Citing ill health, Dietmar Hoscher, longtime board member and current vice chairman of the board of the European Casino Association (ECA), has announced he will leave the board with immediate effect.
Hoscher has been involved in the board of directors since 2011. He was reelected three times and in his current term, which would have lasted until February 2021, held the position of vice chairman. Within the ECA, he oversaw two working groups on Responsible Gambling and Corporate Social Responsibility as well as on Legal and Regulatory Affairs.
Hoscher initiated and supervised many projects that have shaped the ECA, and has been described as a driving force in enhancing the ECA’s reputation among EU institutions, industry associations and the media. Hoscher was the initiator and behind the development of the ECA Responsible Gambling Framework, the first ever catalogue of responsible gambling measures and processes, setting a standard for the industry, which has allowed for independent auditors to certify the responsible gambling measures implemented by land-based casino operators.
In his capacity as head of legal and regulatory affairs, he structured ECA’s information campaigns to raise awareness among the EU institutions, regulators, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders in the sector. He represented the ECA in hearings of the European Parliament, particularly in the field of anti-money laundering, and was restless in his efforts to promote the value of the licensed European land-based casino industry for society.
“Mr. Hoscher was an important leader within the ECA, always focused on the topics that challenge our industry—illegal, unlicensed gambling, money laundering, the protection of consumers, to name the most important ones,” said ECA Chairman Per Jaldung. “The sustainability of the licensed casino industry was a mission for him, and he made sure the ECA became a member of the UN Global Compact as the first and only gambling trade organization.
“He was a dedicated representative of the ECA brand and was invited as a speaker to many of the major gambling congresses worldwide. We will miss him, but we understand his decision. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors.”
