Message from the President of the National Office for Gambling Tiberiu Alin Ion Teodor
Dear colleagues in the gambling industry, it is a real joy and honor to be with you today, at the beginning of a new year.
At the beginning of the year, as a result of our continuous joint effort, we managed to complete the draft sectoral regulations in the field of preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing, a project in which a significant contribution was made by market representatives through the advisory board.
It is the first project with a large impact, which, although it appears later than we intended, is an example of European and international dimensions.
The risks of money laundering and terrorist financing are a major concern for the European Union’s financial system and the security of its citizens.
From 2018, the European Union has stricter rules on combating money laundering. These rules make it difficult to hide illegal funds through layers of fictitious companies and strengthen controls on high-risk third countries. The rules also strengthen the role of financial supervisors and improve access to and exchange of information.
However, the rules must be constantly adapted to deal with the risks posed by:
• technological innovation – such as virtual currencies
•increasing the integration of financial flows into the internal market
• the global dimension of terrorist organizations
• the ingenuity of criminals to exploit gaps or problems in the system
Following the publication of the sectoral regulations in the field of preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing, the priority will be activity financed entirely from own revenues, to promote compliance with the principles and measures on socially responsible gambling. There are many reasons for the lack of reaction on the part of the authorities, and their listing is irrelevant. It is vital to know who we are today so that we can project where we want to go tomorrow. It is a staged road, and every new year must be a step forward on this road.
I welcome the commitment and involvement of the Secretary-General, who will assume the efficiency and implementation of the program in 2022. The Secretary-General confirmed to me that intense work is being done on the procedure under which the service will be unblocked and its own revenue can be used for prevention of gambling addiction and will be allocated to activities and programs to protect young people and gamblers from gambling, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction, responsible promotion and publicity, prompt and effective resolution of disputes between an organizer game and a player.
Gambling should never have a human cost, so it’s important how we promote safer gambling in the community, helping industry stakeholders reduce risk and minimize damage, and discover new perspectives on gambling and its impact. on people, businesses and communities.
We seek to influence positive change and promote responsible gaming standards because people have the right to feel safe, to live happily, and to have access to support when they need it. Partnerships with the gambling industry can minimize the risks to their customers, their reputation and their business performance, by creating safe and sustainable gambling behaviors that benefit both players and the industry.
