IGambling market is considered by expert voices, the most dynamic sector of the gambling industry.
This opinion is supported by the representatives of Rombet association who believe that with the introduction in 2015 of the new legislative framework, Romania has become the most exciting and dynamic gambling market in Eastern Europe.
„In the light of all the information we have collected ,by participating in various internal and external events and initiating discussions with leading players, I can say that the online environment is, currently, the „ Big Bang „of the gambling industry. And any development strategy of the operators, Romanian or foreign, will have to include this direction „, says Mr. Dan Iliovici, senior vice president of Rombet.
The new legislative framework allowed online gambling operators to obtain licenses and permits to be able to offer gambling services on the Romanian market. “In their efforts, some of them have received constant support and advice from Rombet, and later became members of our association. Thus, Rombet currently has members working in this area. The same support enjoyed other members of Rombet -incumbents (land-based) in our country, who have chosen to take the step to the online environment,“ said Rombet VP, Anchidim Zăgrean.
Therefore, Romania is one step ahead of many European countries regarding the existence of a proper and operational legal framework. It joins a small number of Eastern European countries which have a well defined legislation, with Bulgaria (since 2012), Croatia (since 2013) and Belarus (since 204) on the list, while the Czech Republic and Poland are getting ready to regulate the iGambling field next year. The attention enjoyed by online environment at European level is fully justified. The advantages that virtual platforms offer are not only the variety of applications and sites or the multitude of payment methods, but also instant and permanent access to all online operators. In Romania only, there are around 13 million Internet users, most of whom are owners of smartphones, thus creating ideal conditions for the growth of iGambling sector in our country. This conclusion was reached also by participants in the international seminar „The exact time in Gambling” organized by Casino Life & Business Magazine and supported by the Rombet association, as a partner of the event.
Hosted at the Entertainment Arena Expo 2016 and moderated by Mr Dan Iliovici, senior vice president of Rombet, the event brought to the table leading names in the industry, and also representatives of the National Office for Gambling.
From the conference agenda we could not have missed the subject concerning the impact that the development of iGambling has on the gambling sector.
„At this moment in Romania, there are already 19 licensed operators for the virtual environment. 11 of them have a final license for 10 years. The rest have temporary licenses obtained during the past year, which will turn most probably, to permanent authorization, stated Mr Mihăiță Ruiu, General Director of the Directorate for Authorizations inside ONJN.
In the future, it is expected that the number of operators with definitive licenses to continue to increase, as the representative of Rombet, Dan Iliovici let us understand from his affirmation: ”Our association continues to have a strong relationship with operators of online games, with providers of related services in the country and abroad who are preparing to enter the Romanian market in the near future”.
With the momentum that online offers, industry voices draw attention to an aspect that can not be neglected, and this message was conveyed during the international seminar „The exact time in Gambling”. The development of the virtual environment brings along also the imperious need of dedicated JR (responsible gaming) division. „What we must not forget is social responsibility. Each operator, especially those who now set their own coordinates and business principles are called to apply the rules of responsible gaming.
The temptations are huge, especially with young people, so operators need to be more involved in educating players and imposing an accurate image of business as one of entertainment, not of a source of easy money for its clients, concludes Mr. Dan Alexandru Ghiță, the president of Rombet association.
