for enquiries directed at them from authorities or related organisations in Europe and elsewhere.
    3.

At its meeting in St. Julian's, Malta, from 24 to 28 April 2002, 60 participants were present from 19 European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom). Also 4 regulators from New Zealand and South Africa attended the meeting as observers.

Invited guest speakers were Mr. Silvio Camilleri (Deputy Attorney General in Malta) on money laundering and Mr. Philippe Vlaemminck (Vlaemminck & Partners Lawyers Belgium) on European Union developments.

Under the chairmanship of Lars Lundholm (Sweden), major items on the agenda were gambling on the Internet, money laundering and European Union developments.

Reports were given by all delegations on significant developments during the last year in their countries, such as major changes in general policies or regulations regarding gaming (including developments on Internet gambling), developments in specific areas (problem gambling, money laundering, illegal gambling, cross border trading) and significant developments in the gambling industries (lotteries, betting, casinos, bingo, slot machines).

In small break out groups and during the plenary session, delegates reviewed a draft position statement on Internet gambling by the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), in order to realise a European input to the discussions within IAGR on the statement. During last year's meeting of GREF it was agreed that its own position statement on gambling on the Internet, as adopted at the annual meeting of GREF in Helsinki in 1998, will remain unchanged, pending the outcome of the discussions within IAGR. These discussions and the possible adoption by IAGR of a world wide position statement will take place in September 2002 in San Diego, USA.

Visits were made to three casinos in Malta, the Dragonara Casino, the Oracle Casino and the Casino di Venezia.

The Forum agreed that next year's meeting will take place in Riga, Latvia.

More information on GREF is available at its web site (www.gref.net) and through its secretary Tom Kavanagh (Gaming Board for Great Britain, tel. + 44-207-30662553) or its administrator Eric van Vondelen (Netherlands gaming control board, tel. + 31-70-3614422).

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