Proposed structure of the EUROMAT response to the ... - Jogo Remoto

European Gaming and Amusement Federation
Europäische Verband der Unterhaltungsautomatenwirtschaft
Fédération Européenne des Jeux et d'Amusement
Question 24: Are on-line age controls imposed and how do these compare to off-line 'face-to face'
identification?
On-line age controls, where they do actually exist, are always riskier than “face-to-face”
identification in the land-based amusement and gaming device industry in single sites and gaming
arcades. In general the land-based must verify in person the age of anyone entering their premises
which compares favourably when compared to what remote gambling operators can realistically do
to confirm the age of their players.
Question 25: How are commercial communications for gambling services regulated to protect
minors at national or EU level? (E.g. limits on promotional games that are designed as on-line
casino games, sports sponsorship, merchandising (e.g. replica jerseys, computer games etc) and
use of social on-line networks or videosharing for marketing purposes.
Rules and regulations on advertising of gambling services exist, with a few exceptions, in all Member
States. Generally advertising is allowed for authorised forms of gambling and totally forbidden for
unregulated and unauthorised gambling services. Restrictions usually range from the prohibition to
target minor and vulnerable audiences to sponsoring sport events and sport teams. Media used to
advertise vary from country to country as in some countries there is a preference for print
advertisements while in others audiovisual media are preferred. By way of example, we refer to the
following:
In Great Britain, operators are required to comply with the advertising codes or practice that apply
to the form and media in which they advertise their gambling facilities and services. Advertising is
subject to the CAP (non-broadcast) and BCAP (broadcast) codes which are administered by the
Advertising Standards Authority (ACA). Operators also follow the Gambling Industry Code for
Socially Responsible Gambling which supplements the CAP and BCAP and is monitored by the
Review Group for Socially Responsible Advertising. The Gambling Industry Code was developed by
the gambling industry and sets minimum standards in a number of areas not covered by CAP and
BCAP and reinforces the message that advertising of adult-only gambling products or product
suppliers should never be targeted at children.
In the Netherlands, all gambling operators (sports betting, lotteries, casinos, etc.) apply a Code of
Conduct (“Gedrags- en Reclamecode Kansspelen) on the advertisement of their services. To protect
minors, the Code dictates for instance that no promotion may be made specially focused on minors,
people acting in commercials may not look younger than 18 years, no commercials on TV before
19.00 hours, no advertisements on bill boards, swanks, etc in the sight of schools, no direct mailing
to minor (see in particular, art III.1 – III.7 of the Code of Conduct)
In Poland, all types of advertisement of gambling services outside a website aimed at sales are
prohibited. In Bulgaria, although there is currently no regulation of online gambling yet, the
proposed new draft law prohibits any informational and commercial communication for gambling
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