Loot boxes are not automatically regarded as gambling, but the focus of European authorities is shifting towards consumer protection, virtual currencies and mechanisms that may encourage repeat spending.
What if EuroMillions stopped creating multimillionaires in order to distribute its winnings more widely? Jonas Van der Slycken, an economist and visiting professor at Ghent University, advocates a radical overhaul of the lottery model. His key proposal: to cap the EuroMillions jackpot at €10 million and redistribute the additional funds amongst more winners.
A potential European tax on online gambling is already facing strong political resistance. Malta is leading the opposition, with Spain, Portugal and Italy sharing its reservations.
According to an annual study by Gaming Compliance International carried out for the European Casino Association, Member States are estimated to have lost nearly 23 billion euros in tax revenue in 2025, whilst turnover in the illegal sector is estimated to have reached 91.6 billion euros.
The EGBA is expanding its board of directors with the arrival of Super Technologies. The stated objective remains the harmonization of safety and player protection rules across the European market.
The EGBA has lodged a complaint against the Lithuanian payment provider Walletto. It claims to have found evidence suggesting that its payment services have been used to fund several illegal gambling platforms targeting European consumers.
Belgium is now one of the European countries with the strictest rules on gambling advertising. Virtually all advertising for online gambling has been banned in recent years, and sports sponsorship is also being phased out step by step.
The EGBA has published its 2026 annual report. The document covers twelve months marked by the adoption of the first European standard on indicators of problem gambling, stricter advertising rules, the expansion of player protection measures and the growth of its members’ activities.
As the 2026 World Cup kicks off against a backdrop of intense betting activity, nine European gambling regulators are calling for increased vigilance regarding prediction market platforms. According to them, these services expose consumers to major risks, without sufficient safeguards.
On 31 May 2026, the European standard EN 18144 on risk indicators for gambling was published by the national standardisation bodies that are members of the European Committee for Standardisation, supported by the EGBA.
The Court of Justice of the European Union has handed down an important ruling for players seeking to recover money from online gambling operators. The ruling concerns a dispute between an Austrian player and the online casino Mr Green, centring on a debt of over €62,000.
Europe is facing a rapid rise in illegal gambling, a phenomenon the EGBA considers increasingly worrying. The organisation believes that certain public policies are, paradoxically, helping to strengthen the black market.
The Court of Justice of the European Union confirms that each Member State remains free to regulate gambling within its territory. This ruling clarifies the status of foreign licences.
For the first time, thousands of players could be reimbursed for their losses on illegal gambling sites, whilst national and European courts clash over the validity of these contracts.
Faced with the rapid rise of gambling, particularly online, European doctors are sounding the alarm. They highlight a profound transformation of the sector and are calling for an urgent response from the authorities.
In a recent submission to the European Commission, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has sounded the alarm over the explosion of fraudulent websites and apps imitating legitimate operators.
Malta is firmly opposed to a proposed European tax on online gambling. This initiative could upset the balance of a sector that is strategic for several Member States, particularly for the Mediterranean island, which has made it one of the pillars of its economy.
