| APLA/WLA Seminar, Macau: April 28 – May 1,
2009
ADELAIDE and SINGAPORE
(March 10, 2009) -- Singapore Pools will
be hosting the forthcoming APLA/WLA Seminar to be held in Macau at The Venetian
Macao Resort Hotel (pictured right) from 28 April to 1 May 2009.
The Seminar will focus on the theme "New Generation,
New Media, New Technologies" and explore the following issues:
- Will the lottery industry suffer
a natural decline with the new global generations in the future?
- How can we retain the existing
customers while appealing to and servicing the younger generations?
- How do we ensure the survival of
the state lotteries in the midst of intensified competition from non-regulated
private gaming operators worldwide?
- How can we make use of new media
and technologies to ensure we continue to compete effectively, albeit in a
socially responsible manner?
A Business Program for the
Seminar together with the registration form can be found on the
Events
page. SOURCE: APLA.
Age and
Residency Verification – The Responsible Way to
Play PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island
(March 9, 2009) -- Age verification in self-service validation is an
issue of great importance in the lottery industry – one that
GTECH takes very seriously. With the
increasing popularity of self-service lottery play, age verification is more
important than ever. The Company designs self-service products to include
age-verification solutions as part of its ongoing commitment to responsible
gaming. GTECH’s self-service product design efforts are constantly
evolving to ensure the latest in age-verification solutions are incorporated.
These solutions transcend technology using a holistic approach to ensure only
players of legal age use lottery self-service devices. This approach includes
using driver’s license bar-code reading technology, player cards, and best
practice guidelines. It is important to note that a player’s personal
information is not stored on the machine and is only used to verify the correct
age to play.
Driver’s License
Bar Codes The majority of governments are
adopting PDF 417 bar codes as a standard feature on driver’s licenses and
other forms of identification. These bar codes allow for the storage of
information, such as an individual’s age and address. GTECH’s current
point-of-access products allow for player age verification through the reading
of a driver’s license or similar player identification card utilizing the
date-of-birth field located within the bar code or magnetized stripe on the
player’s identification card. When a player approaches a self-service
device, he/she scans his/her license through the bar code reader. If the
player is determined to be 18 years of age or older, the device will be
activated. If the device is not able to verify the player’s age, the
player is directed to the retailer for further verification.
Player Card The popularity
of consumer membership cards for vendors across all industries has
significantly increased over the past few years. Whether it’s a
consumer’s CVS ExtraCare Card®, gym membership card, or a Borders®
Book Rewards Card, player card use is widespread.. GTECH has developed and
deployed player cards² with the capability to verify age using a remote
player middleware database. This database can easily integrate with any lottery
central system. Best Practices
In addition to essential technological controls used to
support age verification, GTECH offers an array of best practice guidelines for
prohibiting lottery sales to those who have not reached legal age to buy
lottery tickets. Guidelines cover terminal placement, prevention programs, and
consumer alert tactics, among other industry best practices developed by GTECH
for the lottery industry. Responsible gaming is a
cornerstone of self-service lottery sales. By developing self-service products
that prevent underage ticket purchases, lotteries can demonstrate their
commitment to responsible gaming. SOURCE: Cheryl
Sullivan, Sr. Marketing Specialist, Marketing Communications, GTECH.
Powerball
Jackpot Drives Exceptional Half Year Result for NZ
Lotteries NEW ZEALAND (March 6,
2009) -- An unprecedented sixteen-week Powerball jackpot run, which seized the
imagination of the nation, has led to an exceptional sales result for the six
months ended 31 December 2008, NZ
Lotteries’ Chairman John Goulter and Chief Executive Todd McLeay
announced today. Sales for the period were $442.3
million, $70.3 million (18.9%) ahead of the same period last year. The
net surplus for the half year amounted to $92.3 million, $19.9 million (27.5%)
above the same period last year. “This
outstanding result was primarily driven by our core Lotto family of brands
(Lotto, Powerball and Strike) – sales for the six months were $322.2
million, up by 34.7% on last year. This was largely due to the Powerball
jackpot run that culminated in a $30 million ‘Must Be Won’ draw in
October 2008, and resulted in NZ Lotteries’ best-ever sales week.
Statistically, a jackpot run of this length will occur, on average, once every
four or five years,” said Mr. McLeay.
“Week to week, NZ
Lotteries’ sales are also holding up well despite the current adverse
economic climate. This is pleasing, as sales of lottery products are a
significant contributor to the success of 1,000 retailers throughout New
Zealand and more than 4,000 staff are employed as Lotto operators,”
said Mr. Goulter. “Due to the exceptional half
year results, and because weekly sales are proving resilient, we are very
confident of being able to significantly increase our projected payment to the
NZ Lottery Grants Board for distribution to sports, arts, heritage and
community groups throughout the country,” said Mr. Goulter.
“At a time when many community groups are
struggling for funding, it is pleasing to be able to maintain a good level of
return to the NZ Lottery Grants Board for redistribution to worthy
causes,” said Mr. Goulter. In the past six
months NZ Lotteries also celebrated Lotto’s 21st birthday, introduced a
new luxury prize line up and popular advertising changes for Big Wednesday, and
revamped the Instant Kiwi communications campaign.
“We are aware that the real measure of success in
our advertising is whether it strikes the right chord with the New Zealand
public and helps to maintain interest in our products. However, we were
delighted that our ‘Old Flame’ Lotto ad won the World Lottery
Association’s ‘Grand Global Advertising Award’ for the best
advertisement in 2008 during the period,” said Mr. McLeay.
Seventy-one players won Lotto First Division in six
months, winning an average of $452,618 each. The top Powerball prize was
struck three times, with prizes of $3.2 million, $5.2 million and $7.7 million.
There were also five Powerball Second Division winners who each won $6.1
million in the $30 million ‘Must Be Won’ draw. Four players
won Big Wednesday First Division winning prizes worth between $2.9 million and
$3.1 million. Click here to view The NZ Lotteries 2009
Half Year Report. www.mylotto.co.nz.
For more information CONTACT: Karen Jones, 04 802 7020 or
021 391 414. SOURCE: New Zealand Lotteries
Commission. Pennsylvania
Lottery Introduces New Game Featuring $1 Million Starting
Jackpot Super 7 Will
Replace Match 6 Lotto on Tuesday, Friday Evenings
MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania (March 5, 2009) -- Next week, the
Pennsylvania Lottery will introduce Super
7, a new $2 terminal-based game offering an annuity jackpot that begins at $1
million and continues to grow until it is won.
Super 7 will replace Match
6 Lotto in the Pennsylvania Lottery's Tuesday and Friday evening drawing shows
at 7 p.m. Super 7 tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 11. The first Super 7
drawing will be conducted Friday, March 13. "Match
6 Lotto had a great five-year run," said Ed Trees, Lottery's executive director.
"However, lottery players enjoy new games and Lottery accommodates by
keeping its game lineup fresh. This time we're bringing back an old favorite
game from the late 1980s with Super 7, but with a few new twists."
To play Super 7, players choose seven numbers from one to
77, or use the quick-pick, computer-selection method. To win the Super 7
jackpot, players must match seven of the 11 numbers drawn.
Players who prefer the cash jackpot must select the
"cash" payout option at the point of purchase; if no such election is
made, the jackpot will be paid as an annuity. Besides the jackpot, players can
win cash prizes by matching six, five, four or three winning numbers. Super 7
tickets may be purchased up to 13 weeks (26 draws) in advance. Odds of winning
the Super 7 jackpot are 1-in-7,287,298. The overall odds of winning a Super 7
prize are 1-in-20.2. Match 6 Lotto debuted Jan. 28,
2004. The final Match 6 Lotto drawing will be conducted Tuesday, March 10. If
the final Match 6 Lotto jackpot is not won, the amount of the jackpot will be
rolled down into the game's lower-tier prizes. The proportion of money added to
each of the 10 lower prize tiers will be based on the percentage of prize money
normally awarded in each of the lower tiers. All winners will receive
allocations from the jackpot rolldown.
"The final Match 6 Lotto
drawing could be a great opportunity for lower-tier Match 6 winners to cash in
on a piece of the jackpot," said Trees. The
largest Match 6 Lotto jackpot, $5,858,436 cash, less 25 percent federal
withholding, was won by a York County man who matched all six winning numbers
in the May 3, 2005, drawing. As of Feb. 10, there have been 49 Match 6 jackpot
prize winners. During its five-year run, Match 6 logged more than 55.8 million
winning experiences worth $281.6 million. About the
Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery
remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs
that benefit older residents. Since its inception 36 years ago, the
Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $18.3 billion to programs that
include property tax and rent rebates; free and reduced-fare transit; the
low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term care services;
and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time
senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its
players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit
www.palottery.com.
SOURCE: Pennsylvania Lottery. CONTACT: Cris Stambaugh,
(717) 702-8008.
New Chapter in
Gaming Industry One Step Closer MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia (March 6, 2009) -- The
Victorian Government’s reform of the gaming industry into a fairer,
community-based model and the end of the gaming-operator duopoly is one step
closer with the release of information to potential bidders for gaming machine
entitlements. Gaming Minister Tony Robinson said
under the new arrangements approved hotels and clubs would bid directly for
10-year gaming machine entitlements in early 2010. "The Brumby Government's reforms represent a new chapter
in Victoria's gaming industry,” Mr. Robinson said.
"For the first time Victorian pubs and clubs will be
given the opportunity to own and operate gaming machines, have greater control
over the industry and security and certainty they currently don't have.
“At the moment,
Tatts and Tabcorp determine where machines are located
and they can move from venue to venue in search of the most profitable
location. “The Brumby Government is taking
action to create a progressive and accountable gambling industry where more
revenue flows back into venues and the local community.
“In April 2008, we announced Victoria’s
gaming industry would transition from the current gaming-operator duopoly to a
venue-operator structure in 2012.¹ “We are setting the foundations for a new, more
responsive industry with the transition to the venue-operator
model.” Mr. Robinson said the new industry
framework gives venues more control of their gaming operations, makes them more
accountable to their local communities and gives them an opportunity to receive
a much greater share of gaming revenue. He said under
the post-2012 structure, responsible gaming measures such as the regional caps
policy would remain in place. The Brumby Government
will implement additional gambling harm minimisation measures including banning
ATMs from gaming venues and requiring all next generation gaming machines to be
fitted with pre-commitment mechanisms. As well as
information for potential bidders, the Brumby Government will also provide a
business education program for those interested in participating in the new
industry structure. “Information and
assistance will ensure that the allocation process is competitive and delivers
entitlements to areas where they will be of maximum benefit to the communities
in which they operate,” Mr. Robinson said.
SOURCE: From the Office of the Minister for Gaming.
ACE Interactive
Receives Order For 1,000 Additional Gaming Terminals From Norsk
Tipping
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (March 9,
2009) – Aristocrat Leisure Limited
announced that its fully owned subsidiary ACE Interactive has received an order
for 1,000 Indago™ interactive Video Terminals (iVT) from
Norsk Tipping, the Norwegian National
Lottery. These terminals will be installed as part of an anticipated network of
over 6,500 terminals throughout Norway. The supply of
these Indago iVT’s is part of the rollout of the True Server Based Gaming
project between ACE Interactive and Norsk Tipping. ACE Interactive has also
supplied Norsk Tipping with TruServ™, ACE Interactive’s Solution for
Server Based Gaming and an exciting portfolio of ACE Interactive games as well
as third party games. “We are very pleased
with the quick and smooth rollout and thankful for Norsk Tipping’s
additional order of 1,000 Indago iVTs from ACE Interactive,” said ACE
Interactive's CEO Michael Koch. The Indago iVTs with
their uniquely appealing and innovative design will be placed in locations
throughout Norway and be operated and managed using the TruServ server based
gaming central system which is located and operated by Norsk Tipping in Hamar,
enquiries to Camilla Eklund; Tel: +46
(0)739415821, Fax: +46 (0)8642 4714, Email:
Camilla.Eklund@aceinteractive.net
ABOUT Norsk Tipping AS Norsk Tipping is Norway's leading games company, wholly owned
by the Norwegian state. The company's main objectives are to provide the
Norwegian people with responsible games and entertainment within social
acceptable conditions, and at the same time ensure a secure and longterm
surplus for the beneficiary organisations. The surplus is divided equally
between the sports and culture sectors. The company operates games of chance,
Lotto, Viking Lotto and Joker; games of skill, Tipping and Oddsen;
and the scratch game, Flax. In addition, the company operates the TV game,
Extra, on behalf of the Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation.
ABOUT Ace
Interactive ACE Interactive was founded in 2003 to
develop and market the next generation of video gaming systems. Located in
Stockholm, Sweden, London, UK and Las Vegas, USA, ACE Interactive’s
TruServ™ solution provides for true server-based gaming for operators who
demand flexibility, content, security and social responsibility. In May 2006
ACE Interactive was acquired by Aristocrat. For further information, visit the
company’s website at www.aceinteractive.net.
ABOUT Aristocrat Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) is a leading global
provider of gaming solutions that consistently outperforms the competition. The
Company is licensed by over two hundred regulators and its products and
services are available in over ninety countries around the world.
Aristocrat offers a diverse range of products and services
including electronic gaming machines, interactive video terminal systems,
electronic tables and casino management systems. For further information visit
the company’s website at: www.aristocratgaming.com.
Polla Chilena - Rehabilitation Made in
Chile SANTIAGO, Chile (March 3,
2009) -- Through the acquisition of several scratch tickets from the company
and the traditional ticket Polla Boleto, which are day by day played by
millions of Chilean people, Polla
Chilena may have its own teleton fundraiser from almost 57 years.
| Advertisement |
 |
Maybe you are one of the
numerous players who have acquired any of the Polla Chilena de Beneficencia
Products in more than one opportunity, not knowing that by searching for the so
expected success, you are also helping 12 institutions and entities grow
–the Fire Fighters, the Red Cross, Fonasa (the National Health Fund), the
Teleton Fundraiser², etc.-, as stated by Law No 10,369.
The charity character of this successful public company
not only is stated under the applicable law, but also is part of its historical
essence. From its very beginning in 1934, it was stated that the benefits of
the four draws of tickets made in those years would be destined to Relief Homes
(Casas de Socorro) and to the Heath Services along the country, which
transformed into the first institution being part of the list of beneficiaries
of the company throughout its trajectory. It was in
1952 that Polla Chilena incorporated one of its most important beneficiaries,
the Sociedad Pro Ayuda del Niño Lisiado, the entity that gave rise to
the current Teleton. From that time on, not even the elections, nor the
incompatibility of dates, nor the agreements or disagreements of artists, or tv
characters have influenced Polla, through the preference of the clients, to
contribute with a certain percentage of the sales from some of its products to
this beautiful charity. Fifty five years of
love
Year by year –unless
some justified exceptions-, the whole country concentrates in successfully
fulfilling the worldwide known “27 hours of love” summoned by
Teleton. During this period, millions of Chilean citizens organize themselves
to help reach the target to afford the rehabilitation of 24,500 children and
young people, who suffer from muscle, neurological or skeletal atrophy and who
are attended by multidisciplinary teams of professionals and technicians who
are part of the several centres distributed throughout the country.
But, although for many people this aspect of Polla Chilena
is not known, there is no need for only one instance of national solidarity to
support on a permanent basis all those children who ask Teleton for
rehabilitation. At present, and according to Law No
10,369, the most important Chilean gaming company contributes on a monthly
basis with 10% of its sales of Scratch Tickets and Polla Boleto to the Sociedad
Pro Ayuda al Niño Lisiado –SPANL-, which translates into a
significant annual help which comes true thanks to the preference of its
players. This charity led to the fact, for example,
that in 2008 Polla Chilena de Beneficencia contributed with a total of 52
millions of pesos to SPANL, on that item. Along with this important figure and
within the celebration framework of 30 years of Teleton, the company also
decided to be present, for the first time in history as one of the sponsors of
this event through its product Loto, which meant an amount of more than 80
millions of Chilean pesos to the institution.
Regarding the real
investment of these amounts of money, the Head of Communications of Teleton,
Ximena Casarejos states that “Polla Chilena needs to have the certainty
that the money is being invested in a good manner. We can show results which
are tangible as to our medical and therapeutic activities. It has sustained its
support through the years without the need of financing other activities. They
were visionaries of their time and have kept the pace. This is a good sign from
the institution.” To be a concrete
contribution to the growth and development of several entities of the country
is the pride for this public company, which thanks to its successful business
and administrative management has also made other dreams come true.
SOURCE: Polla Chilena de Beneficiencia S.A.
New Hampshire
Lottery Celebrates Its 45th Anniversary with Parties, Special Prizes with
Retailers Around the State March 12 Marks Sale of First Ticket in Country’s
First State-Run Lottery CONCORD, New
Hampshire (March 11, 2009) – Officials from the
New Hampshire Lottery will celebrate the
45th anniversary of its creation with special prizes and parties in various
locations across the state on Thursday, March 12. To mark the day New
Hampshire launched the first legal state run lottery, celebrations will be held
at some of the lottery’s longest-running retail outlets.
“This is a great way to thank our many
players and commemorate a watershed moment in New Hampshire history,”
said Executive Director Rick
Wisler. “The creators of the Sweepstakes really blazed a
trail which has since become the inspiration for 42 other states. To this
day, the New Hampshire Lottery has remained true to its original mission:
providing funding for local education while maintaining a high degree of
integrity and public confidence.”
At more than a dozen
lottery retail locations across the state, players can enjoy cake and win 45th
anniversary prizes like back packs, coffee mugs, and mini radios. In
addition to all of the usual jackpot and instant games, players can also try
out the Lottery’s new commemorative scratch games: “$1 45th
Anniversary®” and “$5 45th Anniversary
Special®.” Players can win a variety of top prizes between
$4,500 and $45,000. The first ticket for the
“NH Sweepstakes” was sold on March 12, 1964 and purchased with
much fanfare by NH Governor John W. King. In April of 1963, King signed
the legislation creating the first state-run lottery in the United
States. Tickets cost $3 and were sold only at
the 49 state liquor stores and at 3 licensed racetracks. Modeled after
the Irish Sweepstakes, names of contestants pulled in the NH Sweeps were
matched with horses in a race on September 12, 1964. Prizes ranged from
$200 to $100,000. The NH Sweepstakes was an
international media event which sold $5.7 million in tickets and distributed $2
million to local education. Since 1964, the New
Hampshire Lottery has had a significant financial impact on the state.
For the past 45 years, the New Hampshire Lottery has recorded $4 billion in
lottery sales and other earnings, with $2.5 billion being paid in prizes and
other cost of sales. Net proceeds to education to date total more than $1.4
billion. The New Hampshire Lottery Commission, located
at 14 Integra Drive in Concord, currently manages all lottery operations in the
state, including Instant games, New Hampshire POWERBALL®, Tri-State Megabucks, Tri-State Weekly Grand,
Hot Lotto Sizzler, and Tri-State
Pick3/Pick4 Daily Numbers® games. CONTACT: Maura
McCann, 603.271.3391 x308, Email:
Maura.A.McCann@lottery.nh.gov GTECH Corporation “Dreams On”
With An Exclusive Aerosmith Licensing Agreement For The Lottery Business
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (March
11, 2009) -- GTECH Corporation announced
that it has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with the rock band
Aerosmith, giving GTECH the exclusive rights for the lottery business to
utilize one of the most powerful brands in the music industry.
Aerosmith is America’s
Greatest Rock ‘N Roll Band, who have massive international appeal with a
fan base consistent with core lottery players – 60% male and 40% female,
in the 25-54 age group. The group has sold over 150 million albums and received
numerous awards over the course of their 30-year career including: eight
American Music Awards, four Grammy Awards, 12 MTV Music Awards, six Billboard
Music Awards, among many others. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame in 2001, is a 2000 Hollywood Walk of Fame inductee, and has had 29
Billboard charting singles including 11 Top Ten hits. Their many smashes
include such iconic rock songs as Dream On, Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, and
Love in an Elevator. The group has sold out shows
around the globe, boasts a diehard “Blue Army” fan-base
numbering in the millions worldwide, and has set an all-time attendance record
for the Tokyo Dome. The band has an impressive list of tours under their belt,
having performed in such locations as Europe, South America, Asia, Australia,
and Canada. Their most recent tour in 2007 included 35 dates in 20 countries
around the world, from Boston to Dubai to Russia. They have performed the
prestigious NFL Superbowl XXXV Halftime Show along with Britney Spears and
‘N Sync, in front of approximately 84.3 million viewers, and they were a
headliner at Woodstock ’94. Most recently, the band’s music has found
great success in the massively popular Guitar Hero: Aerosmith video game which
is available on PLAYSTATION3, PlayStation2, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii gaming
systems. The game was introduced in 2008 and sales continue to explode and
break records. Aerosmith is scheduled to release a new album and tour in
mid-2009.
GTECH plans to develop
innovative lottery games across all channels that will include, in addition to
cash prizes, exclusive Aerosmith merchandise, and once-in-a-lifetime
experiences including VIP All Access passes to Aerosmith’s upcoming tour.
“Knowing that Aerosmith’s music has a huge multi-generational
demographic fan base, we are confident that the brand, the music, and the
value-added merchandise, and experiential prizes will provide our customers an
opportunity to drive revenue with innovative and fun lottery games. With the
band set to release a new album and go back on tour, this year represents a
unique opportunity for our lottery customers worldwide to take advantage of
this mega brand,” said Ross Dalton, GTECH’s Senior Vice
President, Printed Products and Licensed Content. About GTECH GTECH Corporation
is a leading gaming technology and services company. With 6,200 people in over
50 countries, GTECH provides innovative technology, creative content, and
superior service delivery to effectively manage and grow today’s evolving
gaming markets. GTECH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lottomatica, one of the
world’s largest commercial lottery operators and a market leader in the
Italian gaming industry. For more information about the Company, please visit
GTECH’s website at www.gtech.com.
SOURCE: GTECH Corporation. CONTACT: Robert K. Vincent,
Public Affairs, GTECH Corporation, 401-392-7452. 
European Lotteries Welcomes European Parliament
Call For a Political Solution Founded on Respect of National Legislation and
Involvement of All the Social Stakeholders
STRASBOURG / BRUSSELS (March, 10, 2009) - Today the
European Parliament adopted by an overwhelming majority a political resolution
on online gambling, also known as the Schaldemose report.²
The European Parliament has
made a strong political statement that online gambling is a sensitive sector
and internet operators must respect national laws. The European Parliament
hereby rejects often heard claims that EU law permits all EU based operators to
offer gambling services to consumers in all EU Member States without having to
observe the national regulation imposed by the Member State in which the
consumer resides. European Lotteries welcomes the
European Parliament’s call on the European Commission to work with the
Council (27 Member States) on a political solution in the respect of national
legislation rather than leaving it to the European Court of Justice to define
gambling policy in the EU. The key statements made
by the European Parliament in its resolution today :
- Gambling is a sensitive area
where industry self-regulation is not sufficient.
- Gambling is not an ordinary
economic activity and a pure Internal Market approach to gambling is not
appropriate. Important social and public order aspects must be considered.
- Online gambling operators must
comply with the legislation of the Member State where the customer (player) has
his residence
- The European Institutions should
work closely together on a political solution rather than seeking decisions by
the European Court of Justice.
- Member States have the right to
strictly regulate and control gambling, in accordance with the subsidiarity
principle and the respective tradition and culture of their country.
- Member States have an interest in
ensuring the continued financing of public interest objectives (good causes,
sport, culture, etc.). Profits from gambling should be used for the benefit of
society.
- EU should help Member States in
the fight against unauthorised and illegal online gambling service
offerings.
- The European Commission
infringement proceedings against 10 Member States do not touch upon the
existence of monopolies or national lotteries as such, nor do they have any
implication for the liberalisation of the gambling markets in general.
“The European
Parliament is well aware that gambling is a sensitive area and that lifting
wellfounded restrictions would create issues with regard to consumer protection
and public order”, Dr.
Wortmann said. Referring to the Council
discussions on gambling which started last summer, Dr. Winfried Wortmann,
President of European Lotteries (EL) said:
“The European Parliament and a majority of Member States in the Council
want to work on a political solution, with due respect to the subsidiarity
principle. It would be very helpful if the European Commission gave up its
refusal to contribute to the Council discussions.” Referring to the
European Parliament’s view that “profits from gambling should be
used for the benefit of society, including rolling funding for education,
health, sport and culture” and its recognition that Member States have
an interest in protecting these “culturally-built funding
structures”, Dr. Wortmann said: “The European Parliament knows
that opening national gambling markets to online companies which pursue purely
commercial interests and many of which are only ready to pay tax in the
EU’s gambling tax havens Malta and Gibraltar, would endanger such funding
of good causes.” Further background on
gambling policy and law at the EU level The
European Court of Justice in Luxembourg is expected to rule this spring in an
online gambling case referred to it by a Portuguese court. Central to the case
is the question whether EU law is contradictory to a national lottery and
betting monopoly which extends to the whole national territory, including the
internet. In his opinion delivered on 14 October 2008, the Court’s
Advocate-General confirmed that the grant of an exclusive right (monopoly) to a
state-owned gambling operator may well be in line with EU law and added that
“the aim of Community law is not to open up the market in gambling and
games of chance”. The European Court of Justice
has decided in an important number of cases ( Schindler to Placanica) that the
Member States have in this area a discretionary power to decide about the type
and volume of games as well as about the type and number of operators,
independently of the policy pursued by other Member States. The Court did also
decide that it is perfectly possible to maintain a monopoly in this area.
Upholding a restrictive gambling environment does not exclude that a certain
controlled expansion of games cannot be pursued.
| Advertisement |
 |
The EU’s two
legislative bodies, the European Parliament and the Council, made clear on
previous occasions that they are, for reasons of social and public order,
against the liberalisation of gambling and the creation of an internal market
in this area. Accordingly, gambling and betting were
explicitly excluded from the EU internal market directives on E-Commerce
(2000), Services in the Internal Market (2006) and Audiovisual Media Services
(2007), while VAT on remote gambling services are made subject to taxation in
the country of residence of the consumer (2007). In
May 2008, in a resolution on sport, the European Parliament confirmed its
antiliberalisation stance on gambling and made clear that it wants gambling
profits to be used for the public benefit including the funding of sport.
In July 2008, the Member States of the EU started
discussing their national frameworks and policies for gambling together in a
formal setting at the Council of the European Union. This marks the first joint
initiative by Member States on gambling. In 2006/2007,
the European Commission launched infringement proceedings against 10 Member
States, arguing that mainly their sports betting legislation was not in line
with the ECTreaty (freedom to provide services). None of these infringement
cases have been referred to the European Court of Justice so far. The European
Commission has taken no decisions in these cases since the Council and the
European Parliament started their initiatives on gambling mentioned above.
About European Lotteries
(EL) European
Lotteries (EL) is the European umbrella organisation of national lotteries
operating games of chance for the public benefit. EL has members from over 40
European countries including all 27 EU Member States. The association's EU
members contribute more than 20 billion EUR p.a. to the state budgets and the
funding of sport, culture, social projects, research and other causes of
general interest.² For further information please
CONTACT: Rupert Hornig, General Delegate, EL, Tel: + 32.(0)2.234.38.20, Email:
eu.representation@european-lotteries.org.
Iowa Lottery
Security Conducts Checks, All Prizes Properly Paid By Iowa
Retailers CEO Reminds
Public To Report To Lottery Any Concerns About Its Games,
Operations DES MOINES, Iowa (March 12, 2009)
-- In a continuation of its focus on player security, the
Iowa Lottery recently conducted unannounced
security checks at more than 120 lottery retail locations across the state to
see how winning tickets would be handled. All prizes were properly paid by
store personnel. Lottery security investigators posed
as customers and visited 126 randomly-selected Iowa retail locations in late
February, presenting 128 lottery tickets for cashing that had won prizes of up
to $100 each. In every instance, the location paid the correct amount.
Iowa Lottery CEO
Terry Rich said he was heartened by the
results of the checks. "The Lottery has known from
its experiences through the years that Iowa's retailers are hard-working
individuals who are part of the lifeblood of our state's communities," Rich
said. "But there have been problems involving lottery-ticket redemption
outside Iowa, and we thought it was important to double-check the process
here." Cases involving retailer fraud at some of
the lotteries in Canada were revealed over the past few years. And this year in
California, more than two dozen people working at retail outlets have been
arrested for the grand theft of winning lottery tickets as part of checks by
the California Lottery. All of the
California suspects were accused of cheating lottery customers.
Rich said he is concerned that about half the Iowa
retailers visited last month by lottery security investigators did not require
that lottery tickets be signed before cashing them. He said the lottery will
renew its efforts to educate the public about the importance of signatures on
lottery tickets, and will specifically visit those locations that did not ask
for signatures to inform them that ongoing violations will not be
tolerated. "A signature on a lottery ticket
identifies it as belonging to the person who has signed it," Rich said.
"That provides protection and avoids confusion for all those involved in the
validation process. Consumers should protect themselves by signing their
tickets and retailers should check for that signature."
Rich, who was appointed lottery CEO in February, said that
while he anticipated things have been running smoothly in Iowa, he thought it
was important to take a fresh look at the process of cashing lottery tickets
here. "It appears that the Iowa Lottery's
regulatory and administrative tools have been effective, but each of us –
whether we're a lottery employee, retailer, player or member of the public
– must remain vigilant if we're to protect ourselves against fraud,"
Rich said. Over the past few years, the Iowa Lottery
has increased its focus on lottery security in a variety of ways. In January
2007, the lottery held a joint news conference with the Attorney General's
Office to warn Iowans about lottery scams. The Lottery also enhanced the player
security information it offered on its Web site (visit
www.ialottery.com and click on
"Player Security" to learn more).
In 2008, the lottery
instituted two other security enhancements, requiring that tickets be signed on
the back before they can be checked or cashed; and that receipts be printed for
all lotto and instant-scratch tickets that are checked or cashed. Two receipts
are printed – one for the retailer and one for the lottery player –
that show the results of a particular ticket and whether it has won a prize.
Receipts are not involved for pull-tab tickets, as the amount of any pull-tab
prize won is already printed on the ticket. Rich said
that integrity is a cornerstone of any lottery, and Iowa's lottery will not
compromise on the issue. "The Iowa Lottery is a
leader in consumer protection," Rich said. "Iowa has had a very
strong record regarding lottery security and all of our elevated efforts over
the past few years are designed to protect against even the possibility of
fraud." Rich said lottery investigators also will
continue periodic, random checks of ticket validation. "I have directed our security team to continue ongoing
investigative research," he said. "It's important to continue our
vigilance to protect consumers and the integrity of the Iowa Lottery."
The retailers visited by the lottery in February were in
76 different cities across the state and included a mix of establishments in
urban and rural areas. Rich encourages anyone who has
a concern about the lottery, its products or operations to contact the lottery
at 515-725-7900 or e-mail the lottery at Wmaster@ialottery.com.
Anyone with a security-related concern should direct their
inquiry to the Lottery Security Department at 515-725-7888.
There are a variety of ways to learn about the lottery and
its products²:
- Watch the televised drawings in
lotto games.
- Check information on the lottery
Web site at www.ialottery.com.
- Ask a retailer to print winning
numbers reports from the lottery terminal.
- Call one of the lottery's five
regional offices around the state for information.
- Listen to lottery results on
local radio stations.
- Check lottery results in local
newspapers.
- Call the lottery’s winning
numbers hot line at 515-323-4633.
- Sign up for the lottery's VIP
Club and receive e-mails of winning numbers and drawing results.
- Sign up for the lottery's
text-messaging service that sends winning numbers and other information
directly to a player's text-enabled mobile device.
- Follow the Lottery on Twitter,
friend the lottery on Facebook or visit the lottery's blog at
www.ialotteryblog.com.
Since the Iowa Lottery's start
in 1985, its players have won more than $2.2 billion in prizes while the
lottery has raised more than $1.1 billion for state programs.
SOURCE: The Iowa Lottery. 
|
