Europe’s gaming authorities have agreed to come together to fight problem gambling through the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF), SBC News reported last week.
GREF issued a statement that the various national agencies will hold regular meetings, share information, knowledge, best practices and coordinate “joint actions” against illegal gambling websites.
The agencies have previously focused efforts against illegal operators and black markets, something they all struggle against. This is doubly emphasized in the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland and the U.K., where the governments are in the midst of reforming gaming regulations.
Some members of GREF include the U.K. Gambling Commission (UKGC), Germany’s Gemeinsame Geschäftsstelle Glücksspiel (GGL), France’s l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), Ireland’s Regulator of the National Lottery, and Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health among others. Its chairman is René Jansen, chairman of the Dutch Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
The statement added, “This joint action will enable us to better identify and minimize illegal gambling activities while acknowledging that each regulator remains free to define what amounts to illegal gambling and to use the enforcement tools provided by its own national regulatory framework.”
The GREF statement concluded, “We expect that this common action will enable a constructive dialogue with online platforms, including social media platforms. We also expect that this common action will raise consumer awareness regarding the risks associated with illegal gambling.”
GREG asserts that illegal gambling companies prey on vulnerable consumers because they do not offer legal protections and don’t operate at the same high standards as licensed operators.
KSA is a prime example of a recently established gaming authority that has focused its attention on enforcement of the KOA Act’s license requirements since its online marketplace went live in October 2021. It has fined unlicensed firms—including five last December alone.
