Just one week ago at a business conference it was revealed that the government in the Republic of Slovenia might consider altering its gaming regulations. At present gaming is governed by the 1995 Gaming Act, amended October 2001 and October 2003. The Office for Gaming Supervision, a constitutive body of the Ministry of Finance, supervises all processes directly or indirectly related to gaming organisation within the country, including issuing licences and monitoring regulation compliance.

Under the terms of the present Gaming Act, the Government of Slovenia can award a maximum of 15 concessions for casinos - with all casino games and unlimited numbers of slot machines - and 45 concessions for gaming halls in tourist areas – with a minimum of 50 and maximum of 200 slot machines. There is no legal limit to the number of concessions awarded to one company but casino ownership must be by a joint-stock company. The Republic of Slovenia, or local communities and legal entities belonging to or founded in the Republic must own 51% of shares.

Slovenia’s largest gaming company HIT, a state-owned joint stock company with headquarters in Nova Gorica, is due to sign a memorandum of understanding with the world’s largest gaming company on 3 November. Harrah’s and HIT want to develop an €800 million (US$961.5 million) gaming resort in Nova Gorica, a town in western Slovenia. For the deal to progress there would need to be certain changes made to the present gaming regulations, lowering the 38% taxation level and permitting single investors to hold more than a 20% stake. Prime Minister Janez Jansa has indicated that such a project would be seriously considered once all the facts were known. (E-10.25.05)

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