National lotteries are unique. They are part of strong, long-standing traditions. With the first modern lottery game conceived in 1441 in Bruges (Belgium), lotteries in Europe truly share a common cultural heritage and contribute to decades of positive social impact on society.
There is no doubt that this lottery model has stood the test of time, providing crucial funding for societal needs across Europe. But, in the modern context of a rapidly evolving digital landscape and the emergence of new games, the imperative of preserving lotteries and their resilience to society is more important than ever.
This week's colloquium (18-19 April), organized by the National Lottery (Belgium) with the support of The European Lotteries (EL) and under the aegis of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, served as a significant platform to support the importance of lotteries for cultural heritage and underlines the need to protect them as an integral part of the European social fabric. The Colloquium had the pleasure of welcoming Her Royal Highness Princess Claire of Belgium, also in her role as Honorary Vice President of the Queen Paola Foundation of Belgium.
Leading voices in the field, including Jeroen Puttervils, Research Associate Professor, University of Antwerp and Malcolm Fleming, President of the Association of Charity Lotteries in Europe, provided insights into the modern birth of lotteries and the social landscape in Europe. Keynote speaker Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice of the EU, offered legal interpretations on the court's recognition of the cultural, religious and moral nuances that shape the organization of the lottery in EU member states.
The program also featured inspiring case studies from EL members (ONCE, Veikkaus and Santa Casa) on their valuable contributions to society, as well as first-hand accounts from beneficiaries of lottery-funded cultural initiatives (including the Queen Paola Foundation, Nederlands Olympisch Comité / Nederlandse Sport Federatie and the European sports NGO ENGSO).
