EGBA Calls for Unified European Regulation

The European Gaming and Betting Associating (EGBA) has aligned itself with the European Commission’s call for a unification of regulation in order to avoid any further divisions within the continent, as well as to protect consumers in a more secure manner. These sentiments have been outlined in the European Union’s Communication and Action Plan regarding Internet gambling, and this is welcomed with great hopes of resulting in an industry which is more cohesive.

What is EGBA?

EGBA is the governing body which represents the top online gaming and betting operators that have been established, licensed, and regulated within the EU. They stand for the implementation of a fair, competitive, and regulated online gambling market across Europe which abides by the appropriate EU laws so that both the consumers and operators are protected.
Basically, EBGA regulates online gambling so that the public can have access to safe and secure environments and outlets in which to enjoy their betting on the Internet. This is achieved through the hard work of dedicated EGBA members who comply with the strict standards set out by the association which covers the following:

• Consumer protection
• Socially responsible and ethical marketing practices
• Zero tolerance to fraudulent and criminal behavior

Sigrid Ligné, the Secretary General of EGBA had the following to say on the matter:
“We deplore the situation today where we see 27 ‘mini-markets’ for gambling in Europe. We are calling for the introduction of European rules to ensure proper protection for consumers and maintain a crime-free environment throughout the EU, while affording open, fair and transparent licensing conditions for EU-regulated operators.”
"We urge the European Commission to handle our complaint urgently as Germany is in the process of allocating licenses on the basis of a highly contentious tendering procedure which appears, on the basis of an accumulation of evidence, not to be designed to pursue the declared purpose of conducting an open, fair and transparent Europe-wide call for bids."

What Does This Mean?

Although the Internet is a fantastic tool which has allowed gambling fanatics to enjoy this pastime from the comfort of their own homes, the anonymity that is also now possible has given rise to some unfortunate events where people are scammed by fraudsters. With this in mind, EGBA is calling for regulations that will remain the same throughout the entire continent of Europe so that all gambling or betting activity that conducted online is regulated along the same lines so that no one can fall prey to dishonest sites. If all legislation is unified, then it is also becomes easier to regulate as there will be one standardized set of rules and legislature as opposed to separate laws for each country.
In a step towards the right direction, Michele Barnier, the head of the European Commission, mentioned in a speech that he delivered to the European Parliament that the Commission will make it their responsibility to ensure that many nations will abide by the regulations set out in the EU Treaty.
EGBA is pushing for this legislation to regulate market access and put forward processes for consumer protection. This would include the following three main points:

• Common consumer protection standards that are based on the existing workshop agreement which was published in 2011 by the CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation, or European Committee for Standardization).
  
• Common technical standards and reporting tools.
  
• Common licensing requirements.

If this is all undertaken as it is hoped to be, Europe will soon see the benefits of this unified regulation in the form of much more secure sites, and the peace of mind for all European online gamblers.