EU Gambling Law Tracker for January 2023

When it comes to keeping track of EU gambling law updates, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) offers a handy, monthly update. Their EU Gambling Law Tracker neatly outlines each country's gambling act that has been amended, its TRIS (Technical Regulation Information System) number and a review of the relevant changes.

 What’s New in European Regulation?

As we watch our industry grow and evolve, it is always interesting to keep track of which regulations are being updated and how the more significant legal framework is developing.

Below is a brief breakdown of the changes across Europe in January 2023:

✓ Sweden:

In 2022 Sweden submitted a proposal that would expand the scope of the current gambling act to demand that financial entities submit the required information on payment processing for illegal gambling sites to the commission.

The final version of this proposal was submitted to the Riksdag for consideration on 22 December 2022. It is expected to be written into force on 1 July 2023.

✓ Spain:

The Directorate for Regulation of Gambling added a requirement for licensed online gambling operators to report on the number of closed accounts, referred to as  "cancelled registrations". However, it reduced the total number of reports required of licensed casinos and betting sites.

To protect the identities of deceased residents from being used for online gambling and to ensure that their data is treated respectfully, the Spanish gambling authority has added a “deceased person” as a player status. This new status works in tandem with the amended closed account reporting in the region.

✓ Hungary:

The leading online gambling updates in Hungary last month included the institution of a multi-player balance and a joint-player balance. At present, player balances are held at individual gambling sites, and this amendment would link a player’s balance to a specific game irrespective of where it is being played.

There will also be an update to the region's lottery system, allowing for online lottery ticket purchases and tracking, now referred to as an "e-lottery ticket".

The Hungarian gambling law updates include some points which are specific to land-based gambling, which we won’t comment on, but that can be viewed in the graphic below.

✓ France:

France expanded the scope of their regulations regarding safer gambling requirements for casino and betting adverts in the country. They also enforce the broadcasting of specific information on responsible gambling hotlines and other player assistance channels.

A Picture Speaks a 1000 Words

If you want to get into the specific wording around the amended Act titles, here is the outline provided by the EGBA: