The European Gaming and Betting Association has asked the European Committee for Standardisation to define a list of markers.

Belgium.- The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has asked the European Committee for Standardisation to create a standardised list of markers of gambling harm. It says such a measure is essential to help prevent gambling-related harm in Europe.

The body says that a European standard would improve the early identification of possible risky or problem gambling behaviour among online players. A group of leading academics and harm prevention experts have signed a joint letter of support for the move, indicating that its development would encourage research collaboration to improve the understanding of problem gambling and support harm prevention.

CEN, the body responsible for developing standards in Europe, is conducting a ballot of its members, the national standardisation bodies (NSBs) of European countries, to determine whether the proposal should be approved. NSBs have until the end of the month to vote. 

If the proposal is adopted, stakeholders, including academics, health experts, authorities, operators, and consumer organisations, will be able to participate in discussions to develop the standard. The EGBA is urging all gambling sector stakeholders, particularly gambling authorities, to support the standardisation proposal.

Secretary general Maarten Haijer said: ‘We urge national standardisation bodies, gambling authorities, and other stakeholders to support this common-sense proposal to jointly develop a standard on markers of harm in Europe. A standard would be an essential element to help prevent risky and problem gambling behaviour and support consumer protection. 

“The process to develop the standard would bring together the knowledge and expertise of academics, researchers, harm prevention experts and other stakeholders to work collaboratively towards the common purpose of preventing gambling-related harm.”

EGBA members report that half of customers use a safer gambling tool

Last month, the EGBA reported that half of its members’ customers (some 14.9 million people) use at least one safer gambling tool. Meanwhile, the group’s members sent more than 20 million personalised safer gambling communications to customers in 2021, a 700 per cent increase year-on-year.

The data comes in the body’s annual sustainability report. The EGBA said the numbers show its members’ “commitment to promote sustainable gambling” and outlines “joint efforts to invest in a strong culture of safer gambling”.

In September, the EGBA published its first pan-European self-regulatory AML guidelines in a bid to strengthen the anti-money laundering (AML) efforts of online gambling operators. The EGBA guidelines introduce self-regulatory standards to help operators comply with the latest EU and national anti-money laundering rules.

The EGBA guidelines propose best practice industry standards, which it says online gambling operators should apply across their EU and EEA operations. The guidelines apply a risk-based approach and include sector-specific guidance to support a high standard of compliance with EU, national and supranational AML rules.