Compliance Updates
EGBA Welcomes European Parliament’s Approval of New European Digital Identity
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has welcomed the recent approval by the European Parliament of a Regulation introducing a new European Digital Identity (e-ID). The Parliament’s endorsement of the e-ID marks a significant milestone in the journey towards a more secure and inclusive digital environment for all citizens across the European Union (EU). The new e-ID will be a transformative tool that addresses several concerns in the digital sphere.
According to the Regulation, adopted by the Parliament on 29 February, the e-ID will allow citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online without having to resort to commercial providers – a practice that has, in the past, raised trust, security and privacy concerns related to the sharing of consumer data with third-party platforms. Using such a standardised, non-commercial identification method will ensure greater privacy protection for consumers, among other benefits. Additionally, the e-ID enhances security by offering consumers and businesses a trusted and standardised tool for online identification, minimising the risk of identity theft and fraud.
This streamlined approach will not only increase user confidence in digital transactions but will also reduce costs and administration for businesses, including gambling operators, by providing a singular verification tool they can use across the EU, instead of paying high fees for the use of commercial databases. The success of the e-ID will of course depend on a high participation rate among citizens. The use of the e-ID will be entirely voluntary for citizens and businesses, including gambling operators. Thus, gambling operators have the flexibility to determine whether they wish to integrate the e-ID tool into their know-your-customer processes.
EGBA has been a supporter of the e-ID since it was proposed by the European Commission in 2021, recognising its potential to revolutionise the way online services are accessed and utilised in the EU, offering a streamlined and secure means for individuals to verify their identity and engage in various digital activities. Since the proposal, EGBA has been encouraging the EU institutions to ensure that businesses, including gambling operators, can access and use the e-ID and benefit from its use. For the online gambling sector, the e-ID holds particular significance, as it provides players with an easy, secure, trustworthy, and singular option to confirm their identity in the EU.
The e-ID law, which amends the EU’s eIDAS Regulation, will now have to be formally endorsed by the EU Council of Ministers before its official adoption, expected before summer 2024. As a Regulation, it will automatically apply across all EU member states from the moment of its adoption.
“We welcome the European Parliament’s approval of a unified digital identity framework and are confident that the use of the new e-ID in our sector will lead to a more seamless and trustworthy online experience for players and help to reduce costs and administration for gambling operators. This innovative tool represents an important step towards building a more secure and user-friendly digital ecosystem, aligning with EGBA’s core objectives of promoting integrity, transparency, and a safe, consumer-centric playing environment,” Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, said.
The Ukrainian gambling regulator, PlayCity, has rolled out a new digital complaints platform that’s intended to streamline how the public can report illegal gambling advertisements. The complaints form is now live in the “For Citizens” section of PlayCity’s website, giving Ukrainian citizens a direct channel to help monitor and curb illegal gambling advertising.
The system enables citizens to flag suspected violations across multiple formats, including social media, websites, television, radio, outdoor billboards and other public spaces. Users submitting a complaint must identify the platform type, provide a direct link to the advertisement and attach supporting evidence such as screenshots or video clips.
The system is designed to automatically archive submissions and capture ephemeral content like social media “stories” so regulators can review material even after it disappears. PlayCity staff will screen each complaint to assess whether the content breaches Ukraine’s advertising rules.
If violations are confirmed, the regulator can request removal of content from platforms such as Meta, Google, TikTok, YouTube, Viber and Twitch. PlayCity said it could also seek to block social media accounts that repeatedly share unlawful gambling promotions, fine responsible parties or escalate cases to law enforcement when identities cannot be verified.
The statutory fine for illegal gambling advertising stands at cca. €100,900.
The new enforcement framework stems from Law No.9526d, the same legislation that abolished the previous gambling regulator KRAIL.
The post Ukrainian Gambling Regulator Rolls Out Digital Complaints Platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Armenian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs
Armenia to Implement Strictest Gambling Regulations to Combat a Massive Surge in Addiction
At its meeting on last Wednesday, the Armenian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs postponed the first reading of amendments to the Law “On Regulation of Gambling Activities” and several related laws until the next meeting for further revision.
Hayk Sargsyan, the author of the legislative initiative and a member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction, stated that the volume of online casino bets in Armenia has increased more than 35-fold over the past eight years.
“While in 2017, the volume of online casino bets was 0.2 trillion drams, in 2025, it will increase more than 35-fold, reaching 7.4 trillion drams. Online casinos have become a scourge and a plague for our people,” Sargsyan said.
According to him, hundreds of thousands of citizens are wasting their money on gambling addiction. Regardless of their location, they have 24/7 access to online casinos and are unable to break their addiction.
“In an attempt to recoup their money, citizens are accumulating debts and loans, thereby further worsening an already critical situation. Under the current circumstances, the National Assembly is obliged to take preventive measures aimed at maximally restricting participation in online casinos for individuals who no longer want to gamble but are unable to overcome their addiction, as well as those in dire social situations or those using government support programs,” Sargsyan said.
The bill proposes establishing a mandatory requirement: all online casinos must place a publicly accessible self-blocking button on their websites and apps.
“After clicking this button, playing at online casinos will be prohibited for a period of five years, with no possibility of early reinstatement. After this period, the ban is automatically extended for another five years unless the citizen submits an application to lift the restriction five days before its expiration. Information about the self-ban will be communicated to the gaming operator. Activity in other online casinos and gaming platforms will also be suspended,” Sargsyan said.
He also stated the need to prohibit participation in online gaming for recipients of social benefits, individuals whose primary source of income is a pension, individuals in bankruptcy proceedings and participants in subsidy programmes implemented with funding or co-financing from the state budget. Furthermore, it is proposed to set a limit on participation in online gaming at 20% of annually declared income.
Government representatives approved amendments that are planned to come into effect on January 1, 2027, following the introduction of the gaming operator institution, which will likely be selected mid-year and implemented as soon as possible.
The post Armenia to Implement Strictest Gambling Regulations to Combat a Massive Surge in Addiction appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that it is suing Kalshi, Robinhood, Coinbase, Polymarket, Crypto.com, and their affiliates, to halt their alleged facilitation of illegal sports betting, a form of unlawful commercial gambling, in Wisconsin.
“Thinly disguising unlawful conduct doesn’t make it lawful. These companies’ alleged facilitation of sports betting in Wisconsin should be shut down,” said AG Kaul.
Except in limited circumstances, sports betting and other forms of commercial gambling have long been illegal in Wisconsin. Yet, as alleged in these lawsuits, the defendant companies have chosen to flout Wisconsin law through disguising the sports betting they facilitate on their online platforms as “event contracts,” which pay out just like ordinary bets based on the odds of sports-related outcomes.
The complaints further allege that the companies collect a fee for every bet made, meaning they generate revenue from Wisconsinites by violating the state’s gambling laws. Kalshi, as one example, reportedly generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue from its sports contracts, representing around 90% of its total estimated annualized revenue.
As the complaints allege, by making money from the sports bets they facilitate, these companies are engaging in unlawful gambling activity.
Wisconsin DOJ’s lawsuits, filed on last Thursday in Dane County, request a declaration that, by making sports-related event contracts available for trading by customers located in Wisconsin, the defendant companies are violating Wis. Stat.§945.03(1m) and thereby creating a public nuisance. The lawsuits additionally request preliminary and permanent injunctions enjoining and restraining the defendant companies from making sports-related event contracts available for trading by customers located in Wisconsin.
The post Wisconsin DOJ Sues to Stop Alleged Illegal Sports Betting Operations in Wisconsin appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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