The European Lotteries

The European Lotteries is the umbrella organisation of national lotteries operating games of chance for the public benefit. EL brings together state-owned and private operators, both profit and non-profit, who operate on behalf of the state. Our members only offer gambling and betting services in the jurisdictions in which they are licensed by the respective national government. Our Association was created in 1983 under Swiss law and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 1999, we adopted the name The European Lotteries and added the sport betting operators to our membership. In 2007, we set up an office in Brussels. We promote the sound and sustainable gaming model for the benefit of society that we stand for and that is based on the values of subsidiarity, precaution, solidarity and integrity. We advance the collective interests of our members, the national lotteries operating games of chance for the public benefit, and defend our model in the discussion on the societal, political, economic and regulatory framework for gambling. Our organisation is a proactive and strategic forum for reflection and discussion between our members and a true laboratory for the design and implementation of the further development and architecture of our model. We promote the cooperation between our members by providing them with the platforms for exchange, educational offerings, precise information and sound support. Recognising the rapidly changing environment and the changing nature of the lottery sector, the EL Executive Committee is proposing a new sharper strategy for EL that seeks to address the opportunities and threats of the shifting context we are facing. This strategy takes as its starting point a clear articulation of values and positioning, but accepts changes and differentiations and last but not least recognises new technologies and changing consumer-behaviour not only as a threat but as a real opportunity.