Watch: Europes fractured gambling laws fuelling black market surge, warns EGBA
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), highlights growing concerns over black market activity across Europe, pointing to the urgent need for smarter, more effective regulation and coordinated enforcement.
Despite strides towards regulated online gambling frameworks across the EU, European markets remain fragmented, enabling black market operators to exploit regulatory inconsistencies and threaten consumer safety. Speaking to SiGMA, Maarten Haijer underscores the critical nature of this problem and the limitations of the current regulatory environment.
More than 50% of the market is actually in the completely unregulated black market, Haijer noted, referencing recent data from the Netherlands. We see an increasing problem with the black market and a lack of proper enforcement.
A complex patchwork of regulation
While there has been significant progress towards licensing models, Haijer describes the regulatory landscape as still confusing due to divergent national approaches. He explained that although most EU member states have shifted away from monopolies and prohibitions, operators continue to navigate vastly different compliance requirements across the EU.
It would make sense to have European regulation for online gambling, he said. But theres very little political will… so its not realistic now to expect harmonisation in the short term.
This lack of standardisation contributes to inconsistent enforcement, allowing unlicensed operators, many of whom are based outside the EU, to target European consumers with little to no oversight.
Consumer protection at risk
Unregulated platforms not only undercut licensed operators who contribute to tax revenues and comply with national laws, but they also fall short in terms of consumer protection standards. EGBA members are required to implement strict responsible gambling measures, such as self-exclusion registers and safer gambling tools. Unlicensed operators typically offer none of these.
They are not paying taxes. They are not complying with any of the rules, Haijer said. Its detrimental to consumer protection.
In light of these challenges, Haijer called for better enforcement of existing laws to protect consumers and maintain the integrity of the regulated market. Without decisive action, he warned, the work done to ensure safe, compliant gaming environments could be undone.
Focus on compliance and collaboration
EGBAs approach, Haijer explained, focuses less on pushing for pan-European legislation and more on aligning national rules with EU law, spreading best practices, and encouraging responsible gambling through self-regulation.
We are focusing more on safer gambling, on standardisation, and on making sure that national regulation complies with European law, he said.
EGBA continues to engage with both operators and regulators to promote more innovative regulatory practices. These include predictive models for identifying at-risk players and tailored interventions that prioritise player safety.
A call for coordinated enforcement
The proliferation of black market activity highlights a gap in regulatory enforcement rather than a lack of legislation. While EU markets grow more sophisticated, enforcement mechanisms have not kept pace.
We dont want to make many gains in the regulated environment and then see that all being undone by unregulated operators, Haijer warned.
As more European jurisdictions adopt licensing-based models, Maltas framework being one of the most prominent examples, the challenge now lies in bolstering enforcement and cooperation across borders.
The EGBA is advocating for an EU-wide response, not through harmonised legislation, but through shared standards, data exchange, and effective regulatory collaboration. With 3.8 billion euros in tax contributions from regulated operators across the EU and UK, safeguarding the integrity of this market is not just a matter of policy; its one of public interest.
