Harm markers: new European standard

The European Union has just approved a groundbreaking standard aimed at detecting risky gambling behaviour. Led by the EGBA and CEN, this initiative marks a major turning point for player protection and the harmonisation of practices across Europe.

European standard adopted to prevent the risks of gambling

At the dawn of a new era in online gambling regulation, European institutions have taken a decisive step forward: the validation of a European standard for gambling harm markers. 

The vote, held on 25 September, was approved by a substantial majority of national standardisation institutes. The project, led by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), was supported by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), which welcomes this development as an important step towards better protecting players in Europe.

But beyond the text itself, it is hope that is being celebrated: hope for a common framework, standardised tools, better prevention of abuses, and enhanced collaboration between public and private actors.

The origins: a project led by AFNOR and the European community

The initiative to develop a standard for damage markers began in 2022. The project was entrusted to the French standardisation institute, AFNOR, with Dr Maris Catania at its helm as project manager.

Very quickly, the call was answered: the project mobilised legal gaming operators, regulatory bodies, social science researchers and prevention specialists, each contributing their vision and expertise. The aim? To define, in common and quantifiable terms, the behavioural signals (frequency of play, sudden changes, significant losses, returning without a break, etc.) that could indicate risky gambling.

Until now, each country or regulator has used its own criteria without any pan-European consistency. And when operators cross borders or operate on a European scale, the lack of a unified framework weakens prevention efforts.

“The positive outcome of this vote clearly demonstrates the strength of cooperation within our industry. When the EGBA first presented this initiative to the CEN, our idea was to create a commonly accepted standard that would benefit players across Europe. We are delighted with the support this standard has received, and I would like to personally thank all stakeholders who participated in this process. The result shows what can be achieved when we work together to strengthen player protection,” said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the EGBA, after the adoption.

Vasiliki Panousi, Head of European Affairs at the EGBA, added:

“Having worked on this project for years, from its conception to its development, it is extremely gratifying to see how much support it has received. This will be the first commonly accepted European standard for identifying risky gambling behaviour and will be an essential element in effective harm prevention in Europe. The collaboration in developing the standard has been extremely valuable and has brought together a range of expertise from across Europe.”

How will this standard change things for operators and regulators?

The damage markers standard will not be mandatory legislation from the outset. It is expected to be published in early 2026, once it has been translated into several languages. It will then be made available as a guideline that national regulatory authorities and operators can adopt in their internal policies.

For players in the legal gaming industry, it will provide a shared framework: how to detect potentially harmful behaviour, at what threshold to trigger interventions (warning messages, breaks from gaming, monitoring), and how to ensure transparency and comparability between markets. By adopting this standard, they could reduce reputational and regulatory risks, particularly in Member States where due diligence is underdeveloped.

For regulators, this standard provides a valuable tool: it allows them to compare practices between markets, harmonise the requirements imposed on operators, or even integrate it into licensing conditions. In states where protection obligations are fragmented, this could serve as a lever for more uniform regulation.

However, one challenge remains: practical implementation. Recognising a marker of harm is not enough. Action protocols must follow: when a signal is detected, what is the alert threshold? When should voluntary interruption or referral to specialist help occur? How can confidentiality and players’ rights be guaranteed?

Challenges and resistance

Although widely acclaimed, this process has not been without debate. Some stakeholders feared it would have a dampening effect on the industry: overly strict requirements could limit innovation or penalise small operators. Others questioned the sensitivity of the markers: could they generate false alerts? Or invade players’ privacy?

For now, the favourable vote shows that these concerns have been largely defused by the consensus around the usefulness of the standard and the inclusive method of its development. But until the final publication and its deployment, not everything has been settled.

Furthermore, the standard is based on voluntary adoption. If some states remain reluctant, or if operators refuse to integrate it into their systems, the actual scope of the text could be diminished. Last month, the EGBA called on national institutes to vote in favour of this standard, emphasising the importance of a joint effort across the EU. 

Further support came from the Gambling Regulators European Forum (GREF), which already favours this type of standardisation. This lends additional weight to the initiative, showing that regulatory convergence is being echoed by national supervisory authorities.

What might the future look like from 2026 onwards?

Once the standard has been published and translated in Member States, a voluntary transition phase should begin. Operators will be encouraged to incorporate harm markers into their responsible gaming policies.

Over time, we can expect this standard to become a licensing criterion: in order for an operator to be authorised to operate, it will have to demonstrate that it complies with the principles established by the standard. This development could lead to a significant increase in the responsibility of online gambling platforms.

For players, the effect will ideally translate into more responsive systems: faster detection of risky behaviour, tailored warning messages, recommendations or temporary restrictions, and referral to support services.

However, success will depend on the quality of local implementation. Each country will have to adapt the thresholds, calibrate the alerts according to the national context, guarantee the protection of personal data, and provide operational mechanisms for intervention.

Finally, this new framework could encourage more comparative research between countries, providing data on the prevalence of problematic behaviours, their profile and their evolution. The standard could thus become a policy steering tool, in addition to its operational dimension.

A new step towards player protection

The adoption of the European standard for gambling harm markers is a historic moment for online gambling regulation in Europe. It reflects the collective desire to build a common language in the face of a shared challenge: preventing gambling-related harm.

Although its adoption is voluntary, the standard promises to become a powerful benchmark if states and operators agree to translate it into concrete action. It is an invitation to move away from regulatory fragmentation and converge towards more transparent and protective practices.