Matt Bastock

The Gambling Regulators European Forum (GREF) has reacted positively to the European Committee for Standardisation’s (CEN) initiative to develop a standardized monitoring of recognized causes of gambling harm. 

The CEN draft standard will set out ‘markers’ of gambling harm, looking to help identify and prevent risky and problem gambling behavior. 

It will provide markers of harm that operators can use to detect players exhibiting problem gambling behavior. The overall aim is to promote responsible gambling. The markers will be developed by a pan-European collaboration of academics, gambling regulators, harm prevention experts, and gambling operators. 

GREF outlined in a statement: “This project will be particularly useful in CEN Member jurisdictions where duty of care rules are few or do not yet exist.” 

The Forum did, however, highlight that it is comprised of jurisdictions “with very different gambling regulatory frameworks, some of which have very strict duty of care rules.” It goes on to emphasize that, in accordance with Article 2 of European Union Regulation 1025/2012 on European Standardisation, compliance with the standard will remain voluntary unless otherwise required by the regulatory authorities. 

The European Gaming and Betting Association has welcomed GREF’s support. In a release, Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, commented: “We very much welcome GREF’s support for this important initiative.” 

He continued: “The development of a European standard on markers of harm will be a crucial step forward for safer gambling in Europe. It will help establish a more common understanding of problem gambling behaviours and raise the bar on player protection across the industry. Collaboration on safer gambling is crucial, and we call on all stakeholders participating in the CEN standardisation process to support its finalisation in the coming months.” 

The EGBA previously held a webinar, providing a detailed discussion about markers of harm. In a release, it also revealed that the markers of harm are expected to be finalized and published by the end of the year. It believes that the standard will “provide a much-needed common definition of markers of harm.” 

Safer Gambling Week 2024: A Record-Breaking Campaign

The EGBA’s 2024 European Safer Gambling Week reported record participation. The campaign, which ran from 18 to 24 November 2024, saw 195 partners get involved, including eight national gambling authorities. 

The Association outlined that the campaign reached 26 countries, including debut years for Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. 

Across the body’s social media campaigns, Safe Gambling Week reached over 3 million users and generated 1,169 posts, a 67 percent increase from the year prior. 

In addition, 29 specialized events took place. There were 4,500 registrations and 3,000 attendees, and topics included trends in AI, problem gambling prevalence reporting, and innovations in safer gambling.

Written By

Matt Bastock

Matt is a casino and sports betting expert with over two decades’ writing and editing experience. He loves getting into the nitty gritty of how casinos and sportsbooks really operate in order to make solid recommendations based on real experiences. His favourite games are blackjack and poker, and he loves watching NFL and soccer in his spare time.

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The 2024 campaign took place between 18 and 24 November across social media and with special events, highlighting safer gambling messaging and resources and encouraging industry collaboration.

The EGBA noted that European Safer Gambling Week 2024 achieved record participation with 195 partners, up 20% compared to 2023. Eight national gambling authorities took part, more than double the previous year, by participating in the social media campaign or speaking at events.

In total, the campaign reached 26 countries, a 30% increase year-over-year, with partners in Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine joining for the first time. Social media graphics were also available in the local languages of 27 countries.

The full list of participating countries included: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Ukraine.

“The success of this year’s edition reflects the sector’s deepening commitment to player protection,” commented Maarten Haijer, Secretary General at the EGBA. 

“The significant increase in participation, especially from health organisations and regulatory authorities, demonstrates the common purpose and growing unity in our approach to safer gambling. 

Across social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X, the European Safer Gambling Week campaign reached 3.1 million users and generated 1,169 posts, up 67% from the previous year.

20 specialised events also took place, an 11% increase from 2023. With 4,500 registrations and 3,000 attendees, these events explored trends in AI, problem gambling prevalence reporting and innovations in safer gambling tools and messaging. 

105 speakers participated in these events, including senior representatives from gambling authorities in Belgium, Denmark, France and the UK.

Haijer continued: “Through this collaboration, we’ve reached a record number of Europeans with crucial safety messages during the campaign. Together, we’re making gambling safer and we already look forward to building on this success in next year’s edition.”

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1. Raising the ceiling on collaboration is a challenge 

The level of collaboration amongst operators is currently limited, however, if it could be expanded across the board it could bring a new level of protection for vulnerable players. 

Frazer McNaughton, Head of Compliance & MLRO Grace Media, underlined that collaboration is something that “every operator and all of the regulators speak about all the time, but its implementation is exceptionally rare”. 

According to McNaughton, the industry coming together to adopt training from Better Change and RG24/7, which promotes healthy play, epitomises that the industry is willing to work together on a really high level to make good tools. 

Nonetheless, one of the most valuable assets in the modern world is data, and raising the ceiling on data-sharing amongst operators is a far more challenging prospect.  

Luke Sugden, Director of Risk and Safer Gambling at Flutter, did however emphasise that “there could be a world” where markers of harm are shared across operators, citing where a player has failed an affordability assessment – there could be a world where this is shared with other operators. 

He did however point out that this is a stickier problem to solve, whereas with GamProtect we can identify where a customer has self-excluding and where we should do the right thing, it is a fairly binary outcome, whereas with a marker of harm it is very non-binary. 

“It is very complex, but I think these are the areas that could be explored in the future.”

2. Fragmentation hindering progress in Europe 

Vasiliki Panousi, Manager of EU Affairs at the EGBA, emphasised that as a result of fragmentation within regulation and safer gambling, there isn’t a united approach to player protection. 

Nonetheless, she stated that there is significant research that indicates that standardisation of markers of harm could be of real benefit to increasing player safety. 

She added that the EGBA has proposed A European standardisation of markers of harm and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is working on the proposal with the intention of it being published next year. The proposal includes nine behavioural indicators that could be detected by operators and risks that could be predicted by operator AI tools. Should her proposals be implemented each region will have versatility to add to the nine markers.

Phil Sherwood, Senior Director of Responsible Gaming at PrizePicks, also highlighted that sometimes volume of spend isn’t necessarily the most accurate indicator of problem gambling, as the variety of markets that a player engages with is a more impactful indicator, if a player feels the need to bet on every market. 

Panousi added that the AI tool would take into account the full combination of markers in order to best understand the situation of the player. 

Sherwood went on to underline that one factor that AI would struggle with, but is vital, is understanding whether the player is having fun and enjoying the gambling experience. 

“If the person is participating in the activity and it is not fun, that is a huge marker. A lot of these operators have live chat and there is certainly technology that can make a determination of the level of satisfaction that is coming from the player. But I’m sure a lot of bad data would come from that too – people just confused with losing their password or questioning when a deposit would come in, confusing for typical customer service issues.” 

3. Rethinking the approach to VIP players

An effective player protection strategy shouldn’t eradicate operators from having a VIP scheme, but there is a tightrope to be walked. 

Industry experts sought to gain a deeper understanding on player protection and increase shareholder value.

“From my perspective, good player protection doesn’t mean that you can’t have high-value customers,” said Andy Danson, Partner at Bird & Bird.

“It does mean that for high-value customers you’ve got to be particularly careful as an operator to ensure that they are in control of their gambling and that they can afford their losses, so there is more work to be done on the operator side.”

Floris Assies, Founder of Better World Casinos, argued that VIP players with greater disposable income are more likely to be gambling for “the right reasons”.

He said: “Some people gamble for entertainment and that’s perfect. It’s very likely that the people who have more disposable income gamble more for the right reasons than those who have less, because they gamble with the hopes of actually getting rich out of it and see it as a form of income, and that’s the wrong motivation for gambling.”

Peter Marcus, CEO of The Marcon Ltd and former Group Operations Director for Entain, who spoke about the importance of VIP account managers understanding their players.

“A real VIP is someone you know a lot about, you’ve met them, you understand their financial situation and you understand their personal situation.

“You know if they’re playing for recreational purposes or if they’re going into the area they shouldn’t be doing. A really good VIP manager’s job is not to maximise their revenue, it’s to manage and look after the customer and to look after the customer in wellness, safer gambling, regulatory AML, KYC et cetera.”

To access recordings of all eight webinars, register here.

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However, a joint CEO letter within the report also raised concerns about the growth of the illegal online gambling market in Europe, with the CEOs mentioning that it “underscores the urgent need for national policymakers to take decisive action to protect their players”.

EGBA’s Sustainability Report 2024, the association’s fourth annual sustainability report, noted that over half of the 21 million customers used safer gambling tools voluntarily, which is a 14 per cent increase year-over-year.

The report – which “outlines the joint efforts and progress made by its members to promote a sustainable approach to gambling and contribute positively to society in Europe” – highlighted a record 67.6 million safer play messages sent by operators to customers, up 49 per cent YoY, of which 23 million were personalised based on customer behaviour.

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, commented: “We’re pleased to publish our latest sustainability report, highlighting significant progress by our members in many areas of safer gambling, particularly in the roll-out of safety tools and their direct interactions with players about their playing behaviour. 

“This demonstrates their collective efforts to embed a sustainable approach to gambling at the heart of what they do.”

Key sustainability report data

The EGBA’s annual sustainability report aims to “track yearly progress, support transparency, and reinforce a strong culture of social responsibility”.

The 2024 report includes sustainability highlights, customer data points collected, safer gambling tools and promotion, social contributions, employment and diversity, as well as energy and environment.

Alongside the previously mentioned figures, the EGBA noted that key data from the report includes that deposit limits were the most used tool by customers of EGBA members, with 70 per cent of customers using the tool voluntarily.

As for safer gambling promotion, the report stated that 70 per cent of all personalised messages were delivered by on-screen pop-ups, while 25 per cent were delivered via email.

In addition, 80 per cent of all member employees – over 45,000 employees across online and land-based operations – received dedicated safer gambling training.

The report also spotlighted how safety messages have improved in their effectiveness, as it noted that of customers who showed potentially problematic play, 65 per cent either improved or stabilised their play following safety messages. 

Of the 65 per cent, the EGBA said that 45 per cent improved their play, 10 per cent refrained from playing and 10 per cent stabilised their play. 32 per cent also voluntarily activated or strengthened safety tools, including self-exclusion, in response to safety messages.

Regarding customer accounts, the association stated that the total number of accounts rose by four per cent YoY to 32.5 million, with 72 per cent of customers being male (2022: 74 per cent) while 28 per cent were female (2022: 26 per cent). Collectively, 59 per cent of customers were either aged 26-35 or 36-50.

EGBA members also allocated €61.2m to problem gambling research, education, and treatment services, while €151.4m was donated to charities and community initiatives across Europe.

The report noted that across land-based and online operations, its members had 58,633 employees – 57 per cent male and 43 per cent female.

Meanwhile, total energy consumption across operations was 253.4 GWh, with 71.8 per cent sourced from renewable energy. Greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 0.93 million tonnes CO2e.

Illegal online gambling market concerns

The report also featured a joint letter from six gambling industry CEOs: John Coates, Joint Group Chief Executive of bet365; Stella David, interim CEO of Entain; Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter Entertainment; Jesper Svensson, CEO of Betsson Operations; Per Widerström, CEO of evoke; and Nils Andén, CEO of Kindred.

The letter highlighted how “both human expertise and advanced technologies” have been used to “proactively protect and support” players around the clock, but it also raised concerns about the growth of the illegal online gambling market in Europe and how they lack “even the most basic consumer protections”.

The letter also mentioned the regulatory frameworks in several European countries and stated that this has “exacerbated the problem”, adding that the worsening situation “underscores the urgent need for national policymakers to take decisive action to protect their players”.

“While we strongly support enforcement measures against black market websites, competitive, regulated online gambling markets are the only effective solution,” the letter said.

“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.”

Haijer added: “In the report, our CEOs also quite rightly flag their concerns about the growing black market in Europe and the risks it poses to players and the progress made in safer gambling. We’re pleased to expand our reporting this year with specific new metrics about the use of safety tools and messages to promote safer play.”

To read the full EGBA Sustainability Report 2024, click here.

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Approved by the European Parliament in April and by the European Council earlier this week, the final step of the EU legislative process, the AML package includes the establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority, the sixth AML Directive and a new AML regulation.

Based in Frankfurt, the AMLA will have “direct and indirect supervisory powers to ensure compliance with AML requirements, working in tandem with national AML authorities” and will also be “responsible for a large amount of technical and implementing rules that will directly apply to the online gambling sector”.

The sixth AML Directive will contain “national provisions on supervision and the powers of national AML authorities, including their access to requisite and reliable information such as beneficial ownership registers”.

As for the new AML regulation, it will include “requirements for conducting due diligence, transparency of beneficial owners and much more, directing practitioners through the whole AML process for obliged entities” in addition to setting “a limit of €2000 for conducting due diligence on players for online gambling operators”.

The new AML package will also see the creation of a “harmonised reporting format” for Suspicious Transaction Reports. Overseen by AMLA, online operators will now find the same STR requirements across all EU member states, reducing administrative burdens and costs.

Dr Ekaterina Hartmann, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at the EGBA, commented: “We welcome the finalisation of the new anti-money laundering package. 

“EGBA has actively followed and contributed to the revision of the AML rules at EU-level and believes the new rules will benefit Europe’s online gambling operators, especially those operating in multiple jurisdictions, by ensuring a single regulatory approach across EU member states.”

Industry-specific guidelines have been developed by the EGBA to assist online gambling operators on AML. These guidelines “apply a risk-based approach and include practical measures” to help operators with AML compliance in the EU. 

While EGBA members already apply the guidelines and submit annual reports and summaries about their progress in implementing its measures to the association, the guidelines are also open to all EU-based operators.

The guidelines also take into account the European Commission’s original AMLR proposal and will be updated to match the final versions of the EU legislation.

The new AML regulation will come into force three years after it is published in the Official Journal of the EU, the next step in the process.

Hartmann continued: “With the finalisation of the new rules, EGBA will review and update its industry guidelines on AML to ensure their alignment with the rules. 

“By signing up to the guidelines, operators can begin preparing themselves for the EU rule changes and join our members in their efforts to proactively and positively contribute to the fight against money laundering in the EU.”

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At the centre of the developments is bolstering progress towards a more secure and inclusive digital environment for those across the European Union (EU). The new e-ID has been described as ‘a transformative tool’ that addresses several concerns in the digital sphere.

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General, EGBA, commented on the developments: “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.” 

The Regulation, which will  be adopted by the Parliament on February 29, will look to enable citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online without having to resort to commercial providers.

According to the EGBA, the success of the e-ID will hinge 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.

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The European anti-money laundering authority will operate together with, and in addition to, the already existing national AML authorities of the EU member states. The AMLA’s formation is part of EU AML framework reform, which is expected to be agreed upon by the EU institutions before the end of the current EU mandate in June 2024.

Commencing in mid-2025 with over 400 staff members, the AMLA will have direct and indirect supervisory powers over obligated entities, as well as the power to intervene in cross-border cases, in hopes of coordinating AML rules and application. 

This includes creating a standardised reporting template for Suspicious Transaction Reports, which will provide a benefit to various sectors, including gambling.

“We welcome Frankfurt as the chosen seat of the new European Anti-Money Laundering Authority,” commented Dr Ekaterina Hartmann, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, EGBA.

“Given the city’s position as the centre of European finance, it is a logical choice. We look forward to collaborating with AMLA to ensure the representation of the gambling sector’s voice in future EU-level AML discussions and help contribute positively to the fight against money laundering.

The EGBA has developed gambling-specific AML guidelines to help online operators comply with EU AML regulations, offering “a risk-based approach and include practical direction for operators in areas such as risk assessments, customer due diligence processes, suspicious transaction reporting, and record-keeping”.

Regular implementation discussions will take place with EGBA members, who are also obliged to submit annual reports on their progress, helping to identify potential areas for improvement in the guidelines and keep them up to date with the latest developments. Other operators have been invited to participate in the reporting requirements as well.

Hartmann added: “The standardisation of STRs will really benefit gambling operators, particularly those who operate in many countries because there are currently many different reporting formats across EU member states.

“By implementing our AML guidelines, operators can also already be well positioned for the EU’s incoming AML rules and play their part in raising standards across the industry.”

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7

The UK Gambling Commission provided further details on exactly what it is looking for in the second round of the Gambling Act review white paper consultations.

In a blog post on the commission’s website, Executive Director of Research and Policy Tim Miller presented an update on the UKGC’s plans for the next batch of consultations.

The first round of consultations focused on four areas: age verification on premises; remote games design for online casino games; direct marketing and cross-selling; and financial risk and vulnerability checks for remote operators. These closed last month, and the UKGC is analysing the responses it has received.

Miller noted that the second round of consultations – consisting of seven topics and to be opened in the coming weeks – will focus on fulfilling the UKGC’s “aim to progress White Paper recommendations at pace”, but also address other aspects of regulation. 

2.4

Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, Drogenbeauftragte, has published the Glücksspielatlas Deutschland 2023: Numbers, Data, Facts, providing insight into the country’s gambling.

One of the headline figures of the report was that 2.3 per cent – 1.3 million – of the German population have been impacted by a gambling disorder, about 7.7 per cent of all gamblers in the country.

The report was based on publications by experts from the Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research and the Gambling Research Unit at the University of Bremen, with the German Center for Addiction Issues as a co-publisher.

2021

The Court of Justice of the EU ruled against the European Commission after the European Gaming and Betting Association challenged a previous “refusal to open a state aid investigation into the granting of lottery licences in the Netherlands”.

This saw the EC mandated to investigate potential unlawful financial advantages that could have stemmed from the way in which licences were granted to incumbent lotteries in the Netherlands. 

In welcoming the ruling, Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the EGBA, took to social media to voice reluctance in taking such action, but hopes that this “will serve as a wake up call for the Commission”.

This followed a 2020 EC ruling that determined a formal investigation was not necessary, which suggested that “the procedure did not provide incumbent lotteries with illegal state aid”.

Following up on the original complaint that was filed some four years earlier, the EGBA lodged an appeal in March 2021. It was argued that a refusal to investigate the case infringed upon its rights under EU law.

215

Veikkaus detailed that up to 215 redundancies could be felt across the group, with a potential 150 to witness a shift in roles, as the group continues to prepare for the implementation of a multi-licensing system.

This confirmed noise emanating from the company earlier in the year, as Finland moves towards a licensing model, which is expected to be implemented as of January 1, 2026.

Veikkaus’ digital gambling business is intended to become part of the international licensing gaming market, however, lottery and physical slot machines will remain within the monopoly.

In addition to detailing cuts to employment contracts and venues, Veikkaus is to also undertake an organisational restructure in a bid to “support our strategy-based goals”.

13

An aggressive US assault has led Aristocrat to declare a “high quality result” for the full-year ending September 30, 2023, with increases underpinned by the “outstanding growth” of its land-based gaming segment, social casino “resilience” and maiden RMG steps.

This latter point was once again a key talking point of an address delivered by CEO and MD Trevor Croker, who stressed that the company is focused on continuing to navigate challenges ahead.

This includes focusing “on portfolio performance and capturing the significant strategic opportunities in front of us”, which comprises delivering on its online gaming ambitions and maximising the impact of the impending NeoGames purchase.

Within the group’s latest financial breakdown, Aristocrat reported a revenue increase of 13 per cent to A$6.29bn (2022: A$5.57bn), with the aforementioned factors, in addition to “the benefit of our strategic investments”, said to be “particularly evident”.

2

Mecca Bingo became the latest company to fall foul of the Advertising Standards Authority after two complaints, which were upheld, raised an issue with an Instagram post that featured Baga Chipz.

This displayed contrasting images of the celebrity drag queen, with one in plain, dark clothes and no make-up contrasted to its opposite that comprised a happy expression, champagne and glamorous appearance. 

A caption read “a good game can transform you! Don’t you just love that post-bingo glow. Over 18s only. BeGambleAware.org. DrinkAware.co.uk. Ts&Cs apply. #letaplaymeccabingo #meccabingo #winning #bingo #winningfeeling #feelinggood #bagachipz”.

This brought a pair of complaints to the ASA’s attention, with it being believed that the ad in question suggested that gambling could enhance a person’s self-image or self-esteem. It was questioned whether the ad was irresponsible and breached the code.

176

Better Collective has seen a concerted push into North American markets move “faster than expected” as “value added transactions” maintain the group’s push for global expansion.

The latter saw the purchase of Brazilian sports media platform Torcedores and a $54m deal to acquire Playmaker secured during the year’s third quarter. Following Q3, the firm’s second largest transaction was secured via a definitive agreement to acquire Playmaker Capital for €176m.

This latest addition is said to represent a “significant step towards realising our vision of becoming the leading digital sports media group”, noted Co-Founder and CEO Jesper Søgaard.

These comments came during a three month period that saw revenue grow 25 per cent to €75.43m (2022: €59.72m), while operating profit reached €11.49m (2022: €9.63m) and EBITDA closed at €20m, up 35 per cent from €15m year-on-year.

82.8

Across the board decreases were felt by Detroit’s trifecta of land-based gaming establishments through October as the impact of ongoing casino strikes is laid bare.

This has seen the three venues report revenue of $82.8m, which is down 19.45 per cent from $102.8m year-on-year. Table games and slots generated $81.7m (2022: $100.7m), while sports betting declined to $1.1m (2022: $2.1m).

This is due to approximately 3,700 workers electing to strike from October 17, 2023, in a bid to protect their healthcare and improve wages that are not keeping up with the cost of living, along with improved job security and fair workloads.

Earlier in the week, workers launched a digital advertising campaign that called on players to boycott four online casino and sports betting platforms.

These are associated with three land-based gaming establishments, namely MotorCity Casino, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, and MGM Grand Detroit. FanDuel, BetMGM, Hollywood iCasino and ESPN BET are those potentially affected.

6

Holland Casino was warned that it could face a financial penalty if its control database does not meet legal requirements within a six week time frame.

In a ruling imposed by the Kansspelautoriteit, an instruction was sent to the land-based and online operator in June, however, an objection to the decision, and request of a provisional injunction, was subsequently issued.

The six-week period was suspended during this procedure, however, the regulator has notified that on November 16, 2023, the District Court of The Hague rejected the requests for interim relief. Therefore, the decision has now been published and the aforementioned time frame imposed.

The gaming authority’s board of directors determined that the control database of Holland Casino does not comply with the technical and operational requirements imposed by, or pursuant to legislation and regulations, regarding such maintenance.

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This has seen the EC mandated to investigate potential unlawful financial advantages that could have stemmed from the way in which licences were granted to incumbent lotteries in the Netherlands. 

In welcoming the ruling, Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the EGBA, took to social media to voice reluctance in taking such action, but hopes that this “will serve as a wake up call for the Commission”.

He added that “playing fast and loose with the enforcement of EU law will undermine the Commission’s institutional role as the guardian of the Treaties European Commission”.

This follows a 2020 EC ruling that determined a formal investigation was not necessary, which suggested that “the procedure did not provide incumbent lotteries with illegal state aid”.

Following up on the original complaint that was filed some four years earlier, the EGBA lodged an appeal in March 2021. It was argued that a refusal to investigate the case infringed upon its rights under EU law.

The Brussels-based trade association suggested that a renewal of multiple lottery licences of incumbent holders, without consideration at market rate and without an open, transparent, and non-discriminatory allocation process, constituted illegal state aid. 

Haijer commented: “We welcome the CJEU’s ruling to annul the Commission decision, and find in EGBA’s favour, but frankly speaking we are not surprised by it. 

“The facts and data of this case raised serious doubts about the compliance of the Dutch licensing procedure with EU law, which should have warranted the Commission to open a formal state aid investigation to address those doubts. 

“We are confident the Commission will now carry out a thorough investigation, and we are ready to provide any necessary information and data. It is crucial for the Commission to uphold EU law consistently across all sectors, without fear or favor, including the gambling sector. 

“The selective enforcement of EU law undermines the Commission’s institutional role as the guardian of the Treaties.”

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2.07

LCS hit back at a €2.07m fine that was issued within the Netherlands, labelling the financial penalty as “unwarranted” and “unjustified” alongside an intention to appeal.

This followed a long protracted dispute that initially began in March 2022 when it was discovered players could access the group’s Son of Slots site

However, the company has suggested that the action taken by the Dutch gambling authority “demands our attention”, with the Ksa’s reaction described as “undeniably excessively punitive”.

43

Staying in the Netherlands, and Blue High House became the latest group to fall foul of the Dutch gambling authority, with the Kansspelautoriteit issuing an order subject to a penalty for operating in the country without a licence.

The board of directors were subsequently instructed the company to cease and desist from offering games of chance. In the event of non-compliance, a penalty of €43,000 per week, with a maximum of €129,000, will be imposed.

This stemmed from two Ksa supervisors accessing the group BetOnline brand on December 7, 9 and 10, 2021, as well as January 11, 2022. This indicated that it was possible to create a player account, make a deposit and participate in games of chance from the Netherlands. 

888

BOS, the Swedish trade association for online gambling, welcomed Ministry of Justice proposals to strengthen consumer protection and heighten safety protocols regarding risky lending and over-indebtedness.

The planned changes include tightening rules around consumers being offered and given credit that they do not have the financial means to repay, in addition to establishing a debt register and potentially implementing a credit card ban.

The group noted positivity regarding all proposals in the investigation that would have a bearing on the gambling market, including rejecting a credit card ban due to “insufficient reasons” for such an introduction.

BOS represents around twenty gambling companies that are active in the Swedish gambling market, including the likes of 888, Kindred, Betsson, bet365 and LeoVegas.

25

Italy became the latest nation of focus for the European Gaming and Betting Association, with black market concerns highlighted as an example that the country’s ban on gambling advertising “is clearly favouring the black market and should be revised”.

Citing a La Gazzetta dello Sport report, it was said that Italian players wager approximately €25bn on the black market, with 75 per cent (€18.5m) done so via unlicensed entities.

As a result, the EGBA estimated that €1bn in gross gaming revenue is being lost per year, which is reported as “the combined regulated online gambling revenue of eight other EU countries”.

These are named as Croatia (€170m), Cyprus (€100m), Estonia (€150m), Latvia (€180m), Lithuania (€140m), Luxembourg (€30m), Malta (€70m) and Slovenia (€60m).

100

Betting and Gaming Council Chair Brigid Simmonds stated that third-sector gambling harm support services must be protected in reaction to the UK DCMS’ consultation for the upcoming statutory levy for research, education and treatment of gambling addiction.

Earlier this week, the UK government opened an eight-week consultation period to collect gambling stakeholders’ opinions on how the levy should be conducted, including views from the industry, clinicians, practitioners, academics, those who have experienced gambling harm and the general public.

As part of the gambling review white paper, the new RET levy proposes a one per cent fee on gross gambling yield for online operators, while traditional betting shops and casinos will pay a proposed fee of around 0.4 per cent.

It is estimated that the new levy will raise £100m for gambling research, prevention and treatment across England, Scotland and Wales, developing “a truly national approach to prevention and fund independent, high-quality research to inform policy and practice”.

31

Mansion Group informed its affiliates and media partners of the closure of all B2C operations, including its Casino.com and MansionCasino.com brands.

Mansion noted that all B2C casino brands will be permanently unavailable to all players, and affiliates were informed to proceed with closing their accounts by 31 October, in which the group will process earnings of a $10 minimum.

The operator further explained that all access to its affiliate programme will no longer be possible by the end of November.

2.8

Continued recovery across Macau, hailed as “the most important land-based market in the world”, and Singapore was a key touch point for Las Vegas Sands in its latest quarterly review, with optimism for New York success also elaborated on.

Reflecting on the operator’s performance through July 1-September 30, Robert Goldstein, Chair and CEO, stressed delight at a maintained uptick in travel and tourism spending across each region.

“We remain deeply enthusiastic about our opportunities for growth in both markets in the years ahead,” he said.

Net revenue through the quarter soared to $2.8bn (2022: $1.01bn), with significant increases felt across Macau operations, to $1.78bn (2022: $258m), and the Singapore-based Marina Bay Sands, which closed at $1bn (2022: $756m).

23

Esports Entertainment Group voiced confidence in putting recent turbulent times behind the group, as an uplift in performance, driven by a range of strategic initiatives, is sought through the remainder of the year and beyond. 

Following a slew of recent troubles, the company’s latest financial update has revealed tumbling revenue, however, a significant reduction in expenses has also been reported.

Total revenue through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, plummeted 60.61 per cent to $23m (2022: $58.4m), however, the group’s cost of revenue also fell to $8.8m, down 64 per cent year-on-year from $24.2m.

405

New 888 CEO Per Widerström stressed an immediate focus of unlocking the company’s full potential, with “several areas” of its operations said to be showing clear signs of needing necessary improvement.

These comments came amid a third quarter trading update that confirmed recent comments emanating from the operator that the three month period had fallen below expectations.

Revenue through July to September fell ten percentage points to £405m (2022: £449.4m), which is aligned to “significant and ongoing improvements being made to the sustainability” and the quality of the mix of the business impacting performance.

18

Sky Bet became the latest operator to fall foul of ongoing Advertising Standard Authority monitoring of ads that it deems likely to have a strong appeal to under-18s.

These were identified for investigation following intelligence gathered by its Active Ad Monitoring system, which uses AI to proactively search for online ads that might break the rules.

In this latest instance, following previous action against the likes of Ladbrokes, bet365 and WIlliam Hill, the advertising watchdog raised another challenge regarding a promoted Tweet.

This contained an embedded video clip from The Overlap football podcast, which showed Gary Neville discussing which team might win the Premier League.

100

The New South Wales government outlined the initial stages of a $100m gambling harm minimisation investment, which stemmed from a fine imposed on Star Entertainment Group over one year ago.

In a move that aligned with GambleAware Week, which came to an end on Sunday 22 October, this funding is said to represent the “next important step” in an ongoing “long-term commitment”.

It is hoped that this outlay will help to further tackle money laundering, implement gaming reform and reduce the harmful impacts of gambling across communities.

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