Patrojoc, the organization representing private gaming in Catalonia, has elected Albert Maristany Sola, President of Solplay Group and Europer (Independent Association of Gaming Machines Operators) as President of its new Board of Directors.

The members of the Patrojoc Board of Directors are:

* President: Albert Sola Maristany (Group Solplay)

* Senior Vice President: Manel Lao Gorina (Cirsa Gaming Corporation, SA)

* Second Vice President: Nuria Lao Mulinari (Conei Corporation)

* Treasurer: Xavier Franch Cardona (Group Berozpi)

* Secretary: Jaume Sanahuja Junyent (AMS Group)

"The new team is full of hopes, it represents the whole sector; we face this challenge having been aware of the current difficult situation not only in the gaming industry but in other sectors of the economy" , said Albet Solá on taking office.

Some facts about the gaming in Catalunya

The Generalitat de Catalunya heads the ranking of tax revenue coming from gambling among all Spanish Autonomous Communities with a turnover of 302.27 million euros per year.

Catalonia has three casinos in operation, 50 bingo halls, 125 game arcades, 7337 gaming machines "type A" (without prize), 40 180 AWP machines ("type B"), 439 machines "type C" (according to the Annual Gaming Report 2008 published by the Ministry of Interior and DIRIP Memory 2008 of the Catalan Goverment (Generalitat)).

The private gaming sector has a major presence in the Catalan economy, generating 0.2% of GVA (Gross Value Added) of Catalonia. It consists of approximately 1,500 companies and employs around 15,000 people.

The sector is under strong fiscal pressure with 19.1% gaming tax on sectoral GVA, nothing to compare with 0.8% of the rest of sector services.

Source: Press Release