Following its first annual general meeting held at the San Gorg Corinthia, the new board of the Malta Remote Gaming Council (MRGC) has set a busy schedule for the coming term. The immediate objectives of the new Board are:

• to continue tackling the challenges facing the Remote Gaming industry created by jurisdictions that are trying to block the free flow of on-line gaming services,

• a pressure group will be set up to discuss with all relevant authorities on how to move ahead and ensure that remote gaming does not continue to be unjustly targeted;

• continue to increase membership;

• better information to members of local and foreign news relating to the remote gaming industry through direct communication and the Website;

• enhance the administration of the MRGC;

• prepare events for members on matters of interest.

The board, now composed of chairperson George Debrincat (Unibet); vice-chairperson Daniela Grioli (Primebet); treasurer Kenneth Zammit (Totosi); secretary Alan Attard (Atlas Sport & Games); and members Pierre Mangion (NetX), Alan Alden (Deloitte & Touche) and Ian Curtis (Bell Med), will be meeting on a more regular basis and welcome any suggestions for discussion in relation to the industry

The MRGC represents the remote gaming companies licensed in Malta and those service providers, such as ISPs, consultants, banks, etc., providing services directly to the Gaming industry. The main objective of the MRGC is to promote remote gaming in a regulated and responsible manner. Currently the MRGC represents approximately 75 per cent of the locally licensed igaming companies. The importance of the remote gaming industry for the local economy continues to grow on a daily basis.

Earlier on, during the AGM, the outgoing Board, chaired by the outgoing chairperson George Debrincat of Unibet, informed the numerous members present of the main activities carried out by the board in the first year of the MRGC. He said that a sub-committee had been formed to discuss and put forward comments about the new Draft Remote Gaming Regulations. A report had been prepared and delivered to the Lotteries and Gaming Authority, which was then discussed with them. The MRGC hopes that most points that were put forward will be accepted and be incorporated in the new Regulations, which is hoped will soon be approved and will replace the current regulations of 2004.

The main focus of attention in the past year was the ‘oscuramento’ (blocking) of all the on-line gaming sites not directly licensed in Italy, as well as other actions taken by other jurisdictions to hamper the freedom of the on-line gaming industry. The MRGC Management Board had a meeting with Maltese MEPs Dr Simon Busuttil and Louis Grech, who together forwarded parliamentary question to the EU commission about the Italian blocking situation.

Normal AGM procedures were followed with a presentation by the outgoing secretary Dr Olga Finkel (formerly of Gatt, Frendo & Tufigno Advocates now WH Law) of the year’s events and by Kevin Mikkelson (Poker Champs Ltd) the treasurer. A number of changes were proposed to the MRGC statute and these were discussed in detail. They were approved at the extraordinary general meeting held a few weeks later after which the Bboard was dissolved and an election for the new board took place.

Six of the seven board members were elected without contestations, however, the election of the seventh board member – the fifth (the board is composed of five operators and two service providers) to represent the operators, proved to be a real battle. It took an extraordinary general meeting to finally elect the seventh board member – Kenneth Zammit of Totosi Betting Ltd.

For more information about MRGC visit www.mrgc.org.mt or e-mail [email protected]