The European Gaming and Betting Association has commended the European Commission’s commitment to ensuring the single market works, with an action plan outlined for the enforcement of the rules across the EU.

The trade association asserted agreement that implementation and enforcement of EU law is a joint responsibility of both the European Commission and member states, and urged the former to ensure that online sectors and consumers truly benefit.

Regarding the aforementioned joint responsibility, the EGBA comments that it “does not negate the special role of the European Commission as the guardian of the Treaties to ensure EU law is adhered to, as well as its role in supporting member states to avoid potential infringement by scrutinising their draft laws and maintaining dialogue via the Technical Regulation Information System notifications”. 

TRIS is a web-based information system which facilitates data exchange concerning technical regulations between national public administrations and the European Commission, with the EGBA welcoming a commitment to ensure that member states properly notify all their draft laws to the Commission.

“EGBA welcomes the Commission’s commitment to making the single market work but EU law should be enforced more strongly across all sectors, including online gambling.” – stated Maarten Haijer, secretary general of the EGBA.

The group, which represents online gaming and betting operators, has persistently stressed that the EU single market cannot work properly without stronger enforcement of its rules. 

It insists that such enforcement is particularly needed in the online space, not least because EU citizens are spending more time online purchasing goods, services and engaging in entertainment activities, such as online gambling.

It continues that “the need for stronger enforcement is particularly clear in those sectors which are not yet harmonised, such as online gambling”. 

The EU online gambling sector is worth €22.2bn, and growing by 10 per cent each year, but the 16.5m Europeans who bet online experience 27 different sets of national online gambling policies.