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The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is a Brussels-based trade association representing the leading online gambling operators established, licensed and regulated within the EU.^[1][2] The association was registered to the EU Transparency Register in 2009.^[3]

EGBA started as the European Betting Association (EBA), which was created in February 2004 by Per-Ivan Selinder and Norbert Teufelberger on behalf of four founding members: Expekt.com, Betandwin.com, Unibet.com and Goldbet.com. Torbjörn Ihre served as the organization’s first Secretary-General.

In February 2007, the EBA expanded its scope to include casino-focused members and rebranded to the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), with Sigrid Ligné appointed as the new Secretary-General. Maarten Haijer has been serving as the third Secretary-General since April 2013.^[4]

EGBA is a member-driven association. Operators must meet high standards in consumer protection and responsible gambling to gain membership. The association has six member companies:

• bet365
• Betsson
• Entain
• Flutter Entertainment
• Kindred Group
• William Hill

As of 2024, EGBA members collectively hold 321 online gambling licences across 21 European countries and together account for approximately 30% of Europe’s regulated online gambling gross gaming revenue.^[1]

A key objective of EGBA is to promote a sustainable online gambling sector where customers can participate in online gambling inside a safe and well-regulated environment. To support this, EGBA members developed and adhere to an ambitious set of European industry standards to complement the many different and stringent consumer protection regulations they already comply with in the European countries where they operate.

Europe’s gambling market revenue reached €108,5bn gross gaming revenue in 2022, an 8% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 and a 23% rise compared to 2021. This growth was driven mainly by the reopening of land-based gambling venues following the pandemic, with land-based gross gaming revenue increasing 34% to €70,3bn in 2022, accounting for 65% of total gambling revenue. Meanwhile, online gambling revenue increased by 8% to €38,2bn gross gaming revenue, or 35% of Europe’s total gambling revenue.^[5]

EGBA publishes yearly data about the EU online gambling sector, in partnership with its members and H2 Gambling Capital. In 2021, EGBA members had a combined €11,6bn in online gambling GGR, accounting for 33% of Europe’s total online gambling revenue that year. Sports betting accounted for 46% of EGBA members’ online gambling GGR, followed by online casino at 45%.^[5]

Each year, EGBA publishes its annual Sustainability Report which outlines the joint efforts and progress made by EGBA and its members to promote safe and sustainable gambling and contribute positively to society in Europe. The latest edition of the report showed that EGBA members sent more than 20 million personalised safer gambling communications to their customers in 2021, reflecting their more targeted and personalised approach to safer gambling.^[6]

EGBA organises a yearly “European Safer Gambling Week” which is an annual cross-border initiative to promote safer gambling in Europe. Established in 2021, the initiative is supported by a group of European online gambling associations, including EGBA and its members, who come together each year to encourage open and honest conversations about safer gambling in Europe. In 2022, the initiative ramped up its impact in its second year with 24 events organised and safer gambling messages shared on social media across 17 EU member states – achieving 1.5 million impressions which is a 400% increase from 2021.^[7]

In 2019 EGBA co-founded the European Online Gambling Associations Platform, which brings together 24 trade bodies to share knowledge, experiences and best practices on responsible gambling and market regulation.

All EGBA members comply with the CEN Workshop Agreement on “Responsible Remote Gambling Measures”, which establishes pan-European standards for player protection. Members undergo independent annual audits conducted by eCOGRA to verify compliance.

In May 2026, CEN published EN 18144, the first European standard on markers of harm in gambling, following a proposal submitted by EGBA to CEN in 2022. The voluntary standard identifies nine core behavioural indicators, including changes in stake volume, speed of play, deposit frequency, withdrawal patterns, and modifications to safety tools, that operators can use to detect risky gambling behaviour before it escalates. EGBA members committed to aligning their player protection frameworks with EN 18144 across their European operations.^[8][9]

EGBA members adhere to EGBA’s industry guidelines on anti-money laundering (AML) and undergo an annual reporting process to verify compliance. Following enactment of the EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation, EGBA announced plans to update its guidelines in 2026 to incorporate enhanced requirements on minimum documentation, risk assessments, payments, outsourcing and sports integrity.^[10]

EGBA members are required to be members of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) which supports the integrity of sports by driving industry efforts in the fight against betting-related match-fixing and corruption. The association has established an alert platform and information sharing agreements with leading governing bodies of sports, including FIFA and the IOC.

• Official website