Europe has launched one of its most ambitious responsible gambling initiatives in recent years with the introduction of a pan-European standard designed to identify risky gambling behavior at an early stage. Developed through the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and supported by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) and the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF), the initiative establishes a common methodology based on so-called “Markers of Harm”, indicators intended to detect signs of problematic gambling before they develop into addiction or severe financial and social consequences.
The project follows several years of collaboration among regulators, licensed operators, public health specialists and consumer protection experts. Its leading advocates include Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, and Anders Dorph, Director General of the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) and current President of GREF.
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA
The framework has attracted support from regulators and stakeholders across multiple European jurisdictions, including Denmark (Spillemyndigheden), Sweden (Spelinspektionen), Finland (National Police Board and future Finnish Supervisory Authority), France (Autorité Nationale des Jeux – ANJ), Germany (Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder – GGL), the Netherlands (Kansspelautoriteit – KSA), Belgium (Belgian Gaming Commission), Spain (Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego – DGOJ), Italy (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli – ADM) and Ireland (Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland – GRAI).
Anders Dorph, Director General of the Danish Gambling Authority
The new methodology will allow operators and regulators to monitor indicators such as rapid increases in spending, higher gambling frequency, longer playing sessions, sudden changes in deposit behavior, unusual late-night activity and other patterns associated with elevated gambling risk. Until now, individual jurisdictions have relied on different methodologies, limiting comparability and reducing the effectiveness of cross-border supervision.
Although the initiative is not a new European law and was not subject to a parliamentary vote, it establishes a technical benchmark that may gradually be incorporated into national regulatory frameworks. Its launch coincides with a broader European trend toward data-driven regulation, stronger GDPR compliance, enhanced AML/KYC controls and increased consumer protection. For the regulated industry, development is widely viewed as a positive step, reinforcing the idea that long-term market sustainability depends on the ability to identify risk early, strengthen public trust and demonstrate that online gambling growth can coexist with higher standards of player protection.
