The European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) has issued a new update on its official blog, urging countries across Europe to come together and act in concert when addressing universal problems in their gambling industries. The association acknowledged the evolving regulatory climate, which is set to only become stricter and require new approaches to how business is done in order to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the industry.
That is why EGBA has urged for a "stronger culture of responsibility and cooperation," something that the association believes its members can achieve if they come together. While EGBA acknowledges the challenges of this process, the association is also optimistic that companies may begin to self-regulate and enact small changes to the way they do business that will have significant long-term implications and benefits for the industry.
EGBA similarly believes that many of the challenges faced in the industry can be addressed by nurturing an environment of cross-border cooperation whereby trade groups and businesses come together to ensure that they do their best to work on safer gambling wherever they are based.
Part of this involves the exchange of know-how, similar to how Lithuania and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on improving their respective gambling environments. EGBA urges for a similar approach where businesses take the initiative and form important collaborations both in and outside of the industry.
Stakeholders and critics of the industry should broach and discuss the difficult topics in the industry together, EGBA insists with the organization’s Secretary General, Maarten Haijer, urging for these and other changes. Haijer has urged stakeholders to follow a simple formula that will move the industry a step forward.
He called on companies to be "honest, open, and transparent" about any of the activities they undertake. In doing so, the public trust may be won and companies can continue to operate sustainably. EGBA is already pleased to note that many national trade associations share this vision of the industry’s future making for a safer course ahead.
Despite that, stakeholders need to do more to disperse any remaining skepticism towards the industry with more companies needed to step up. In the meantime, EGBA urges the free exchange of experience, knowledge, and free practices. The organization has also been working on a number of initiatives, such as the European Safer Gambling Week, which EGBA first launched in 2021 and now intends to run annually.
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