EGBA Issues Safer Online Gambling Guidelines in Light of COVID-19

The Coronavirus pandemic continues to instill fear across the globe, particularly since people don’t know exactly when things will go back to normal. Casinos have had to be shut down indefinitely, and as a result, online gambling has been the new norm for all bettors. However, the new wave of online gambling comes with a lot of risks of irresponsible gambling, mainly since we are now in desperate times.

It came to the EGBA’s (European Gambling and Betting Associations) attention that some brands have already started using the Coronavirus to promote targeted ads. Trying to reel in more gamblers to their platforms in the name of COVID-19 is utterly unethical. Thus, the EGBA announced new guidelines per the “Recommendation 2014/478/EU on consumer protection in online gambling” of the European Commission. They are as follows;

The advertisements and websites of every gambling company must include information regarding minimum age limits, national problem gambling helplines and entries for self-exclusion.
All online gambling operators have been cautioned against including any information related to COVID-19 or any other evolving situations from the WHO in their advertisements
All the advertisements issued by the gambling companies must not be done as a way to solve financial, personal or social problems during this pandemic situation. For instance, the companies should not welcome customers as a way to offer them solutions to boredom as people continue to stay at home.
Players on each gambling site must be closely monitored. If any compulsive gambling behavior is flagged, appropriate actions shall be taken in line with GDPR provisions.
All online gambling sites must set specific limits on deposits and self-exclusion options to facilitate responsible gambling.
Betting platforms must include several foolproof steps for verifying the identity of any newly registered players to make sure juveniles do not get into gambling.

The statement builds on social responsibility principles that are already in effect and are observed by members of the EGBA. As a show of solidarity, and commitment to promoting responsible commercial iGaming communication, several online gambling associations from different parts of the world echoed EGBA’s guidelines. The said gaming bodies include;

France’s Association Française des Opérateurs de Jeu en Ligne (AFJEL)
Portugal’s Associação Portuguesa de Apostas e Jogos Online (APAJO)
Belgium’s Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO)
UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)
Sweden’s Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS)
Denmark’s Danish Online Gambling Association (DOGA)
Belgium’s International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)
Italy’s Lega Operatori di Gioco su Canale Online (LOGiCO)
Norway’s Norsk Bransjeforening for Onlinespill (NBO)
Austria’s Österreichische Vereinigung für Wetten & Glücksspiel (OVWG)
Netherlands’ Speel Verantwoord
Germany’s Deutscher Online Casino Verband (DOCV) and Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV)

Better Late than Never

As strong as the message is, it feels a little late for the EGBA to step in and urge online casino vendors to operate and advertise responsibly in this ongoing crisis.

A week ago, Neil McArthur the chairman for the British Gambling Commission called for online operators to intensify efforts towards responsible marketing and consumer protection. Likewise, the Betting and Gaming Council also published a ten-point action plan to make sure that all players are safe, and operators are conducting business responsibly.

Furthermore, the Malta Gaming Authority had also reminded their affiliates and licensed operators to be responsible in their commercial advertisements. All this comes after the Dutch gambling regulator issued a €50,000 fine for any illegal advertisements that use Coronavirus as a way to attract many more customers to their sites.

However late it is, we are glad that the EGBA joined the fight to ensure that gambling companies and their affiliates don’t go out of line.