Social responsibility and protection of vulnerable groups are priorities in the work of organizers of games of chance

26.05.2023. / 8:00

BANJALUKA – The Association of Organizers of Games of Chance in the Republic of Srpska (UPIS RS) will, as before, continue to strongly promote the values ​​of socially responsible business and behavior, including regular humanitarian activities. It will invest diligent efforts in the comprehensive protection of vulnerable groups in our society from the negative consequences of games of chance, with a special emphasis on the prevention of underage gambling.

PHOTO: ENROLLMENT

UPIS RS will provide comprehensive legal, consulting and operational support to a number of its members in connection with their lawsuit to delete “Electronic Video Lottery” (EVL) from the commercial register, because it is a company owned by Lottery RS and “Casinos Austria VLT AG” from Switzerland founded on unconstitutional and illegal grounds, as stated in earlier court rulings.

UPIS RS will also advocate for active communication with the authorities at the national and local level in order to protect the rights and interests of the members of the Association. They will also actively implement the adopted plan of professional education on the responsible organization of games of chance for members of the Association and their employees.

These are some of the most important, unanimously adopted conclusions from the regular assembly of UPIS RS held last week at the Atlas Hotel in Ugljevik.

Protection of minors from the negative impact of games of chance

A special emphasis at the UPIS RS assembly was placed on the protection of minors from the negative impact of games of chance. The organizers gathered in the UPIS of the RS practice a whole series of measures so that the access of minors to any kind of games of chance is completely impossible. Among other things, UPIS RS stands for socially responsible marketing in which there will be no messages that could be directed in any way towards vulnerable groups in our society.

With the aim of constant and maximum protection of vulnerable groups from the negative consequences of games of chance, UPIS RS has started the implementation of a complex plan of professional education for members of the association and their employees in order to adopt and apply the best international and domestic practices in that area. Professional support in these efforts will be provided by UPIS RS from the Special Hospital for Addiction Diseases, headed by Dr. Boro Lazić, one of the biggest Balkan experts in the treatment of addiction diseases, with decades of experience in the field. Concrete measures were adopted and detailed internal instructions were drawn up so that the organizers of games of chance gathered in the UPIS of the RS would have a clear and precise guide in practice, made according to the most modern standards of socially responsible business and behavior in the games of chance industry.

Help for the socially disadvantaged and support for young talents

In the work so far, UPIS RS has initiated numerous socially responsible and humanitarian activities in the Republic of Srpska. Organizers of games of chance gathered in this association financially supported several sports teams and sports schools. Support was provided to the best students and the most outstanding young artists. Significant aid was sent to associations that take care of socially vulnerable categories and people in a state of social need. At the Assembly of the Association, the members expressed their unique determination to continue such activities in the future.

At the assembly of UPIS RS, it was also concluded that in order to protect the rights and interests of the members of the Association, the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Srpska needs to harmonize the provisions contained in various laws, which concern tax and non-tax benefits in the field of gaming good luck Based on past experiences in practice, the members of UPIS RS believe that it is necessary to draft the new Law on Games of Chance and accompanying by-laws.

At the session of the RS UPIS assembly in Ugljevik, the problem of connecting the preparers to a single computer system for the supervision of preparers by the Ministry of Finance of the RS, as well as technical problems related to the way of recording taxes, was discussed. Some other current issues and problems related to the work of members of the UPIS of the RS were also discussed and a plan to solve them was adopted. PR