The General Assembly of the European Casino Association (ECA) approved the organization’s strategy for the next three years and welcomed its newest member during this year’s edition of ICE London earlier this month
Providing more details about its new strategy, ECA said in a press release issued Thursday that it will “advocate the values and principles” of Europe’s nationally licensed land-based casinos towards “a sustainable feature.”
The key objectives of the strategy, titled Supporting and Promoting Europe’s Casinos, include providing thought leadership and developing and exchanging the best practices on the most pressing industry issues. Industry trends and digitalisation, anti-money laundering, corporate social responsibility, responsible gambling, diversity and inclusion, and safety and security are among the topics ECA’s new strategy aims to address.
Combating all forms of illegal gambling and national level with proven cross-European practices will, too, be among the most important tasks before the casino association in the coming years. The organization said during ICE London that it will also invest further efforts into the promotion of the positive economic and social impact as well as good causes spearheaded by Europe’s licensed land-based casinos.
The implementation of ECA’s new strategy will be led by the association’s new Secretary-General Philip Easthill (recently promoted from Executive Director) as well as by Chairman Per Jaldung and Vice-Chairs Tracy Damestani and Prof. Dietmar Hoscher.
ECA Welcomes City of Dreams Mediterranean
The casino association also announced that it has welcomed its 29th member, City of Dreams Mediterranean. The property has passed successfully ECA’s membership requirements and has signed up to the organization’s code of conduct to join the group of licensed land-based gambling venues located across Europe that are represented by ECA.
City of Dreams Mediterranean will be Europe’s first integrated casino resort. The property is to be developed in the city of Limassol in the Republic of Cyprus by Asian gaming and hospitality giant Melco Resorts & Entertainment and its Cypriot partner Cyprus Phassouri (Zakaki).
As Casino News Daily reported earlier this week, Melco and its local partner selected Greek construction companies GEK Terna and J&P Avax as the preferred contractors for the development of the gambling operator’s first casino property outside Asia. Construction is now slated to commence by April and the property is expected to swing its doors open in 2021.
Commenting on City of Dreams Mediterranean joining the European Casino Association, property President and gambling industry veteran Craig Ballantyne said that they are delighted to join the association and represent Cyprus at this crucial time. Mr. Ballantyne went on that their membership will help them establish connections with Europe’s licensed land-based casino industry ahead of the opening of what would be the continent’s first integrated resort.
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