Rombet introduces a new article of the Responsible Gambling series
The gambling industry continues to have a progressive development worldwide and, moreover, efforts to regulate the field are growing too. And these regulations spread in both Romania and the world with a special focus on Responsible Gambling (JR) through the implementation of measures both in land based and online environments, where the dynamics of new technologies and game platforms are much bigger.
Recently, at the seminar focused on fiscal policy organized by Rombet in Iasi, Mr. Dan Iliovici, president of the National Gambling Office, emphasized the importance of the body he manages for the Responsible Gambling subject. “It is a very special and very sensitive area. Fortunately, the ONJN leadership is a team that knows the industry well, the problems it faces. That is precisely why we advise you most seriously: pay due attention to Responsible Gambling” says the message the ONJN chairman sent during the Rombet seminar.
The next steps for our country will be the establishment of the Foundation for social responsible gambling, a measure provided by the legislation in force and promised by ONJN for the immediate future. From the point of view of the involvement of both organizers and legislators alike, in social responsibility projects and initiatives, we have many examples where similar industries in other European countries, and not only, already put into practice or are about to start those projects.
Recently, Australia, the state for which Responsible Gambling actions are marked as a priority at the industry level, has announced that it will implement a series of measures designed to protect gamblers from the negative effects of gambling.
Efforts will focus primarily on the online environment, which has an unprecedented development not only in Australia but also around the world, and imply:
banning the option currently available to operators to provide players with credit lines, introducing the possibility to preset a maximum amount of money to play with and the establishment of a national self-exclusion register.
The idea of the registry is not new. In the UK, industry-standard for Responsible Gambling projects, such a registry is in the testing phase, to be implemented across the country by the end of this year, and in Sweden, Svenska Spel, the state-owned operator, already offers the auto-exclusion option. But the most important measure announced by the Australian government was the funding of a national survey in order to provide a thorough analysis of the phenomenon as well as solutions for its management.
„ “This is not the first time we open this topic. Many times Rombet, through the voice of its representatives, talked about the need for a similar study in our country.
In order to design projects, implement them and monitor their efficiency, we need to know what the real situation is at this moment in Romania. We need to know some parameters, such as the proportion of the players with problematic behavior, the reasons why they play, their preferences, the mechanisms that triggered addiction and many other issues.
That’s the only way we can talk about real and effective programs that really come to support players and, in fact, the entire gambling industry, “said Rombet CEO Bogdan Coman.
Rombet will continue to speak, including in the seminars it organizes, about how important it is for each operator to realize that it has a duty to its players, that of protecting them. The Foundation of Public Interest, the Fund that will finance its activities, the unitary effort of the associations, organizers and state institutions together with the elaboration of a National Responsible Gambling Strategy are all just a few steps we can take in this direction, together.
“We are delighted with the involvement of the ONJN in the matter of the Responsible Gambling and we strongly believe that with the appointment of Mr. Iliovici as the president of this institution, a new stage has begun for the gambling industry in general and for the social responsibility chapter in particular. We are aware of how important this subject is for Mr. Dan Iliovici. He has proved it over the years repeatedly, being always present at the international events dedicated to RG – responsible gambling – speaking to our members on this issue or personally engaging in cases where he was asked for help. We have no doubt that we will soon see things progressing well in our country, both for us and for all those who want a solid, balanced and healthy industry”, concluded Rombet president, Mr. Dan Alexandru Ghiță.
