| European Gaming Industry Urges Regulators to Ensure a Level Playing Field |
| For Immediate ReleaseRepresentatives of the European gaming entertainment industry, gathered in Brussels on the 23rd May for the Annual General Meeting of EUROMAT, urged national regulators to ensure a level playing field between the online and land-based sectors.
Amongst other national regulatory developments, EUROMAT members highlighted discriminatory tax treatment in Denmark and the Netherlands as examples which could have tough economic consequences for gaming operators that currently employ more than 250,000 European citizens achieving revenues of more than €21 billion. Commenting on the discussions, EUROMAT’s President Annette Kok said: ‘The land-based gaming entertainment industry is already highly taxed and highly regulated. Today’s discussions highlight that governments need to ensure that they regulate and tax in a way which allows land-based gaming companies to compete on a level playing field. Fair treatment will allow the sector to contribute positively to Europe’s leisure industry and create more European jobs’. Commenting on his appointment, Nick Harding said: ‘I’m passionate about the gaming entertainment industry so I’m pleased to be more closely involved with EUROMAT as the voice of our sector across the EU.‘Gaming, like other parts of the leisure industry, has had to cope with tough economic conditions in recent years. EUROMAT has to continue to support European gaming to become more competitive by ensuring that governments fully understand the importance of a fair regulatory environment’. For further information please contact EUROMAT’s Director, Kieran O’Keeffe on 0032 476 900 255. Notes to editorsEUROMAT is the voice of the gaming and amusement industry in Europe. Established in 1979 it has 20 members from 15 European Countries. Nick Harding has over 30 years’ experience in the gambling sector, having worked in a number of senior positions for Coral, Bass Leisure and Rank Group before leading the MBO of the RAL business from Rank in 1996. RAL Ltd became the leading operator in the AGC sector, with 129 venues, and in 2004, this was sold to Talarius plc with Nick becoming CEO. Over the next two years, the business grew to over 200 venues together with an integrated and proprietary online business. This was sold to European Gaming Ltd in 2007 and subsequently de-listed from AIM. In September 2007 he established Praesepe plc as an AIM listed company mandated to acquire going concern businesses in the European low stake high volume ‘gaming sector’. Praesepe has grown into one of the largest operators of AGCs in the UK and also operates terrestrial Bingo Clubs (one of which is the largest in the UK) and a successful on-line business. Praesepe was sold in 2012 and is now a wholly owned part of the Gauselmann Group. European Gaming and Amusement Federation |
