The EU Committee Is Considering Uniform Regulations for Gambling-related Damage.
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) suggested uniformity in online gaming across Europe to the European Union (EU) recently. To kickstart this process, the EU will consider the EGBA's suggestions and develop guidelines for assessing gambling harm.
Countries have been reporting their problem gambling rates differently, making comparisons between them challenging. There is currently no standardized process for measuring these rates globally.
With the EGBA's proposal, the EU hopes to standardize online gaming regulations. While a comprehensive framework is yet to be realized, developing a common way to measure gambling harm is a step in the right direction.
Aligning Countries' Approach to Gaming
The EGBA, which includes major gaming operators like Flutter, Entain, and bet365, aims to standardize regulations for operators working in multiple jurisdictions. This would make regulators' jobs easier as well.
In December, the EGBA submitted its standardization proposals to the European Committee of Standardization (CEN). With the support of academics, the organization presented criteria that could be used by all EU states to define gambling harm.
The EGBA's study, which involved exploring how different countries approach gambling harm, showed little uniformity between countries. This inconsistency presents a significant obstacle to consistent and steady growth in the gaming industry.
CEN representatives from various European countries and the UK will work together on standardizing these measures. Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, it still takes part in CEN.
CEN will start developing the standardization in the first quarter of the year, considering the EGBA's and other associations' inputs. They will also consult regulators, health experts, and academics.
The resulting guidelines will be voluntary for the EU gaming industry. However, the EU can mandate their usage through legislation if they choose to do so.
Inequality in Gambling Regulation
As mentioned, countries approach gambling and responsible gaming differently. Some study gambling less frequently, some not at all, and some don't share their findings.
Additionally, countries use different questionnaires to gauge gamblers' attitudes and behaviors, leading to incomparable results. Moreover, some nations survey only specific age groups.
In conclusion, all countries share an objective of promoting responsible gaming. The absence of a shared standard for measuring gambling harm, however, makes it a demanding task.
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Source: www.casino.org
