Cutting Edge Agenda!

Day One - Monday January 21st

09.25

Chairman (day one) -
Martin Sychold, Head of Legal Division, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law

Common international standards for the industry - Developments at international level amongst eGambling regulators

Following the Ascot Summit and the white listing process in the UK, the question can be asked whether this will lead to greater uniformity amongst jurisdictions regulating eGambling.

Study the huge developments over the last two years of pushing forward common international standards for the eGambling industry, evaluate the impact specifically on regulations and identify future targets.

Andre Wilsenach, CEO, Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) and Member of the Steering Committee of the International Association of Gaming Regulators

PANEL - Developing a level playing field - The very latest position in European Competition

• Discuss the developments of the ECJ Ruling on 13th September and analyse the impact of this case on the rights of private gaming and betting operators
  
  
• Debate the implications of the Cour de Cassation (highest Court in France) overturning the ruling banning Maltese licensed pool betting operator, Zeturf, from taking bets from French residents
  
  
• Evaluate the next stage in the infringement battle ground and the likely impact if the EC takes prosecutions to the next stage
  
  
• Challenge the likelihood of more cases coming to the ECJ on grounds of contravening articles 43 and 49 of EU law • Study the latest position from the EC on providing a level playing field across jurisdiction boundaries

Christofer Fjellner, Member, European Parliament

Professor Kurt Schelter, Lawyer, Deutscher Buchmacherverband Essen e.V. and the Deutscher Lottoverband e.V and Former Minister of Justice and European Affairs of Brandenburg

PANEL - Lobbying Groups – Fighting on the front line

In 2007 the EC (at this very conference) called for operators to increase their commitment to lobbying, but how far have we really come in 12 months? Whilst the EC identifies infringements and tackles monopolies head on, the case could be made that the issue of regulatory reform is a vision shared by all but tackled by a few.

• Hear what the EGBA is doing to help the cause of lobbying groups and the rights of private gaming and betting operators licensed in the EU
  
  
• Find out what operators could do to support these groups and why some operators are actively involved
  
  
• Explore the lobbying groups reaction on the ECJ decision with the Italian Government and debate the clear message to Member States currently restricting European operators

Wes Himes, EU Advisor, Remote Gambling Association
Eduardo Antoja, President, Euromat

Coffee and Networking

PANEL! Pushing for a liberalised European market

The need for a unified voice is paramount in helping to take lobbying groups to the next level as the industry seeks liberalisation across Europe - currently only a few seem willing to hold the torch with many operators adopting a “you go first approach”.

• Debate what operators have to say about the fight for European liberalisation
• Identify the hurdles that the industry as a whole must overcome for long-term legal success
• Examine the cost of fighting legislation and the resources needed to challenge the law
• Listen to how a confusing legislative framework has impacted directly on operators

Mark Davies, Managing Director, Betfair Limited
Pontus Lindwall, CEO, Betsson
Phill Brear, Head of Gambling Regulation, Gibraltar Regulatory Authority

Country by country legal analysis: trends, restrictions and challenges

This extended session will provide an overview of the current legislation and legal cases across both leading European markets and also emerging territories and how these developments impact on your future business strategies.

Italy:

• Identify the impact of the 2006 licence tender launched by the Italian authorities in the wake of the partial liberalisation of the domestic gaming
• Establish what the 15,000 new terrestrial licences and 39 pure online gaming betting licences mean to new entrants to the market
• Hear how you can take advantage of new and attractive online business opportunities made available in Italy for card-based game and bingo operators

Quirino Mancini, Partner, Sinisi Ceschini Mancini & Partners

Iovation

Dave Wiseman, Iovation

Lunch and Networking

France:

After toughening its stance against the online gaming industry by adopting the bill on the prevention of delinquency, France has recently opened up to a more pragmatic approach. Hear how your business can take advantage.

• Discover why there has been accelerated developments in the legal regulatory framework following the Zeturf case and monitor the impact of changes on betting and gaming law
• Debate the impact of the lobbying campaign by the National Lottery and parliamentary elections to change this and assess whether there is an alternative and what the implications will be

Thibault Verbiest, Partner, ULYS

Germany:

• Study the confusing legal situation within the gaming sector in Germany with 17 states working independently
• Hear more about the Interstate Treat on Gambling coming into force in 2008, the ramifications for your operations and how you can best prepare
• Debate the problems associated with the part-ban on internet gaming and whether there are developments underway to change this
• Study and debate the certification issues put in place to protect consumers and how Germany tackles social responsibility

Wulf Hambach, Partner, Hambach & Hambach
Rolf vom Stein, IT Security Services, Leiter Operations/COO, TÜV Rheinland

Spain:

• Discover the developments to the online betting market in Spain and assess whether the market is creating opportunities for your business
• Hear how the proposals to review the regulation could cause conflict between the Spanish Senate and the regions where central regulations may contradict
• Tackle the implications of the ONCE report and lawsuits of LFP (Spanish professional football league) against online gaming operators

Santiago Asensi, Partner, Asensi Abogados
Albert Agustinoy Guilayn, Senior Associate Attorney, Cuatrecasas

Coffee and Networking

Benelux:

Establish the changes underway to moving towards a regulated online gambling regime, the complications for those entering into the market and the regulatory hurdles to be overcome

Marc Callu, National Gaming Commission of Belgium and Vice Chairman of the Gaming Regulators European Forum

Session: Opening new markets beyond Europe

Asia - unlocking the potential

After the lock down in the US operators have turned to new markets in Europe and beyond. This session will talk about the potential growth of Asia and why it has the maximum potential in the long-term but is limited in the short-term. Discover the challenges relating to the legal infrastructures, the pitfalls of complex payment networks and the regulatory intricacies of the Asia-Pac region.

Hilary Stewart-Jones, Partner, Berwin Leighton Paisner
Stephen Ketteley, Partner, Berwin Leighton Paisner

US law enforcement agencies – latest update

Despite the expiry of the 270 day period for their drafting, the US authorities have yet to publish regulations under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act:

• Discover some of the difficulties now in the US gaming market and establish how the developments in the US impact on policies for European operators
• Understand the implications of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, how will it affect your business and debate the longer-term strategies for US operations

Mark Mendel, Partner, Mendel Blumenfield LLP

Networking Drinks Reception

End of Day One

Day Two - Tuesday January 22nd

Chairman's Opening Comments

Session Focus: UK developments and lessons learned

• A world leader in the field of online gambling” - Reality or frustrated ambition?

• Examine the far-reaching reforms to the UK gambling laws and assess whether new licensing objectives will be achieved in practice
  
  
• Hear whether the British Government has succeeded in lifting regulatory burdens and managed to strike a balance between economic gain and social protection
  
  
• Identify the gambling activities that have been fundamentally changed by the Gambling Act 2005
  
  
• Learn about the legal and tax challenges of entering the gambling industry in the UK and how your business can best prepare

David Clifton, Partner and Head of Gaming, Joelson Wilson

UK Gambling advertising – what do the latest new rules and regulations mean in practice?

• Find out about the new regime for advertising gambling and what new challenges – and opportunities – your business has
  
  
• Debate the gambling rules for non-broadcast and broadcast advertisements - find out what this means in terms of what you can and cannot do
  
  
• Assess how the new gambling advertising rules have come into effect and what is meant by the robust and rigorous new set of advertising codes designed to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible
  
  
• Establish the enforcement procedures which are likely to follow and how the ASA will deal with this
  
  
• Discuss the likely role of the Gambling Commission and Ofcom – and hear if they will impose legal and regulatory sanctions

Regulation, monitoring and compliance – a new regime under the Gambling Commission

Discover some of the major challenges the Gambling Commission has already tackled and discuss the pivotal role they will play in the future;

• Hear how the Gambling Commission is committed to the licensing objectives on issues such as crime, fairness and protecting vulnerable and underage gamblers
  
  
• Debate the impact of the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 and what it means for your UK operations
  
  
• Find out how the Gambling Commission works closely with bodies such as Gamcare

Andrew Lyman, Director of Monitoring and Enforcement, Gambling Commission

PANEL - UK Panel Session

Ask the questions you need to about issues such as the white list, next steps for the gambling commission and how your business can best prepare to do business in the UK over the next 12 months.

Nick Hawkins, Legal Director, Danoptra

Luisa Hoffman, Associate, Media, Communications and Technology Group, Olswang
Malcolm Phillips, Code Policy Executive, CAP/ASA
Andrew Lyman, Director of Monitoring and Enforcement, Gambling Commission

Coffee and Networking

Roundtables –

Country specific discussion groups

Lunch and Networking

Ensuring your business is secure and responsible

• Supporting regulation through social responsibility With more and more emphasis on developing a responsible gaming industry, and the likelihood that this will aid the industry in its battle for EU wide liberalisation. Hear how a leading operator is pushing social responsibility to the top of the agenda.

• Discover why bwin has pushed social responsibility higher up the agenda and how the role of a CSR Manager has been vital within this
  
  
• Hear the latest developments and progress made by Problem Gambling organisations across Europe and evaluate the feasibility of a Europe wide CSR programme
  
  
• Listen to the key challenges facing operators and how your business can start to implement these processes right now

Wolfgang Schwens, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, bwin Interactive Entertainment

Money Laundering and what the directive means for your business

Discover the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) attitude towards Anti-Money Laundering and remote gambling and where your business fits within the AML scene:

• Debate the impact of the EU Directive on money laundering and how to make your business compliant
  
  
• Challenge the implications of the EU Money Laundering Directive under Article 14 on payment and billing

Robert Dias CAMS, Partner, IIGC and Member of IMLPO

Coffee and Networking

Malta:

• Evaluate the legal and tax amendments introduced into Malta in 2007 and discover how your business can take full advantage of the imputation system
  
  
• Discuss the treatment of passive income from investments held to market by licensees and why VAT changes will be an important cross border aspect for Malta based operators

Session: Central and Eastern Europe – new frontier or Wild East?

Central and Eastern Europe – a land of opportunity

The CEE has quickly become a buzz word of European gambling, but can we realise the potential? As with all European jurisdictions, opportunities in the CEE come with associated issues such as payment and billing, reaching the market and broadband penetration. Discover the landscape that awaits you and why – for those that get it right – the region could become a high roller for your business.

Graham Wood, Director, iGaming Consultancy Ltd

Czech Republic:

• Discover how the gaming industry will be affected by recent legislative developments in the Czech Republic and its interest in regulating internet gambling
  
  
• Investigate the question of prohibition of foreign companies to offer gambling on local net and discover whether this is being reviewed by the authorities
  
  
• Dissect the challenges of entering into Central Eastern Europe markets and how your business can best prepare

Dr Vit Horacek, Partner, Glatzova & Co

Conference Close