Joint CEO Letter: Competitive, Regulated Online Markets Are the Only Solution to Safeguard Players
19.07.2024
In a joint letter, the CEOs from our member operators—bet365, Betsson, Entain, Evoke, Flutter, and Kindred—express their collective concern about the worsening black market situation in Europe. Their joint letter is featured in EGBA’s recently published Sustainability Report 2024.
As leaders in Europe’s online gaming and betting sector, our top priority is to ensure the sustainability and safety of the entertainment we provide to our 32 million European customers. Whether they visit our websites to bet on sports or play casino games, we aim to provide them with an enjoyable experience that fosters trust and encourages them to return.
We have made significant progress by leveraging both human expertise and advanced technologies to proactively protect and support our players around the clock. This includes implementing and enhancing essential safeguards such as age and identity verification, safety tools, messaging, and self-exclusion. Through meticulous research, development, and ongoing refinement of our safer gambling strategies, we are fostering a strong culture of sustainable play across our entire operations.
As Europe’s leading regulated operators, we hold licenses and comply with license obligations in over 20 European countries. We employ harm prevention experts, adhere to national self-exclusion registers, and pay taxes and license fees in these countries. Our ongoing development of cutting-edge safety tools has led to nearly 40% of our European players now using these tools on a voluntary basis. Additionally, we are interacting with our players more than ever to promote safer play and continually refining our approach.
Despite this progress to ensure the safety of our players, we are facing a significant challenge. The growth of the black market for online gambling, driven by websites run from outside Europe, poses a mounting threat to the safety of European players, including our customers. These unregulated websites evade the responsibilities that regulated operators adhere to, and operate outside of regulatory oversight in Europe. Yet, the websites are easy to find, and the popularity of VPNs means they are easily accessible.
Worryingly, many black market operators lack even the most basic consumer protections such as age verification and safer gambling policies, exposing players to unacceptable risks. With lower operating costs, they entice players with attractive sign-up bonuses, promotions, and competitive odds, appealing particularly to vulnerable players seeking unrestricted play and a ‘no questions asked’ culture.
Unfortunately, the way that regulatory frameworks have developed in several European countries has exacerbated the problem of the black market. Why? Because severe restrictions in these countries prevent an attractive and competitive offer to players that steers them toward safer, locally regulated websites. For example, in France, where online casinos are banned, over 4 million players regularly use black market websites where they can play online casino, outnumbering the 3.6 million French players using regulated sites, according to data from the country’s gambling regulator.[1]
The worsening black market situation in Europe underscores the urgent need for national policymakers to take decisive action to protect their players. The time to act is now. While we strongly support enforcement measures against black market websites, competitive, regulated online gambling markets are the only effective solution. We call on national policymakers to design regulatory frameworks that balance robust consumer protections with a competitive and innovative online gambling environment that is attractive to players. Regulations should not inadvertently make unsafe alternatives more appealing, especially to vulnerable players. Taking a balanced approach is essential. By doing so, policymakers can mitigate the consumer protection risks associated with the black market and uphold the integrity and sustainability of their regulatory frameworks.
Looking ahead, we are committed to ensuring the safest and most enjoyable experience for our players. We will continue to incorporate the latest research into our approach, invest in state-of-the-art technologies and strategies, and bring our players with us every step of the way. This commitment not only builds trust with our players but is also an integral part of running a responsible, long-term business.
We are proud to present the latest EGBA sustainability report, showcasing our collective efforts to champion safe and sustainable play in Europe. This year, we report positive results in several key areas and have expanded our reporting to include new metrics on safety tools and customer interactions. By being transparent about our efforts, we aim to establish industry benchmarks, track our progress, and inspire our industry peers to prioritise sustainability in their operations.
Yours sincerely,
[1] AJFEL (2024). Available here.
