EGBA Welcomes Approval of European Standard on Markers of Harm
01.10.2025
National standardisation bodies have voted in favour of EGBA-proposed initiative to strengthen player protection in Europe.
Brussels, 1 October 2025 – The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) welcomes the positive outcome of the vote on the draft European standard on markers of harm in the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). An overwhelming majority of national standardisation bodies voted in favour of the standard, representing a significant milestone for player protection in Europe.
“The positive outcome of this vote is a real testament to the power of collaboration across our sector,” said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA. “When EGBA first proposed this initiative to CEN, we envisioned creating a commonly agreed standard that would benefit players across Europe. We’re delighted with the support the standard has received, and I want to personally thank all the stakeholders who participated in this process. The result shows what happens when we work together to strengthen player protection.”
“After years of driving this project, through its conception and development, seeing the overwhelming support it has received is incredibly rewarding,” said Vasiliki Panousi, Senior Manager of EU Affairs at EGBA. “This will be the first commonly agreed European standard for identifying risky gambling behaviours and it will offer an essential building block for effective harm prevention in Europe. The cooperation to develop the standard was extremely valuable, bringing together diverse expertise from across the continent.”
EGBA would especially like to thank Dr. Maris Catania, who served as the official project leader, and AFNOR – the French standardisation body – which coordinated the project as its Secretariat in CEN. We would also like to thank all the delegates from national standardisation committees, academics, regulators, operators, and harm prevention experts who contributed their expertise throughout this multi-year collaborative process.
The voting process closed on 25 September. While the outcome of the vote is a significant milestone, the standard must now go through the formal CEN finalisation process before it will be published. This process can take several months, and includes language translations and other procedural requirements.
The finalisation process is expected to be complete by early 2026. Once published, the standard will be available for voluntary adoption by gambling regulators and operators across Europe.
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About EGBA
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is the Brussels-based trade association representing the leading online gambling operators established, licensed, and regulated within the EU. EGBA collaborates with national and EU authorities and other stakeholders to foster a well-regulated online gambling market that ensures high consumer protection standards while acknowledging internet realities and evolving consumer preferences. As part of its commitment to safer gambling, EGBA organises and coordinates the annual European Safer Gambling Week, bringing together industry stakeholders to promote safe and sustainable play.
EGBA members adhere to the highest regulatory standards, collectively holding 321 online gambling licences – each licence with its own rigorous compliance requirements – and serving over 30 million customers across 21 European countries. Together, they represent approximately 30% of Europe’s 2024 online gambling gross gaming revenue.
For more information, please contact:
Vasiliki Panousi | Barry Magee | ||
Senior Manager of EU Affairs | Director of Communications | ||
