7 European regulators announce agreement to share information on illegal gambling
The regulators have issued a joint statement pledging more coordination to tackle unlicensed operators.
Spain.- Seven European gambling regulators have issued a joint statement pledging to share information and coordinate enforcement action to tackle illegal online gambling. The announcement was made by the gambling regulators of Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The agreement was made during a meeting at Spain’s Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ) during the 1st International Gaming Congress in Madrid this month. The regulators have said they will share information on illegal operators with each other, as well as knowledge and better practices for identifying, investigating, and sanctioning operators that act outside the law.
Meanwhile, they called on digital platforms and social media networks to strengthen their control mechanisms to prevent the dissemination of advertising content from unauthorised operators
The regulators said in the statement: “The fight against illegal online gambling is one of the paramount tasks facing regulated jurisdictions. Its borderless nature and the speed of technological innovation make it easier for illegal operators to evade regulatory oversight.
“This creates significant risks for consumer and public health protection, endangers public order and harms the activity of legitimate operators. In short, illegal online gambling undermines the entire regulatory framework designed to protect the public interest.
“In this context, we express our common concern regarding the increasing proliferation of advertising targeting our jurisdictions by unauthorised operators, particularly through digital channels such as social media, video platforms, and affiliate networks. These activities not only violate our national laws but also expose citizens – including minors and vulnerable individuals – to significant risks associated with illegal gambling”.
The meeting in Spain saw Italy’s ADM, the British Gambling Commission and Spain’s DGOJ outline existing and emerging challenges in gambling regulation and propose strategies to tackle them. Illegal gambling was also one of the main topics on agenda at the DACHL gambling regulators’ conference last month.
