At a 4-day congress in Croatia, the Postcode Lottery Group received the Responsible Gaming Certificate from European Lotteries (EL). EL President Hansjörg Höltkemeier and Secretary-General Arjan van 't Veer presented the certificate, acknowledging the Postcode Lottery Group’s commitment to responsible gaming.

Malcolm Fleming, the group public affairs manager for the Postcode Lottery Group, stated, "A study conducted in 2021 has already confirmed that structural factors, such as the time between purchasing a ticket and the announcement of the draw result, make Postcode Lotteries one of the safest games of chance in the world. The Responsible Gaming Certification from European Lotteries is a great indicator that we also prioritise the proper management of situational factors within our lotteries. This further guarantees that our lotteries are and will continue to be a low-risk product.”

From left: Rob van Daalen (Postcode Lottery Group), Arjan van 't Veer (European Lotteries) and Malcolm Fleming (Postcode Lottery Group)

Commitment to responsible gaming
The presentation of the Responsible Gaming Certificate by European Lotteries is a recognition that underscores the Group's commitment to maintaining responsible gaming practices within the industry. Postcode Lottery Group became a member of EL in 2021. All EL members are required to meet a broad set of responsible gaming standards. For example, this includes how operators ensure their compliance with all legislation and regulations regarding responsible advertising, as well as their contribution to broadening and deepening scientific insights into the potential risks associated with certain games of chance.
 
Rewilding Europe
The opening ceremony of the congress got off to a promising start with a video featuring Rewilding Europe, one of the charity partners of the Postcode Lottery Group. "The Postcode Lotteries helped kickstart the rewilding movement in Europe", says Frans Schepers, executive director of Rewilding Europe, in the video. "What makes the support of the Postcode Lotteries even more special is it actually shows that there’s a lot of trust in organisations like ours."

Special focus was given to the Croatian ‘Velebit’ Rewilding landscape, where the organisation is engaged in nature restoration and wildlife population recovery efforts. As a result, bears, wolves and lynx have returned to the area. Marija Krnjajic, the team leader of Rewilding Velebit, was invited on stage and received a cheque from European Lotteries to support their work in the region.

Video: How Rewilding Europe is transforming landscapes across Europe, with the support of the Postcode Lotteries.

Elected internal auditors
On the final day of the conference, during the General Assembly, Rob van Daalen, the risk manager at the Postcode Lottery Group and Christof Röser, vice-CEO of Lotto Rheinland Pfalz, were elected as internal auditors of European Lotteries. In this role, they will assist the organisation in conducting its annual internal audit of the financial statements over the next two years. They will provide objective assurance, advice and insights regarding these statements. Rob expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am honoured to be a small part of this important organisation that has over 70 members across Europe. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with my fellow auditor and the rest of the EL team.”

From left: Malcolm Fleming (Postcode Lottery Group) and Rob van Dalen, elected as an internal auditor of European Lotteries