The European Gaming and Betting Association has confirmed that its members’ advertising will be monitored during the Euros.

Belgium.- The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has tasked an independent body to monitor members’ advertising campaigns against its code of conduct during the UEFA European Football Championship.

Global analytics company Nielsen will track EGBA members’ advertising content and The European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) will monitor advertisements.

Ads on social media and other digital platforms will be monitored along with those on television in four EU countries: Greece, Ireland, Romania, and Sweden.

The EGBA published its code of conduct in April 2020. It has long campaigned for a pan-European code on advertising.

The EASA will send its analysis to the EGBA and may include suggestions as to how the industry body’s code of conduct could be improved.

EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer said: “EGBA members are committed to advertising in a socially responsible way, even more so during prominent events like the EURO 2020 football championships.

“EGBA’s responsible advertising code puts this commitment into action and independent third-party monitoring of the code will support both compliance and trust in the code. 

“We hope gambling authorities around Europe will acknowledge the efforts made by EGBA members to raise the bar in responsible advertising standards.” 

The EGBA’s code of conduct on responsible advertising covers topics such as content moderation and the protection of minors. Ads should not be shown during broadcasts aimed at minors, while social media campaigns should be age-gated.

EGBA supports European electronic ID proposal

The EGBA has added its support to a European Commission proposal for a pan-European electronic identity wallet (e-ID) to allow EU citizens to access public and private services online. 

All EU public and private sector bodies would be obliged to offer the e-ID and allow for EU citizens to utilise it anywhere in the EU to identify and authenticate themselves.

The EGBA said the proposal would lead to common approaches to identity verification for many online sectors, including online gambling in Europe.

EGBA director Ekaterina Hartmann said: “An ever-increasing number of Europeans are using online services and a common electronic identification method would help them to access online services in a practical, secure way which safeguards their data. 

“We welcome the proposal for a Europe-wide e-ID, which would have significant positive impacts on the way KYC is conducted in Europe’s online gambling sector and help establish more common approaches to identity verification. 

“An EU e-ID would, for example, help strengthen existing processes to prevent minors from accessing online gambling and to fight fraud and money laundering.”

EGBA files EU state aid complaint over German igaming tax

The EGBA has filed a state aid complaint with the European Commission arguing that Germany’s proposed 5.3 per cent tax on online slots and poker turnover constitutes illegal state aid for land-based gaming.

The trade group’s announcement comes just a day after the German industry association Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV) announced that it had made a similar complaint.

The complaint against Germany’s Federal Council, the Bundesrat, argues that the tax rate contravenes EU rules on state aid. 

The proposed tax regime for Germany’s new igaming market is currently being analysed by the federal legislature, the Bundestag.

It sets a 5.3 per cent tax rate on turnover on online slots and poker, which many operators and associations fear will make the licensed igaming sector untenable.

A survey carried out by Goldmedia for Entain, Flutter Entertainment and Greentube found that half of German igaming players may be driven to the unlicensed market as a result of the tax rate.