Working With GamCare, eCOGRA Will Host Its 3rd Intensive Training Initiative In March 2008.

Starting March 19 this year, eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming, Regulation and Assurance) will be hosting the next training course in London, and eCOGRA accredited companies and other firms currently under review around the globe have already committed to the expense of sending managers to attend, registering over 40 delegates.

The two day course will commence with an address by a senior independent director of eCOGRA and former Chief Inspector of the UK Gaming Board, Bill Galston OBE followed by detailed practical tuition sessions on the clinical and social aspects of problem and underage gambling presented by expert professional speakers from GamCare.

The highly interactive programme has been designed to cover all aspects of responsible gambling awareness and the implementation of effective and practical measures to identify and exclude problem gamblers, with the emphasis on player protection, customer communication and providing players with helpful information. The managers attending will be coached on how best to ensure that staff is adequately and regularly trained to deal with responsible gambling issues, and that marketing initiatives are in compliance with the Responsible Gambling Code.

One of the key sessions will examine intervention and interaction; how to deal with problem gamblers and the fine line between intervention and interaction. With the UK code recommending that companies engage in "interaction" this aspect will be explored and guidelines given on how it can best be achieved, and where the operator's responsibility ends.

In practical terms, eCOGRA and its partners have done more than most when it comes to the professional study of responsible gambling and the development of staff training aimed at reducing the possibility of underage or problem gambling.

The player protection organisation has partnered with leading international responsible gambling bodies to present two previous major training courses for operational managers, who then return to their home bases to implement measures and expand the training to other members of staff.

"Our previous courses have been well received as valuable guidance in complying with best practice standards for combating problem and underage gambling," eCOGRA's Fair Gaming Advocate Tex Rees said. "The next course has combined the expert professional knowledge of GamCare counsellors with the growing practical experience of top online gambling operators to produce what we believe is an effective and useful approach to a key industry problem."

About eCOGRA
eCOGRA sets online gambling standards and provides an international framework for best operational and player protection practice requirements. These are enforced through inspections and reviews, and continuous monitoring.

Companies that have achieved accreditation with eCOGRA are entitled to bear the organisation's "Safe and Fair" seal, indicating to players everywhere that all operational systems and games are continuously monitored to consistently high standards.

eCOGRA's independent directors determine which operators qualify for the seal. These directors are Bill Galston, OBE, retired Chief Inspector for the Gaming Board of Great Britain; Bill Henbrey, former head of gaming services at leading international accounting firm BDO; Frank Catania, former Assistant Attorney General and Director of New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement; as well as Michael Hirst, OBE, a former board member of Ladbroke Group Plc, and formerly Chairman and CEO of Hilton International.

Accreditation remains open to all software companies and their operators. You may lear more about eCOGRA and see the full list of accredited online casinos and poker rooms here.