Advisory board

He has graduated Law Department of University of Sofia in 1999. From 1998 to 2004 he has been an expert in Regional Administration of Sofia and State Commission of energetic and water regulation. In that period he has participated as a representative of State Commission of energetic and water regulation in development and execution of the first normative acts related to authorization of energy and gas operations.

From 2004 he is a Chief Legal Advisor of the biggest gambling operator in Bulgaria Eurofootball and he is Senior Law Advisor at the Bulgarian Association of Entertainment and Gambling Games. In that period he has been a part of realizing of many projects in the field of the Gaming industry.

As one of the leading law experts in gaming business, he has participated in sessions of different parliamentary commissions, which are focused on the problems of the taxation, regulation and developing of the gaming industry. He is invited as a narrow specialist in that area for elaboration of legal documents and consulting many cases. He has been a lecturer in different conferences, which are focused on regulation of the gambling games in the context of the challenges, which 21^st century offers.

French avocat and Attorney at Law (New York State Bar), Annabelle Richard practiced law in New York before coming back to France and joined Ichay & Mullenex Avocats in 2005. Since then, Annabelle Richard has been an active member of the Technologies, Media and Telecommunications department. In January 2011, she was promoted as a partner in the TMT department. Her strong background on new technologies, both from an operational and regulatory standpoint, as well as her international education have made her a strong asset on all telecom and new technologies projects. She is particularly involved in all matters pertaining to Internet law and is a recognized expert notably in e-commerce, online gaming and gambling, data protection and cybersecurity. Annabelle has earned her sterling reputation by working on complex projects, largely international, which required not only outstanding legal competence but also a perfect understanding of the business and operational constraints. She is an active member of many national and international professional organisations among which the Association Internationale de Jeunes Avocats (AIJA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the ItechLaw Association, the CLUSIF (French Information System Security Association), the International Bar Association and the International Association of Gaming Advisers (IAGA).

He has a diploma of engineer for automation in railway field and diploma in Management at the Open University School, U.K. Experience in gaming sector: He started his work immediately after revolution, in 1990, with service and maintenance for Novomatic gaming machines; established joint-venture with Novomatic from 1992 till 2000 and operated machines all over country. In 1994 he started operation in Bingo sector, trained by Vaprel – Spain for operating more bingo halls. Since 2000 he’s taking part in London shows, ICE, ATEI, - contacting most of the major producers for operating their machines. Since 2004 he started cooperation with Stella, Merkur Gaming - Germany and operates and distributes their video-slot machines. He is a founder member of the Romanian Gaming Association of Organizers and Producers (AOPJNR) since 1995. He is also directly involved in the project and adoption of the actual gaming law in Romania. Since 2001 he is elected as a Vice-president and since 2007 as Executive President of AOPJNR.

David has worked for the Financial Services Authority and Pensions Regulator. In 2001 he joined the Gaming Board for Great Britain (latterly the Gambling Commission) as Inspector for Intelligence & Operations, he was also Money Laundering Reporting Officer for the Board. In 2006 he joined the Jersey Civil Service as Legal and Intelligence Manager for Regulatory Services and transferred to the Jersey Gambling Commission in 2010. He has responsibility for probity investigations on applicants and the production of guidance and Codes of Practice. He is a member of the States of Jersey Anti-Money Laundering Strategy Group and is Secretary of the Social Responsibility Panel.

Director – General for the Swedish Gambling Authority and former Head of Swedish Broadcasting Commission. Before this he worked ę years as Chief Legal Counsel at the Gambling Authority. Hakan Hallstedt is a trained judge and has been an associate judge at the Court of Appeal for Western Sweden. He has served as Vice-President for the Consumer Complaints Board and also worked for the Government as senior advisor in the Ministries for Culture and the Environment. Hakan Hallstedt is Chair for Gaming Regulators Forum (GREF) 2012-2014.

Herbert Beck is Certified Addiction Counselor, Member of the European Lotteries Responsible Gaming Working Group, and Member of the European Casino Association Responsible Gaming Working Group. He has joined Casinos Austria in 1982 as Assistant to the Head of the Corporate Responsible Gaming Department. Since 1989 he is a Head of Corporate Responsible Department. Since 2008 he is Head of Division, Group Function Responsible Gaming, Advertising and Sponsoring since 2008. His Project Experience includes development and implementation of effective and lasting responsible gaming programs and concepts at Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries. Organizer and speaker at the annual, international Responsible Gaming Academy.

Ivar has worked with-in the Regulated gaming industry for the past eleven years in various positions and leading projects covering most aspects of Internet regulated gaming. Has a diverse background and experience handling various roles as a top executive, chief account officer, head of development, Head of Project Management Office and a senior developer during the past ten years. Before joining the regulated gaming industry Ivar was focused on delivering entertainment gaming multimedia and mobile solutions. Ivar holds a MBA degree as well as a B.Sc. degree in Computer Science from the Reykjavik University.

He worked in Ministry of Defense, lawyer on public procurement procedures. Till year 2003 various positions in sphere of marketing, customer services and sales in leading telecommunication enterprises in Latvia – Tele2, Lattelecom. Till year 2006 worked in Ministry of Defense as a Lawyer on public procurement procedures. Professional activities include supervising licensing procedures in Latvia, legal developments, participation in professional conferences and organizations. He is a member of Gaming Regulatory European Forum – GREF.

Joseph F. Borg occupies the post of Director Legal and Enforcement of the Lotteries and Gaming Authority – Malta for almost two years. Before joining the Authority, Joseph, acted as a Legal Counsel to Vodafone Malta Limited for three years.

Joseph was conferred with an LL.M. in Information Technology and Telecommunications Law from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow with Distinction. Earlier, he was awarded the LL.D. from the University of Malta, after writing and successfully defending a thesis entitled ’Protection of Trademarks against Domain Names‘. In November 2000, Joseph graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Legal and Humanistic Studies.

A lawyer by training, Laurie has been researching and writ­ing about regulatory and market developments for GamblingCompliance for more than five years. Laurie has had a specific focus on developments across European jurisdictions during this time and has spoken at conferences, parlia­mentary hearings as well as various in-house seminars and workshops on gambling regulation.

Mark Rutherford is the director of policy and legislation within the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission with responsibility for ensuring that the Isle of Man’s gambling legislation remains fit for purpose and for ensuring that the inspectorate’s policy is properly aligned with the law. Prior to working for the GSC, Mark spent twelve years as an officer in the Income Tax division.

Member of the Rome and Paris Bars, after having graduated at University of Rome La Sapienza in 1997 and at the London School of Economics (General Course Degree) in 1995, she took an LL.M degree at Harvard Law School in 1999. She started her international career at the Centro Studi Unidroit in 1997. After one year and a half spent in Cambridge at the Harvard Law School she joined the Brussels team of the American law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and then moved to the European Commission DG Competition where she spent one year working on competition law matters in the telecoms sector. In 2002 she joined as in-house lawyer the French branch of the Italian car manufacturing company, Fiat. Since 2006 she serves for the Italian Bar Council (Consiglio Nazionale Forense) as a delegate of the CCBE (European Bar Council) and heads the Italian desk of the law firm Vovan & Associés in Paris advising in the field of European law, company law and French and Italian law in the gambling sector.

Martina Barcaroli is co-founder of the Franco-Italian association Progetto Giochi, a think tank on regulatory and market development in the gambling sector (www.progettogiochi.org).

A number of international conferences have been organized by Martina Barcaroli in the field of gambling law among which ‘Le marché des jeux: entre exigences de securité et d'ouverture a la concurrence’ (Venise, 13-14 March 2009), ‘La liberalisation du secteur des jeux d’argent et de hasard: quelles perspectives pour l’Italie et la France?’ (Rome, 9 April 2010). Since 2010 je contributes to the organizarion of the Monaco iGaming Exchanges (MiE) In July 2011, she lectured the class on Italian gambling law at the Summer school european and national gambling law organized by the Belgium Gambling Authority and the University of Leuven.

She is author of a number of law review and press articles, such as La nouvelle réglementation italienne du marché des jeux en ligne: l’attribution de nouvelles licences et l’ouverture des jeux de casino (IGA Magazine, June 2011), Les jeux en ligne: face à l’explosion annoncé, la nécessité’ d’une étude d’impacte? (La Tribune, May 2010), Les jeux en ligne entre libéralisation et regulation (La Tribune, March 2010), Le secteur des jeux en Italie: un modèle d’ouverture équilibrée (review Ace, June 2009), La libéralisation du secteur des jeux en France, (review UionCamere, April 2009).

Since 2006 he is Attorney at law in Lazarov Law Office. He previously worked as Project Coordinator at UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Project Director at CHICAGO-KENT SCHOOL OF LAW – POST CONFLICT FOUNDATION and other positions. He is an active Member of Macedonian Bar Association, President of European Association of Young Lawyers – Republic of Macedonia chapter. 

He is a veteran in the area of responsible gaming, consultancy and training of gambling industry professionals. He is involved in projects since 1989. Starting his career as the head of an outpatient clinic he served as managing director of Jellinek Consultancy since the early 1990s. He also runs his own company Assissa Consultancy Europe working on responsible gaming policies and projects in a number of countries all over the world. The co-chair of the gambling section of ICAA (International Council on Alcohol and other Addictions) and EASG Board member (European Association for the Study of Gambling).

Sue is Director of Projects and Policy at the Remote Gambling Association, the largest trade association for the global online gambling industry.  It represents 30 of the world's largest licensed and stock market-listed remote gambling companies and provides the industry with a single voice on all the issues of importance to regulators, legislators, and key decision makers around the world.  She has a wide ranging background in gambling, including being Principal Officer of Gambling Therapy which provides online support for problem gamblers and was Head of Policy at the UK Gambling Commission.

Tracy Cohen is Director of Europe for the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), a trade organization comprised of the top international gaming suppliers whose mission is to further the interests of its members around the world. She also currently serves as Marketing Manager for TCSJOHNHUXLEY the leading casino gaming equipment manufacturer and supplier with 11 offices worldwide. With more than 20 years experience in design and marketing communications for the international casino and gaming industry, Cohen oversees global trade shows and events, Public Relations, advertising, sales and marketing communications and product launch activities. 

Mr Casalone has a deep experience in gambling rules gained as regulator in the Italian public administration and as manager in leading gaming companies