EGBA welcomes GREF support for European standard on online gambling harm markers
The markers would establish a set of behavioural indicators within the European Committee for Standardisation.
Belgium.- The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has welcomed the Gambling Regulators European Forum’s (GREF) decision to support the development of a European standard for markers of harm in online gambling. This initiative within the European Committee for Standardisation was proposed by the EGBA in 2022 and aims to establish a set of behavioural indicators to help identify problematic gambling behaviours more quickly and accurately.
Development of the European standard within CEN began in 2023 and brings together expertise from academia, gambling regulators, operators, and harm prevention professionals across Europe. The standards should be finalised and published by the end of 2025. They will be voluntary in nature but the EGBA believes they will provide a much-needed common definition of markers of harm to be considered for adoption by online gambling operators across Europe for the purpose of detecting and preventing compulsive behaviours.
Maarten Haijer, secretary general of EGBA, said: “We very much welcome GREF’s support for this important initiative. The development of a European standard on markers of harm will be a crucial step forward for safer gambling in Europe. It will help establish a more common understanding of problem gambling behaviours and raise the bar on player protection across the industry. Collaboration on safer gambling is crucial and we call on all stakeholders participating in the CEN standardisation process to support its finalisation in the coming months.”
In December, the Swedish online gambling operator LeoVegas Group became the latest member of the EGBA. The group, which is now owned by MGM, said it would use its membership to promote EGBA representation in key regions where it has a presence, such as the Nordic markets.
LeoVegas also pledged to participate actively in EGBA’s working groups and responsible advertising initiatives as well as in the implementation of European Union AML rules for the digital sector. Meanwhile, the EGBA is calling for Austria to open its online gambling market to regulated competition. In a letter to Chancellor Karl Nehammer and National Council chairman Andreas Babler and chairwoman Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) in December, it said the monopoly system was losing the country tax revenue and harming players.
