Press Releases

05.12.2023

EGBA urges the French authorities to regulate online casino games in response to an alarming new study which suggests the country has one of the EU’s largest online gambling black markets. Brussels, 5 December 2023 – The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) expresses its concern about the findings of a new study into the size of France’s black market for online gambling. The study, commissioned by the national gambling authority l'Autorité Nationale des Jeux, estimates France’s black market for online gambling to be worth up to €1.5 billion annually in gross gaming revenue (GGR), equivalent to nearly half France’s regulated online gambling revenue.[1] This suggests that France has one of the EU’s largest online gambling black markets and, to address the problem, EGBA calls on the French authorities to end the country’s ban on online casino games. Although France is one of Europe’s significant gambling markets, it is one...

24.11.2023

The 2023 edition of the annual European Safer Gambling Week saw a record 8 million safer gambling messages shared on social media platforms across 20 European countries. Brussels, 24 November 2023 - The annual European Safer Gambling Week, which took place from 13-19 November, brought together a record number of participants, and led to record levels of safer gambling promotion across many European countries, according to an analysis by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA). Various stakeholders from across Europe supported this year’s initiative to raise awareness about safer gambling and provide practical advice to players and the wider public. This third edition saw a series of engaging events across Europe, alongside a dedicated social media campaign, which covered major platforms[1] and saw unprecedented levels of participation and engagement. More than 160 different partners actively participated, including many operators, trade associations,[2] harm-prevention organisations, and national gambling authorities, signifying a...

22.11.2023

EGBA is delighted to welcome Aircash as its first associate member, with Aircash also becoming the first payment service provider to join the association. Brussels/Zagreb, 22 November 2023 - Aircash, a leading European payments service provider, has become the first company to join the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) as an associate member. EGBA, the Brussels-based association representing Europe’s leading online gaming and betting companies, recently introduced new membership options for companies within the sector’s ecosystem, including payment service providers. Based in Croatia, Aircash is a prominent digital payment platform provider in Central and South-Eastern Europe and offers seamless and compliant financial services that adhere to the range of regulatory requirements in Europe. As an associate member of EGBA, Aircash will contribute its expertise to shape the association's awareness and positioning in the payments landscape. Hrvoje Ćosić, CEO, Aircash: "We are proud to join EGBA. As one of Europe's...

15.11.2023

The Court of Justice of the EU has sided with EGBA in its appeal against the European Commission’s refusal to open a state aid investigation into the granting of lottery licenses in the Netherlands. Luxembourg, 15 November 2023 - The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled today that the European Commission must investigate possible unlawful financial advantages resulting from the way in which the Dutch State granted licenses to incumbent lotteries in the Netherlands. EGBA welcomes today’s CJEU ruling in its favour. In 2020, the Commission concluded that a formal EU investigation into the Dutch licensing procedure was not necessary, stating that the procedure did not provide incumbent lotteries with illegal state aid, and subsequently closed the original complaint filed by European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) back in 2016. EGBA appealed the Commission’s decision to the CJEU in March 2021, asserting that the renewal of...

25.10.2023

The Finnish government’s plans to modernise its online gambling regulation by establishing a licensing system for online gambling will bring it into line with all other EU member states. Brussels, Today – The Ministry of the Interior in Finland has announced a legislative project to reform the country's gambling monopoly system by introducing a license system for online gambling, including casino games and betting activities. EGBA, representing Europe's leading online gambling companies, welcomes this announcement as a crucial milestone in addressing the shortcomings of Finland's outdated monopoly framework for online gambling. The legislative project aims to draft necessary proposals for the reformation of the gambling system. These proposals will cover various aspects, including the gambling activities to be included in the license system, license fees, taxation, safer gambling rules, prevention of gambling-related harm, and advertising regulation. The project will run until 31 December 2025 and aims to conclude with a...

19.07.2023

Betway has become the first brand outside of EGBA’s membership to sign up to the organisation’s pan-European guidelines on anti-money laundering. Brussels, 19 July 2023 – The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is pleased to announce that leading global online betting and gaming brand Betway has joined its pan-European anti-money laundering guidelines. By signing up to the initiative, Betway underlines its commitment to combatting money laundering in Europe’s online gambling sector. As the leading trade association at European-level for the online gambling sector, EGBA developed the guidelines to strengthen the sector's efforts in fighting financial crime and ensuring compliance with the latest anti-money laundering regulations in the EU. The guidelines, published in March 2023, provide practical and sector-specific recommendations for operators in areas such as, amongst others, customer and business risk assessments, customer due diligence processes, suspicious transaction reporting, and record-keeping. The guidelines employ a risk-based approach to assist...