EGBA Requests that the Expert Group on Gambling is Re-established

The European Gaming and Betting Association has backed gaming authorities from EU member states in appealing for the EU Expert Group on Gambling to be re-established.

Online Gambling in the EU

There is no sector-specific EU regulation in the area of gaming services. The European Court of Justice has declared that the way EU countries manage their gambling services is within their own remit as long as they adhere to the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the (TFEU)’Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union’. In this instance, the freedom to provide services or start a business in another EU country is critical to make gambling safer.

Most EU nations permit the usage of at least some games of chance via the internet. Some governments permit all games, while others allow only particular types, such as betting, poker, and casino games. The formation of Monopolistic regimes offering internet gambling is now in various European nations. These are either run by a government-controlled public operator or by a commercial operator with an exclusive right. However, an increasing number of EU countries have implemented licensing arrangements that allow many operators to compete for market share. Under EU law, no one system has an advantage over the others.

About the European Gaming and Betting Association

The European Gaming and Betting Group (EGBA) is a Brussels-based trade association representing bet365, Betsson Group, Entain, Kindred Group, and William Hill, among other significant online gaming and betting providers licensed and regulated within the EU.

Affiliate members include the likes of the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS). EGBA collaborates with national and EU regulatory agencies and other stakeholders to create a well-regulated and well-channeled online gambling industry that offers high levels of consumer protection while also considering the reality of the internet and online consumer demand.

EGBA member firms adhere to the strictest regulatory guidelines and hold 145 online gaming licenses, allowing them to serve 16 million customers throughout 17 European countries.

Call For Re-establishment of EU Expert Group

Members of the European Gambling Association (EGBA) from 14 EU countries have written to European Commissioner Thierry Breton about the matter to build a more coordinated strategy to regulate a €100 billion per year European gambling market. Even though the initial Expert Group, which included members from many European gaming agencies, was disbanded in 2018, according to the EGBA, it was seen as a success by most regulators. The EGBA further stated that there was no longer a basis for collaboration throughout the €100 million European gambling market by disbanding the association. The EGBA also mentioned concerns over the issue of money laundering and unlawful gambling within the industry. The group served as a venue for exchanging market regulation knowledge and best practice policies.

“There is currently no EU structure in place for gambling regulators to interact, much less collaborate on major issues affecting Europe’s online gambling industry. The majority of these concerns are international in scope and necessitate collective solutions. The message to the European Commission is clear: both gaming regulators and the industry are united in their support for the Expert Group, and the Commission should reestablish it.” Paraphrased from a quote by the EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer.

What are the Rules for Legal Online Gambling?

The European Gambling Commission is constantly modifying existing laws and establishing new ones  for authorized online gaming enterprises to make online gambling more fair and safe. Online gambling sites must adhere to various limits and regulations, such as utilizing a system like UK GamStop.co.uk, limiting the number of funds, and many others, which we have listed below.

• Identification: A gambler or player must adequately prove his identification to the operator, according to one of the European Gambling Commissions’ primary stages and standards. In addition, the operator must have a thorough understanding of their customer before allowing them to gamble.
• Anti-money laundering: To avoid money laundering and other criminal hazards, the operators must conduct a risk-based assessment of the players, according to the law.
• Consumer Protection: The first and most important goal of online gaming companies is to keep their consumers safe. That is why they have enacted so many laws and regulations to regulate and govern internet gaming.
• Age limit: There is an age restriction, and those under that age are not permitted to participate in online gambling sites.
• Money limit: Some countries have regulations prohibiting gamblers from depositing excessive amounts of money or playing excessively.

The European Gaming Commissions (EGC) have imposed numerous laws and regulations on online gambling to avoid fraud and addiction. Because gambling entails numerous risks, like the chance of losing money, the risk of becoming addicted, and so on, The EGC enacted these regulations to protect authorized gambling sites.

With all these steps in the right direction, the EGBA is well on the way to further standardizing the industry.