The "European State Lotteries and Toto Association" (EL) is an independent European association composed of State Lottery and Toto companies established in Europe.
The former European Association of State Lotteries and Lottos was founded on November 29, 1983 in Montreux, Switzerland.
EL is made up of 47 State Lotteries and Lottos which are regular members (State Lotteries) as well as of 7 regular observer members (Lotteries) and 38 associate members (Lottery suppliers).

Report -- Seminar on Responsible Gaming – The Business Case
BRUSSELS 12-14 November 2008
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (November 18, 2008) -- This joint EL-WLA Seminar, hosted by the Belgian National Lottery and attended by 75 lottery professionals from 36 EL Member Lotteries, was universally acknowledged as an excellent event, which advanced the knowledge of all those present and provided a practical base from which further progress could be made with implementing Responsible Gaming (RG) Standards..............Subscribers

Federal Constitutional Court Approves German Gambling Regulation
STUTTGART, Germany (October 30, 2008) -- With its ruling of 14 October 2008 (Az. 1 BvR 928/08), the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) has now declared all essential points of the new Interstate Gambling Treaty to be constitutional and has not accepted a constitutional complaint from a commercial gambling operator for ruling. In addition..........Subscribers

ECJ/Advocate-General: Gambling Not Subject to Rules of the EU Internal Market
LUXEMBOURG / BRUSSELS (October 14, 2008) -- Today the European Court of Justice (ECJ)’s Advocate-General Yves Bot has presented his opinion in a gambling case referred to the ECJ by a Portuguese court (Case C-42/07). Central to the case is the question whether Community law is contradictory to a national lottery and betting monopoly which extends to the whole national territory including the internet................Subscribers

The European Lottery University Edition 11 Held In Dubrovnik – Croatia August 31 - September 5, 2008
The lottery business is simple and yet complex. The formula to develop a successful lottery management training program is thus both simple and complex. Simple because, basically, it would include conceptual topics on the major business functions, challenges and issues and, complex, because it needs to be updated, adapted and................Subscribers

European Lotteries Welcomes French Move Against Uncontrolled Online Gambling
BRUSSELS, Belgium (June 6, 2008) -- The President of European Lotteries, Dr Winfried Wortmann, noted with interest comments made today in a press conference in Paris by French Budget Minister Eric Woerth concerning the planned regulation of commercial internet gambling operators in France..............Subscribers

Veikkaus to Host the EL 2011 Congress of the European Gaming Organizations
VEIKKAUS, Finland (May 13, 2008) -- The member lotteries of EL (European Lotteries) and suppliers to the gaming industry will convene in a gaming companies’ congress in Helsinki in June 2011.
Veikkaus was elected to host the congress in last summer’s EL Congress in Budapest. Although there is still plenty of time till the event, we have already started the arrangements.
We are awaiting hundreds of European specialists and representatives of the field to join us for the event.
SOURCE: Veikkaus eNews 2/2008.
CONTACT: Veikkaus Oy Communications, Tel: +35820 750 750, Fax: +35820 750 7145, Email: tiedotus@veikkaus.fi.

European Parliament Warns of Gambling Liberalisation
BRUSSELS, Belgium (May 8, 2008 – Today the European Parliament’s plenary has adopted a resolution on the European Commission’s July 2007 strategy paper (“White Paper”) on Sport, in which it voices its concern at a possible deregulation of national gambling markets..................Subscribers

Joint EL/WLA Seminar March 18 – 20 2008
Security is a key ingredient of a sound strategic plan regardless of the size of an organisation. Physical, logical, technical, network, architecture, business continuity, data integrity, money laundering, human errors, these are all but a few challenges facing the organisation.................Subscribers

UEFA to Improve Monitoring of Suspicious Bets
NYON, Switzerland (February 21, 2008) -- The Union Européenne de Football Association or Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) met with several leaders of the European betting industry .................Subscribers

EL/WLA Marketing Seminar -- The POS – Are We At A Crossroads?
London, January 23 – 25, 2008
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (February 4, 2008) -- “The POS – Are we at a Crossroads?” thus was the title and the theme of the first joint EL/WLA seminar of 2008................Subscribers

New German Inter-State Treaty on Gambling Strictly Follows Guidelines Given By German Federal Constitutional Court and European Court of Justice / No “Final Warning” for Germany
BRUSSELS, Belgium (January 31, 2008 – Today the European Commission has announced that it has launched infringement proceedings against Germany concerning the new German Inter-State Treaty on Gambling. Dr. Winfried Wortmann, President of European Lotteries and Managing Director of the Westdeutsche Lotterie comments on this decision as follows...............Subscribers

UEFA/Betting Manipulations – Strict Government Control Over Sports Betting Must Be Preserved
BRUSSELS, Belgium (December 3, 2007) -- Today the President of European Lotteries (EL), Dr. Winfried Wortmann, has called on the European Union to take action against betting manipulations in football and other sports, supporting the call for EU action made by UEFA President Michel Platini this weekend.................Read the full story at: Vol.41 No.12

Report -- EL Sports Betting Seminar From September 11 To 14 In Copenhagen, Denmark
Oddset, the lottery version of fixed odds betting, was launched in Sweden in 1986 to meet the illegal competition not from Internet bookmakers but from telephone and fax bookmakers! Today, at the age of 21, the game appears stronger than ever and does well in the competition with non-nationally licensed bookmakers..............................Read the full story at: Vol.40 No.13

The Tenth European Lottery University Held In Dublin – Ireland, September 2 – 7, 2007
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (September 9, 2007) -- When the European Lottery University (ELU) program was started, no one would have imagined that it would reach the tenth year mark. After Trinity College (Dublin 1998), Heriot-Watt University (Edinbourgh 1999), Universidad de Salamanca (Spain 2000), Montpellier (France 2001), University of Salerno (Italy 2002), the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain 2003), the University of Siena, the University of Santiago de Compostela, the University of Zadar – Croatia, it was only befitting that the tenth edition of ELU be held back in Dublin, where it all started...............................Read the full story at: Vol.40 No.12

“View of the Administration, Not of the Judge” – European Lotteries Confident of Outcome of Infringement Proceedings in the Gambling Sector
BRUSSELS, Belgium (June 27, 2007) – Today the European Commission decided to proceed with the infringement proceedings against Sweden and France (both launched last year) and to open a new infringement case against Greece...........................Subscribers

German Lottery Hits Jackpot with Marathon
German Lottery Relies on Marathon’s Continuous Availability to Ensure Continued Running of the Draw
BERKSHIRE, UK (June 5, 2007 – The German Lottery, Deutsche Klassenlotterie, today announces the implementation of Marathon Technologies’ everRun FT to ensure players’ numbers are successfully and continually collected from lottery retail outlets even through system failures. Marathon partner, Diventus completed the installation..................................Read the full story at: Vol.39 No.11

No Obligation To Open Gambling Markets, Says European Court
BRUSSELS (May 30, 2007) – Today the Court of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in Luxemburg once again denied a commercial gambling operator the right to access the gambling markets of a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA). .....................................Subscribers

Report -- European Lotteries General Assembly in Budapest
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 29, 2007) -- During its bi-annual Congress held in Budapest from May 21 to May 24, the European Lotteries Association’s (EL) General Assembly unanimously reconfirmed the outgoing President, Doctor Winfried Wortmann, Managing Director of Westdeutsche Lotterie in Münster/Germany as President of the European Lotteries for a new mandate of 2 years................................Read the full story at: Vol.39 No.10

EL - EFTA Court Upholds Norwegian Gambling Monopoly
“State Monopoly Better at Fighting Gambling Addiction Than Commercial Operator”
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (March 14, 2007) -- The Court of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) today upheld Norway’s monopoly for gaming machines, stating that the Norwegian government has demonstrated that a state-owned monopoly operator will tend to accommodate legitimate concerns of fighting gambling addiction better than a commercial operator.............................Subscribers

Highest EU Court Denies Unibet Instant Market Access in Sweden
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (March 13, 2007) -- The European Court of Justice (ECJ) today rejected the claim of private internet gambling operator Unibet for instant access to a Member State’s market, Sweden. Unibet, as a result, must wait for a decision in the main procedure pending with Swedish courts..................................Subscribers

European Lotteries Supports Norway’s Arguments For State Monopoly For Gaming Machine Market
BRUSSELS (November 9, 2006) --  European Lotteries supports the arguments advanced by the Kingdom of Norway before the EFTA Court, supported also by the Kingdom of Belgium and the Republic of Iceland, defending itself against allegations made by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA)..............................Subscribers

Report: EL European Legal Affairs Seminar
THESSALONIKI, Greece (November 2, 2006) -- Extremely interesting has been the European Legal Affairs Seminar of the European Lotteries, which has been held on 25-27 October 2006 in Thessaloniki and has been hosted by OPAP S.A...............................Subscribers

Joint EL/WLA Marketing Seminar
Hosted by: The National Lottery Camelot London / UK 24-26 January 2007
Lotto Games: Are we at a cross-roads?
Lotto and Number Games remain an important source of revenue for the Lotteries despite the occasional hiccup, the occasional downturn. Constant innovation, creativity and market research extend the life of a product line.................................Subscribers

The case for State Lotteries: A Report for the European Lotteries Association by London Economics
Aggressive Growth In Unregulated Gambling Threatening European Society:
State Lotteries Warn Of Dangers Of Unregulated Gambling And Publish Independent Study Of Sector
BRUSSELS (October 18, 2006) -- European Lotteries  today published an independent study on the EU’s gambling sector, undertaken by independent researchers, London Economics and warned of the dangers of unregulated gambling in Europe..................................Subscribers

European Lotteries Confident of Outcome of Infringement Proceedings Against France And Austria in The Gambling Sector, Launched Today
BRUSSELS, Belgium (October 12, 2006) -- European Lotteries (EL) is confident that the French and Austrian governments will clarify the regulatory validity surrounding gambling in their respective jurisdictions................................Subscribers

EL Seminar on Responsible Gaming and European Challenges
Report by: Ray Bates, Seminar Moderator
PARIS, France 4-6 October 2006
By the very nature of our activities, State Lottery operators have always had a strong commitment to the principles of corporate social responsibility. However, the broad views coming from the EL Seminar on Responsible Gaming (RG) were that, in the new commercial and political landscape, it is vital that State Lottery operators must not only act responsibly but be seen to be operating in a socially responsible way..................................Subscribers

EU Member States Allowed To Restrict Gambling Activities To Protect Public Order And Prevent Crime
BRUSSELS (September 20, 2006) -- In the light of misleading statements made by for-profit gambling operators in connection with the arrests of two Bwin executives by French police and the ensuing debate on gambling in the European Union, European Lotteries would like to clarify its views on the matter...........................Subscribers

Report: The Ninth ELU Held in Zadar /CroatiaLAUSANNE, Switzerland (September 07 2006) -- Croatia was selected as the venue for the ninth edition of the European Lottery University (ELU). In such an illustrious environment, forty-seven managers (the highest number for an ELU), representing some twenty-five European lottery and gaming organizations, gathered for five days to attend this year’s European Lottery University (ELU)............Subscribers

Decision Of The Federal Cartel Office Has Torpedoed The National Task Of The German Lotto und Totoblock (DLTB)
POTSDAM, Germany (August 28, 2006) -- The German Lotto und Totoblock companies reject the reproaches and the resulting prohibiting decisions by the Federal Cartel Office as..............Subscribers

Market Mechanisms Cannot and Should Not Apply to Gambling
Article By: Mr. Tjeerd Veenstra, Legal Spokesman, European Lotteries.
The following article was written by Mr. Tjeerd Veenstra, Director and Member of the Executive Board, DE LOTTO, and Legal Spokesman for the European State Lotteries and Toto Association (EL), in reply to.............Subscribers

EU Member States Adopt Common Position on Services Directive
BRUSSELS (July 24, 2006) -- Today the Council of the European Union, the legislative body in which the governments of the 25 EU Member States are represented, has decided to.......................Subscribers

EL Interactive Gaming Seminar Report
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (June 9, 2006) -- The 2006 Interactive Gaming Seminar, organized by the EL New Media Working Group and the Secretary General of the European State Lotteries and Toto Association, and hosted by Loterija Slovenije, was held in Ljubljana from May 31st to June 1st 2006............Read the full story at: Vol.35 No.11

German Lotto and Toto Bloc Reject the Reproaches of the Anti-Cartel Office
POTSDAM, Germany (May 30, 2006) – The companies making up the German Lotto and Totoblock (DLTB) reject the reproaches levelled by the Federal Anti-Cartel Office as being lacking in substance. .......Subscribers

EL Seminar Report - INDUSTRY DAYS 2006 Bucharest
Article By: Gilbert Rehayem
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 15, 2006) -- Loteria Romana acted as host for the second edition of Industry Days, Industry Days 2006 - Bucharest May 10 – 12, 2006..............Subscribers

EL Report on German Constitutional Court Decision on Sports Betting in Bavaria
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (March 28, 2006) -- Today in Karlsruhe, the German constitutional court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) in a long awaited ruling confirmed the view expressed in earlier statements of the Euopean Court .........Subscribers

Mixed Reaction to European Parliament Vote
EUROPE (February 23, 2006) -- The following is a summary of some of the key stakeholders' reaction to European Parliament Services Directive Vote .............Subscribers

Joint EL/WLA Marketing Seminar “Instant Gaming: the Next Generation” Report
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (February 2006) --Offered jointly by EL and WLA, the first Marketing Seminar of the year has become a tradition of excellence and a sought-after source of up-to-date information and valuable networking .............Subscribers

European Lotteries Welcome Decision to Exempt Gambling Activities from the Services Directive
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (November 22, 2005) --In the important vote on the draft Services Directive, Members of the European Parliament today voted with an overwhelming majority for the exclusion of gambling activities, including lotteries, casinos and betting transactions, from the Directive on Services in the Internal Market....................................Subscribers

Report: Joint WLA/EL Security Seminar – Representatives From 20 Countries Meet in Greece
BASEL, Switzerland (October 20, 2005) -- Athens, Greece was the site for the recently completed Lottery Security and Business Continuity Seminar..........................Read the full story at: Vol.33 No.5

European Lotteries Want to Preserve Monopoly Status
LONDON, United Kingdom (September 28, 2005) - British gaming operators are fighting to be included in new European legislation that would potentially give them access to a multi-billion-euro market, but they fear heavy lobbying by state lotteries will block them..................................Subscribers

Report: The Eighth European Lottery University Held in Santiago de Compostela September 4 – 9, 2005
The Royal University of Santiago de Compostela is one of the most prestigious universities in Europe. In 1995, this university celebrated its 500th Anniversary and welcomed the eighth edition of the ELU....................................Read the full story at: Vol.32 No.12

The European Lotteries Welcome Their New President!
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (June 22, 2005) -- The European Lotteries Association’s (EL) General Assembly held in Rome on 15 June 2005, appointed Doctor Winfried Wortmann, General Director of the Westdeutsche Lottery of Münster/Germany as its new President. Dr. Wortmann, succeeds Mr. Hans-Jürgen Reißiger,of Deutsche Klassenlotterie, Berlin, who after 4 years did not run again for election.................................Read the full story at: Vol.31 No.13

Memorandum of Understanding Between UEFA, the European State Lotteries and Toto Association and the European Football Pool
ROME, Italy (June 14, 2005) -- Football is the sport that is touching the lives and sentiments of people all over Europe and the world. And it is the most important sport in the world of sports betting...............................Read the full story at: Vol.31 No.12

Report on WLA/EL Seminar on Interactive Gaming in Reykjavik, May 22-25, 2005
Iceland- Top of the world for Interactive Gaming
It all started in Iceland -- that was the title for one of the first presentations at the joint WLA and EL seminar on interactive gaming, May 22-25 in Reykjavik. And that is true- the first lottery to introduce Internet gaming was the Icelandic sports betting company Islenskar Getraunir, nowadays merged with Islensk Getspa. No wonder then that the Icelandic capital had been chosen as the venue for the 9th seminar on remote gaming........................Read the full story at: Vol.31 No.10

Report Looks at EU Services Directive Debate- EU Sports Ministers Want Games of Chance Out of Services Directive
BELGIUM (May 13, 2005) -- Whether games of chance remains in the services directive or is taken out completely is likely to have major implications for sports funding in the EU. EurActiv looks into the state of play in this debate............................Subscribers

Sports Betting Seminar: Live Betting
SWITZERLAND (May 11, 2005) -- Hosted by the Austrian National Lottery and organized by the European States Lotteries and Toto Association, the European Lotteries Sports Betting Seminar was held in Vienna May 02 to 05, 2005..............................Read the full story at: Vol.31 No.7

Lotteries Urge Exclusion From Services Directive
BRUSSELS, Belgium (April 2005) -- Europe's national lotteries are the latest interest group to demand an exemption from the troubled draft Services Directive. Following a meeting in Brussels on March 17 'European Lotteries', which speaks for 40 state lotteries..........................Subscribers

European Lotteries Urge EU Institutions to Respect the Special Nature of Gambling
BELGIUM (March 18, 2005) -- European Lotteries organised yesterday a high-level conference in Brussels on the impact of the European Commission’s controversial Directive on services in the internal market...............................Subscribers