SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has reported record-breaking results from its fourth annual European Safer Gambling Week, held from 18 to 24 November.
This directive which featured a social media campaign and a packed programme of events, showcased the growing commitment of the European gambling operators towards safer practices, with unprecedented levels of participation, promoting responsible gambling practices and safe play.
A total of 195 partners actively participated in the campaign, marking a 20% increase from 2023. Engagement from national gambling authorities also surged, with eight authorities either joining the social media campaign or contributing as speakers at various events – more than double the number involved last year.
The campaign’s reach grew significantly, extending to 26 countries – a 30% increase from 2023. New participants from Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine joined the initiative, demonstrating its expanding pan-European impact. The availability of social media graphics in the local languages of 27 countries played a key role in driving this wider participation.
On social media, the campaign reached 3.1 million users across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. It generated 1,169 social media posts, representing a 67% increase compared to the previous year.
This year’s campaign included a comprehensive events programme with 20 specialised events – an 11% increase from 2023. These events attracted record interest, with 4,500 registrations and 3,000 attendees.
Discussions centred on emerging trends in artificial intelligence, reporting on problem gambling prevalence, and innovations in safer gambling tools and messaging. The events also featured 105 speakers, including senior representatives from gambling authorities in Belgium, Denmark, France, and the UK.
The initiative builds on the EGBA members’ ongoing commitment to safer gambling, highlighted by the 67 million safety messages sent to European customers in 2023. The dedicated week amplifies these efforts and fosters collaboration between operators, regulators, and harm prevention organisations.
Reflecting on the campaign’s success, EGBA Secretary General Maarten Haijer said: “The success of this year’s edition reflects the sector’s deepening commitment to player protection. The significant increase in participation, especially from health organisations and regulatory authorities, demonstrates the common purpose and growing unity in our approach to safer gambling.
Through this collaboration, we’ve reached a record number of Europeans with crucial safety messages during the campaign. Together, we’re making gambling safer and we already look forward to building on this success in next year’s edition.”
