EGBA Celebrates Progress on European Gambling Protection Standard

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has welcomed the successful vote to approve a draft European standard on markers of harm, a move described as a major step toward stronger player protection across the continent.

Good to Know

• The draft standard was approved by a majority of national bodies in CEN.
• It will be the first European framework for identifying risky gambling behaviour.
• Formal publication is expected by early 2026 after translations and procedures.

The European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) held the vote on 25 September, with an overwhelming majority of national standardisation bodies supporting the draft. EGBA said the outcome reflects years of collaborative work between regulators, operators, academics, and harm prevention experts.

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, praised the collective effort:

“The positive outcome of this vote is a real testament to the power of collaboration across our sector. When EGBA first proposed this initiative to CEN, we envisioned creating a commonly agreed standard that would benefit players across Europe. We’re delighted with the support the standard has received, and I want to personally thank all the stakeholders who participated in this process.”

EGBA recognised the leadership of Dr. Maris Catania, who acted as project leader, and AFNOR, the French standardisation body, which coordinated the work as Secretariat in CEN.

Vasiliki Panousi, Senior Manager of EU Affairs at EGBA, also reflected on the project’s progress:

“After years of driving this project, through its conception and development, seeing the overwhelming support it has received is incredibly rewarding. This will be the first commonly agreed European standard for identifying risky gambling behaviours, and it will offer an essential building block for effective harm prevention in Europe.”

Although the vote is a breakthrough, the standard still requires finalisation within CEN. This process will involve language translations and procedural steps, with publication expected in early 2026. Once published, regulators and operators across Europe will be able to adopt the framework voluntarily.

The development marks the first time that Europe will have a unified standard for detecting risky gambling patterns, providing regulators and the industry with a consistent tool to improve player protection.

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