EGBA asks EU to create a safer online gambling environment

EGBA urged the new EU term to create a safer environment for online gambling consumers.

Belgium.- As part of its attempt to make online gambling in Europe safer for consumers, the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) is asking the new EU term to create more rules around the industry.

After the European Parliament presented a new study on September 2, in which it identifies ways to strengthen EU digital economy, EGBA highlighted that it also mentions the importance of having more rules for online gambling. The association says that more rules would close existing gaps in consumer protection in the online gambling sector. If implemented, it could also potentially save €6 billion per year, EGBA says.

EGBA explained the gaps are real and the result of 28 different sets of Member State rules for online gambling. “[This] is a sector almost entirely regulated by national policies. These national rules work in isolation to each other and are contrary to the internet’s true, borderless nature. They lead to fragmentation and different consumer protection rules for the 12 million Europeans who gamble online,” said EGBA.

EGBA’s demands

The gaming body asked the new EU term to enforce existing consumer protection measures and to re-establish regulatory cooperation. It also called on the EU to create a safer online gambling environment across Member States. EGBA wants the EU to promote better alignment of national gambling policies.

“Stronger and more uniform consumer protection rules and enhanced regulatory cooperation would be a win-win-win: better regulation of Europe’s online gambling activities, higher consumer protection standards across the EU and more similar and clearer rules for EU gambling companies to comply with. That’s why EGBA urges MEPs and the incoming Commission to work together in this new EU term. We need to ensure a better standard of protection for Europeans and gambling policies fit for the digital age,” said the association.