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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ELA Games has released its latest slot game, Pinatas Festival World Cup. Featuring an absorbing narrative, this title shows how the studio naturally adapts popular releases for major calendar moments. The game merges the festive, colourful spirit of a carnival with the thrill of international tournament play, offering players a front-row seat to the action.

The original Pinatas Festival became incredibly popular for its bright, contrasting animation and upbeat Mexican street fiesta theme. With the World Cup being hosted across the Americas, giving the title a seasonal evolution felt like the perfect way to celebrate. The studio took the lively street party atmosphere and expanded it, blending the familiar celebration with the energy of a major tournament.

A Striking Visual Upgrade for the World Cup

The World Cup is unrivalled in its sheer size, uniting billions of fans worldwide and dominating sporting conversation. Releasing the game in the build-up to the big matches gives players the perfect way to embrace the football spirit, tapping into that worldwide anticipation. To match the prestige and scale of the world’s biggest sporting competition, Pinatas Festival World Cup introduces major artistic upgrades crafted specifically for the tournament. The studio has meticulously refined the graphics to deliver a sharp, radiant experience that pops on every spin.

The visual updates feature an extensive cast of characters, each brought to life to represent the passion of the fans. These characters have been outfitted in updated costumes with smoothly integrated, enlarged national flag logos to be perfectly on brand with the atmosphere of the tournament. This attention to detail brings the football energy straight to the screen, allowing players to feel the pride of the games as the action unfolds.

Capturing the Global Energy

Creating an authentic sports-themed title demands a complete understanding of the atmosphere that makes these tournaments so memorable. The development team focused intently on translating the roar and anticipation of a stadium crowd into an all-encompassing entertainment experience.

Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director at ELA Games, said: “Our entire design for Pinatas Festival World Cup completely revolves around capturing the global energy of the tournament. We poured the excitement of the stadium and the passion of the fans into the atmosphere, creating a space that feels like a worldwide celebration of the sport. It is an excellent opportunity to design a World Cup-themed game for our loyal players, making this project particularly enjoyable for our entire team. We really wanted to convey the immense size and feel of the tournament in slot form.”

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