Annual Euromat meeting draws huge reception

Eduardo Antoja, Euromat president since 1999, was re-elected for a further two years.

Annette Kok, from the Netherlands, was elected first vice president of the association, replacing Keith Smith of the UK, while Roberto Dongiovanni (Belgium) was re-elected as treasurer. In addition, delegates from Austria, Hungary, Ireland and Italy were elected as members of the executive committee.

The Bulgarian Gaming Association of Manufacturers and Operators (BTAGI) was confirmed as a new member of the federation.

The assembly also approved the Work Plan 2007-2008, which includes, among other actions, Euromat's active participation in the future review of the Electronic Commerce Directive adopted in 2000, the continuous monitoring of developments in gaming regulation and the creation of a working group for the study of responsible gambling.

It also agreed on the revision of the Euromat statutes, to adapt them to the requirements of the industry in an enlarged EU environment.

Eduardo Antoja said: “It is an honour for me to continue representing an industry whose turnover in 2006 amounted to more than 16 billion euros and generated the direct employment of 200,000 people in the EU, providing society with a necessary service, gaming, in a regulated and controlled form.

“We will keep working to ensure entrepreneurs in the sector are able to work in legal certainty, despite the challenges of new unregulated gaming categories. I wish to extend a warm welcome to Annette Kok as first vice president and look forward so seeing her succeeding me as Euromat president in the near future."