Jersey Gambling Commission chief executive Jason Lane has been elected chairman of the European forum for gambling regulators.
Dr Lane will serve a two-year term as chairman of GREF – the Gambling Regulators European Forum – having been elected at their annual meeting in Dublin at the end of May.
Dr Lane said that the strength of GREF was in providing a way for gambling regulators working under different legal frameworks to come together and share ideas and experience.
“From a regulator’s point of view it is a very important organisation because we can discuss issues that arise and compare the different ways in which regulators across Europe have responded to issues as they arise,” he said.
“From the point of view of a smaller jurisdiction it’s an excellent way to ensure that we have a voice in debates about gambling regulation, and to keep us updated about developments that are happening elsewhere in Europe.
“Much of the work of GREF is done through working groups focusing on issues such as social responsibility, e-gaming, match-fixing and the collection of statistics and we have learned a lot about the experience of bigger regulators dealing with more diverse industries in these areas.”
GREF was established in 1989 and the current board includes members of the gambling regulators of the UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway and Holland. Dr Lane, who holds a doctorate in policing, has been chief executive of the JGC since it was established in 2010. He is a former Director of Regulatory Services for the Economic Development Department and sits on the Jersey Police Authority.
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About the Commission
The Jersey Gambling Commission was established in September 2010 and is funded by licence fees, not the taxpayer. Its remit covers the regulation of gambling in the Island and advising the Economic Development Minister, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel and the States on policy and legislation. It also operates a dedicated gambling therapy service for Jersey residents at www.gamblingtherapy.je. The Commission works to three guiding principles enshrined in law, namely that gambling services should be conducted responsibly and with safeguards necessary to protect children and vulnerable people; that they should be regulated in accordance with generally accepted international standards to prevent fraud and money laundering, and should not be permitted to be a source of crime; and that they should be verifiably fair to consumers of those services.
