With Alin Teodor, President of ONJN about termination of the state of alert on the territory of Romania …
Romania and implicitly the traditional gambling industry have been going through one of the most difficult periods in recent history for more than two years. Although it was a challenging and unprecedented time, in the end our joint effort paid off.
I thank the industry for the responsibility it has shown, for understanding that it has complied with the rules of health protection and they have chosen to be vaccinated, thus limiting the spread of the pandemic, together we manage to overcome difficult times.
Starting with March 9, the Government Decision no. 171 of February 3, 2022 on the extension of the state of alert on the territory of Romania and the establishment of measures to be applied during it to prevent and combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus, starting with the same date, all restrictions and restriction or prohibition activities as provided for in the said normative act.
It is no secret that the whole industry has been affected in the last 2 years but due to the experience gained by the operators doubled with the measures adopted by the government during the pandemic, things will easily return to normal.
I remind you on this occasion that in accordance with the provisions of Law no. 55 of 15 May 2020 on some measures to prevent and combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: “The validity of documents issued by public institutions and authorities as well as by private entities authorized by law is maintained period of 90 days from the cessation of this condition”.
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.
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.
As a novelty, following the discussions held within the Ministry of Finance with the representatives of Rombet and the conclusions drawn after this meeting, the National Office for Gambling intends to reanalyze the regulations regarding responsible gaming, in order to operationalize the activity of prevention, education and treatment. In this sense, the first solution adopted to unblock the activity of the Responsible Gaming Promotion Service within ONJN, was to review the conditions for filling vacancies, respectively by transforming vacancies from contract staff into civil servants, so the salary level is more attractive.
Once all SPJR positions have been filled, the procedure will be completed under the conditions under which their own income will be used to prevent gambling addiction and will be allocated to activities and programs to protect young people and gamblers against gambling, prevention and treatment of addiction. gambling, responsible promotion and publicity, prompt and efficient resolution of disputes between a game organizer and a player.
We continue to ensure that the interaction between authority and operators is based on professionalism, integrity and impartiality, with the confidence that our joint efforts are focused in the right direction.
We have undertaken a mission that we intend to complete, we have chosen this because it is difficult, not because it is easy. A real support and a common effort is that of the profile associations, Rombet being the most active association in the industry participating in a constant dialogue both with the Office and with the other state institutions.
