The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) welcomes the publication of the European standard on markers of harm in gambling (EN 18144), on 31 May 2026, through the national standardisation bodies of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). EGBA and its members support the standard as an important voluntary baseline for identifying risky gambling behaviour, and its members are committed to aligning their player protection frameworks with the standard across Europe.

The standard establishes a strong baseline for consumer protection across Europe, identifying nine core behavioural markers that operators can use to recognise risky gambling patterns before they escalate:

• changes in stake volume or frequency.
• speed or intensity of play.
• deposit frequency, size, or failed deposits.
• withdrawals and cancelled 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.

EGBA proposed this initiative to CEN in 2022 and actively participated in its development alongside operators, national authorities, academics, and other harm prevention stakeholders. The resulting standard – the first of its kind in the gambling industry – is grounded in the latest research and received overwhelming approval from national standardisation bodies in October 2025.

EGBA members are already putting the standard into practice in Europe:

• Most members already monitor all nine behavioural indicators, with many having embedded them across all their operations.

• Members apply risk-scoring models to continuously assess player behaviour and flag emerging risk patterns.

• Members are committed to progressive alignment with the standard across all their operations.

“This is an important milestone for player protection in Europe. When widely adopted, this voluntary standard will lead to earlier identification of risky play and, ultimately, better protection for players. 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,“ said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA.

As a voluntary tool, the standard complements existing national regulatory frameworks across Europe. In some jurisdictions, certain markers may not be applicable where they conflict with national law, and implementation will reflect the regulatory realities of each market. EGBA remains committed to supporting its members and the wider industry to drive implementation of the standard across Europe.

The standard (EN 18144) is now available for purchase from national standardisation bodies across Europe.

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The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has provided evidence to the European Commission’s recent call for evidence on its upcoming EU Action Plan on Fighting Online Fraud – an initiative to reduce online fraud across different economic sectors in the EU through strengthened coordination and cross-border cooperation. The submission urges coordinated EU action to tackle fraudulent gambling sites and apps that exploit the reputation of legitimate operators.

Supported by documented evidence, the submission highlights how fraudsters systematically impersonate licensed gambling operators to deceive consumers across Europe. The evidence includes examples of fraudulent websites using domain names that mimic or closely resemble legitimate operators, illegal gambling apps distributed through Google Play and Apple App Store, phishing campaigns impersonating licensed brands and social media advertising that drives users towards real-money apps, based outside of the EU, that are disguised as games.

These types of fraud expose players to risks of identity theft, financial loss and unsafe gambling environments where well-established safeguards offered by regulated operators, like self-exclusion, do not exist. EGBA members report that across Europe fraudulent domains and applications frequently reappear shortly after takedown, creating ongoing consumer exposure despite continuous monitoring, takedown notifications and repeated enforcement actions.

Illegal operators now capture an estimated 27% (worth approximately €18 billion) of Europe’s total online gambling market gross gaming revenue in 2025. The submission addresses the risks posed by offshore operators, based outside the EU, who deliberately increase consumer risk by falsely claiming to hold gambling licenses granted by countries in the EU, misrepresenting their regulatory status and disguising gambling products as games. These fraud patterns are closely linked to the rapid expansion of unregulated illegal platforms in Europe that threaten both consumers and legitimate operators.

The Commission’s Action Plan on Fighting Online Fraud is planned for adoption in the second quarter of 2026.

Dr Ekaterina Hartmann, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at EGBA, said: “The evidence we’ve gathered shows how fraudsters are systematically exploiting the trust consumers place in the licensed gambling environment, putting European consumers at risk and allowing the illegal online gambling market to grow. From fake websites and fraudulent apps to phishing campaigns and social media scams, these threats reappear as quickly as they’re taken down. Fragmented national approaches to these types of fraud are not enough – we need coordinated EU-level action to ensure consumers and legitimate operators aren’t left fighting an uphill battle against fraud.”

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The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is pleased to announce the launch of the official European Safer Gambling Week 2025 (ESGW25) website, available at www.safergambling.eu, marking an important milestone in preparations for this year’s initiative, which will take place from 17-23 November 2025.

The new website serves as a central hub, offering information about the initiative and sharing important resources for both players and industry stakeholders. It features several dedicated sections designed to support player protection and encourage participation in the initiative:

• Support Resources – A comprehensive help page listing helplines and support services across European countries, including contact information for national helplines and self-exclusion systems. Players can find confidential support in their local language.
• Events Programme – The growing agenda of conferences, workshops, and webinars taking place throughout the week, covering key topics in player protection. Stakeholders can register for events and view the full programme.
• Safer Gambling Tips – Guidance for players, including warning signs to watch for, practical tips to stay in control, and the core safer gambling messages that form the foundation of this year’s initiative.

Join This Year’s Initiative

Now in its fifth year, ESGW25 brings together stakeholders across Europe’s gambling sector in a common mission to promote safe and sustainable play. Last year’s edition brought together 195 organisations from 26 countries, reaching 3.1 million people with important safety messages through a coordinated social media campaign, educational events, and stakeholder collaboration.

Get Involved

Operators, regulators, support organisations, trade associations, technology providers, and other sector stakeholders are invited to participate in ESGW25. Campaign graphics are available in 27 languages and can be requested through the website. For the full events agenda and information on how to get involved, visit www.safergambling.eu.

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