MAGAZINE OF THE EUROPEAN LOTTERIES, 2011, SEPTEMBER ...

EL LEGAL WORKSHOP IN KIEV
A STEP INTO
EASTERN EUROPE
BY DELIA ORABONA, EL LEGAL ADVISER
Nobody knows where the borders of Europe end. It is
becoming more and more important for the European
Lotteries to maintain and to expand its activity in the
already enlarged and future enlarging Europe, in order
to explore new countries´ lottery models and to help
the Eastern countries in developing their gambling
activity, by promoting the development and effective
communication between members.
The LegalWorkshop held last April 28 in Kiev (Ukraine),
organised by the European Lotteries and hosted by the
Ukrainian Lottery, MSL, was a great opportunity and a
forum mostly for the Eastern countries which were actively
participating with different presentations on the
various Lottery´s models.
Different countries took part in the workshop: Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia,
Serbia and Ukraine.
The workshop was introduced by Mr. George Lozhenko,
President of MSL, and by Mr. Yuriy Poluneyev, from
the Ukrainian Parliament. Mr. TjeerdVeenstra, as Chair
of the Legal, Statutes & Members Committee and of the
Regulatory Working Group, gave a presentation on the
activities of the Association.
The presentations of Mr. Philippe Vlaemminck and Ms
Delia Orabona, both Legal Advisors of the European Lotteries,
provided more in-depth information on legal topics.
Mr. Vlaemminck gave a comprehensive picture of the
impact of EU law on non-EU countries by presenting
on the organisation of Lotteries according to EU law
and the current legal framework on gambling, the EU
gambling market, the role of Lotteries in the EU, the
case law and pending cases before the Court of Justice
of the EU and on the political situation in the EU.
WORKSHOPS
Ms Delia Orabona gave an overview of the economic
partnership and cooperation agreements of the EU with
the Eastern countries. The discussion which followed
was enriched by the intervention of the former Ukrainian
Ambassador to the EU, M. Roman Shpek, who noted that
the list of potential EU countries may increase and that
more opportunities for dialogue and confrontation with
the EU should be opened to Eastern countries.
The debate showed that Eastern countries have a big
potential and the opportunity to join or to renew their
membership with EL would be a great step towards
their success in their home country. Moreover, the
whole network would benefit from their experience
and from the different approaches to the constantly
changing lottery´s environment.
The second panel of the workshop focused on the different
ways of development of gambling legislation in the
countries of the former Soviet Union, on the example of
Ukraine, whereby Mr. Danylo Getmantsev, Legal Adviser
of MSL, gave a presentation.
Further Mr. Friedrich Stickler, President of EL, and Mr.
Martin Jekl, Managing Director of Win2Day (Austrian
Lotteries), provided an insight into how to regulate Internet
and on best practices for Lotteries. In particular,
Mr. Jekl focused his presentation on the online gaming
services.
All this has been supported by an excellent organization
from MSL in the persons of Ms Svetlana Yevdokimova
and Ms Natalie Kilmenko, and by the warm hospitality
of Mr. Lozhenko, Mr. Vlasenko and Mr. Getmantsev.
EL is looking forward to future occasions for meetings
and exchanges within Eastern European countries.
26 NEWS 37 SEPTEMBER 2011