EGBA Hails Publication of European Standard on Markers of Harm in Gambling

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has expressed its firm support for the publication of the European standard on markers of harm in gambling. This comes amid continued efforts to standardize anti-problem gambling measures and champion safer gambling across the European Union.

CEN Published European Standard on Markers of Harm in Gambling

On May 31, the national standardization bodies of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) published a universal European standard on markers of harm in gambling. The objective was to standardize consumer protections across Europe by creating a strong and reliable baseline.

Per the standard, there are nine core markers that could flag potential problem gambling. These include the following:

• Changes in stake volume or frequency
• Speed or intensity of play
• Deposit frequency, size, or failed deposits
• Withdrawals and canceled withdrawals
• Player-initiated contact
• Gambling session duration or time-of-day play
• Use of multiple products
• Net losses or loss trajectories over time
• Changes to safety tools, such as limits and self-exclusion

The standard argues that higher stakes and losses, longer play sessions, and adjustments to safety tools are among the key indicators of risky behavior.

EGBA Welcomed the Standard

The EGBA welcomed the publication of the standard, saying that its members are committed to aligning their player protection frameworks accordingly. While this standard seeks to set a baseline for flagging problematic behavior, the EGBA pointed out that many of its members already monitor all nine indicators. The broader association remained committed to aligning with these standards across all operations. In fact, the initiative was originally proposed by the EGBA in 2022.

Maarten Haijer, secretary general of the EBGA, called the publication of the standard an “important milestone for player protection in Europe.” He said that when more operators adopt these standards, players will certainly receive better protection.

Our members are ahead of the curve on implementation – they are already applying many aspects of the standard and are committed to alignment across their European operations. We encourage other operators to adopt the standard and help raise the bar on player protection across Europe.

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General, EGBA

The EGBA reiterated its commitment to supporting its members and encouraging implementation of the standard across Europe.

In other news, the EBGA previously slammed a proposal to introduce a European Union-wide online gaming levy as “fundamentally unworkable.”