EGBA welcomes approval of European Standard on markers of harm

EGBA welcomes approval of European Standard on markers of harm

Summary

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has announced that national standardisation bodies overwhelmingly voted in favour of a draft European standard on markers of harm at the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). The standard, proposed and driven by EGBA, aims to create a commonly agreed framework for identifying risky gambling behaviours across Europe.

The project brought together regulators, operators, academics and harm-prevention experts, with Dr Maris Catania as project leader and AFNOR (the French standardisation body) coordinating the work as CEN Secretariat. The voting closed on 25 September; the standard now enters CEN’s formal finalisation process, including translations and procedural checks, with publication expected by early 2026. Once published it will be available for voluntary adoption by regulators and operators across Europe.

Key Points

1. An overwhelming majority of national standardisation bodies voted in favour of the EGBA-proposed draft European standard on markers of harm.
2. The standard is intended to be the first commonly agreed framework in Europe for identifying risky gambling behaviours.
3. The initiative was developed collaboratively with input from national committees, academics, regulators, operators and harm-prevention experts.
4. Dr Maris Catania led the project and AFNOR acted as the CEN Secretariat coordinator.
5. The formal CEN finalisation process (translations and procedural steps) follows the vote; publication is expected by early 2026.
6. After publication the standard will be available for voluntary adoption by gambling regulators and operators across Europe.

Context and Relevance

This is a notable development in the regulation and mitigation of gambling-related harm. A European standard gives regulators and operators a common reference point for detection and prevention measures, which can improve consistency across jurisdictions and support evidence-based interventions. It also fits broader EU and industry trends toward stronger consumer protection, standardised compliance frameworks and cross-border cooperation on safer gambling.

Why should I read this?

Short version: this is big for anyone involved in gambling regulation, compliance or player protection. It’s the first pan‑European attempt to agree what signals risky behaviour — so expect it to shape policies, tools and enforcement over the next few years. We’ve read the detail so you don’t have to; if you work in this space, pay attention now.

Source

Source: https://g3newswire.com/egba-welcomes-approval-of-european-standard-on-markers-of-harm/