Online gambling is a booming business venture in Europe, estimated to be generating a revenue income of 47.6% annually.
Since there is no general rule that regulates online gambling in the European states, each country is forced to create and implement its own rules and policies. There are many recognizable gambling authorities in Europe that are committed to ensuring that players and other vulnerable people are protected from exploitation by the operators. In this article, we have provided the necessary information you may need to know about European gambling authorities, including the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) and more.
European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA)
Based in Brussels, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) have been representing online gaming and betting operators within the European since 2007. The association is committed to serving the interests of its members through unique policies, partnerships, and programs. Over 20 million Europe based players have access to high quality and regulated casino games and betting services, and the number I expected to go higher in the coming years.
There are also several European online casinos without GamStop which could be very handy. All members of the EGBA must be audited in accordance with the Responsible Remote Gambling Measures. Another crucial policy objective in EGBA is sports integrity. As one of the veterans of the European Union Athletes program, it is responsible for the education of 25,000 people on matters of sports betting integrity.
Europe?s Gambling Licenses
Online casino gambling is one of the highly regulated business sectors in Europe. One must apply for different European licenses to establish and operate within the European territories. A few years ago, there were no rules and regulations for online gambling platforms. It was the work for state monopolies to oversee the activities of all online gambling sites. Currently, a good number of the European states adopted multi-license regimes to enable private operators to get licenses and offer services to people. There are many licenses authorities based in Europe that are regulating gambling, including:
United Kingdom
The UK is the world?s leading destination for gambling enthusiasts. All activities related to gambling and betting are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which was established under the Gambling Act 2005. Players have been enjoying a regulated market since 2014, despite the few changes that have been witnessed in the market. The UKGC offers one of the strongest licenses in the iGaming industry.
Malta
Malta is another licensing authority with a large market. It was established in 2001, making it one of the licensing authorities. All casinos and sportsbooks operators on this small Mediterranean island must bear the Maltese Gaming Authority certificate to operate.
Germany
Even though Germans love gambling, the process of acquiring a license is quite complicated. As a matter of fact, they only allowed regulated gambling after a court order from the European Court of Justice. Regardless, they only approved a one-state system located in Schleswig-Holstein. Germany is currently using a new State Treaty on Gambling to solve the gambling licensing problem.
Sweden
Sweden is one of the countries that joined the online gambling community recently. The move was warmly received by the online casino operators, although there are a few areas that need to be amended. The process is around 77% underway and expected to hit 90% in the near future.
Spain
Like other European Member countries we have mentioned, operators require a license to offer services on the Spanish soil. The licensing policy was started in 2012, but it was not until 2015 than the market began to shine. Online slot machine games were included in the market at a later date. Spain is currently one of the most successful and prosing gambling and betting markets.
