A First Peek at EGBA’s New EU Standard on Markers of Harm

The European Gaming & Betting Association is set to give operators and players a glimpse into its new Markers of Harm EU standard this month. The proposed standard for player protection, which has been years in the making, is set to be officially released and implemented in 2026.

The EGBA has long advocated for a unifying standard across Europe to protect players, and it will hold a Webinar on these long-awaited standards during the European Safer Gambling Week 2025 event.

EGBA Markers of Harm Big Reveal

The European Safer Gambling Week will last from 17th November until the 23rd. On the 19th, speakers Dr Maris Catania (LeoVegas, Director of Player Sustainability), and Vasiliki Panousi (EGBA Moderator), will hold a Webinar about the Markers of Harm proposal. Markers of Harm is an initiative that aims to deter addiction right from the start.

Instead of identifying problem gambling and addiction when it has reached a climax, Markers of Harm intends to catch the shifts in behavior and outliers that signal a gambler may be in danger way before any of the damage has been done. The event is also expected to highlight how the EGBA wants to address this. They have researched how to effectively protect players, and some of these measures are expected to be addressed.

Background Information on the Proposal

The EGBA is a pan-European trade association that is located in Brussels and represents the major licensed iGaming operators in the country. It is not actually a gambling regulator or authority, but an institution that mediates on behalf of the operators to the national authorities. Their mission is to create fairer, competitive online gambling legislation and promote responsible gambling. Among the operators, the EGBA represents:

• bet365
• Betsson Group
• Evoke
• Flutter
• LeoVegas

In 2021, the group’s member companies held 225 online gambling licenses, worked in over 20 European countries, and catered to just under 30 million customers. This Markers of Harm initiative was first proposed back in 2022, as a means for operators to stick to a unified detection and response system to help identify risky gambling patterns. In October, the Markers for Harm was brought to the European Committee for Standardization, the CEN, which approved it.

So now, this new template will become the standard for European iGaming operators, and while we don’t have an official deadline for the standard to roll out, we know that it will be released in 2026. This Webinar is the first big glimpse of the ambitious project.

The Need for Standardization

The EGBA wants to make a universal and consistent model for operators instead of using self-developed measures or scattered bits and pieces of responsible gambling tools. One of the biggest hurdles for operators is the cross-country regulations about safer gambling tools. While countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden have implemented their own national harm prevention tools, these are not coordinated. This makes it a tricky business for operators to create bespoke measures for each independent jurisdiction, and can lead to additional costs and administrative burdens.

Europe on the whole has been upping its game in protecting players. Italy recently cut down on licensed operators, slashing the number of live online gambling sites from over 400 to just over 50. Before that, the UK made the contentious decision to rescind Spribe’s UKGC licence for not fully complying with the laws. Spain, who have one of the most heavily regulated European iGaming markets, is in the middle of rolling out an AI monitoring software to prevent gambling harm. Plus, it made anti-smoking style gambling label warnings compulsory for operators.

All these, and more tightening laws make it increasingly difficult for operators to offer their services in multiple countries. We saw a similar movement happen in Africa, with leading brands uniting to launch the Africa iGaming Alliance – to standardize the markets across the continent, find solutions to the high banking fees, and create more transparency on the taxation.

What Are the Markers of Harm

More details on the framework of this unifying standard will be revealed in the upcoming Webinar (19 November), but until then, the EGBA has already shared some of the key points. This standard will focus on the behavioral and transactional changes in players. The EGBA has researched:

• Sudden increases in betting frequency or stake size
• Repeated deposits within short time frames
• Playing through the night or skipping regular breaks
• Chasing losses or immediately redepositing after large losses
• Reduced interaction with responsible gambling prompts

The goal isn’t to identify problem gamblers or label players as addicted gamblers. It is to spot indicators that a player is chasing their losses, pumping in uncharacteristically large sums of money, or displaying signs of compulsive betting. Having a foundation for new risk algorithms can benefit player safety immensely, with automated systems sending players reality checks and intervening without using intrusive methods.

How It Can Affect Players

On the receiving end, players shouldn’t really feel a thing. As the initiative comes from operators, the idea is to seamlessly introduce these safety measures, only jumping in to guide players without disturbing their gaming activities. Ideally, you would only come across subtle reality checks, limit reminders or a personal message from operators if you break your patterns or display alarming, risky gambling behavior that could be interpreted as chasing fallacies or getting too carried away.

It is not in the interests of operators to come down hard on players and bring in forced limits, compulsory affordability checks or brandishing a big anti gambling warning label. They want your business, but they also want to win your trust. In that you are going to be taken care of at the licensed operators.

Can Creating a Prevention Standard Backfire?

The EGBA insists the new EU wide player safety model will not label players nor will it enforce measures to impede their gaming experience. The offered services will be voluntary, which players can choose to follow for their own safety. Operators have reason to get excited about the notion, and while it may not solve all their cross-country paperwork and compliance issues, the goal is to reduce these administrative woes.

But there is another aspect to consider here. If the criteria are too broad, it can open possibilities for operators to over-flag casual gamers or high-frequency players who aren’t at any risk of addiction. Also, it will be difficult to implement a one-size-fits-all solution that works across the entire continent.

Salaries are not the same, nor are gambling cultures, advertising laws, or even the actual size of the market. Operators should understand the needs of the market and not rely on generic templates across multiple jurisdictions. Otherwise it threatens everything the EGBA is trying to achieve. This can diminish the EGBA’s standing in Europe, and possibly even lead to attempts to restrict the framework, a major step back for operators.

What to Watch Next

The EGBA should expect feedback after it reveals more information about the plans. The finalised Markers of Harm EU Standard is expected to be formally published in early 2026, following review and translation by the European Committee for Standardization. Between now and then, operators will likely take part in pilot programs to test how well the markers work across different markets and products. These pilot studies will be key in setting thresholds for risk levels. For example, to define what constitutes moderate risk gambling behavior and the point at which it becomes high risk.

For now, though, all eyes are on European Safer Gambling Week 2025. This could be a pivotal point for the industry, which has been on the receiving end of highly restrictive gambling legislation all across Europe. A good reception to whatever the EGBA proposes will be a major win for operators, and an opportunity for them to find valuable middle ground with Europe’s gambling authorities.