The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has announced new guidelines for influencer marketing in the European online gambling industry.
The EGBA is made up of some of Europe’s biggest gambling operators, including Bet365, Flutter, Entain, William Hill, and Betsson.
In a press release, it stated that the new guidelines cover three key areas:
- Enhanced Advertising Standards
- Influencer Selection Criteria
- Independent Monitoring and Compliance
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, stated, “As the online advertising landscape continues to evolve, we’re proud to lead the industry with the first comprehensive standards for influencer marketing in Europe’s gambling sector.
“This pledge demonstrates our members’ commitment to responsible advertising and willingness to go beyond regulatory requirements to ensure the highest standards of transparency and minor protection in their influencer partnerships.”
The pledge applies to all forms of influencer content, including live streams, stories, posts, videos, and any digital content formats. It is particularly relevant to esports betting, which is often promoted through social media and live streaming services.
Earlier this year, a Danish Twitch streamer was fined DKK 10,000 ($1,505) after authorities found he was promoting gambling websites that lacked proper licensing in Denmark.
Gambling was prominent on Twitch until a few years ago, when the company clamped down on streamers promoting online casinos. In the wake of the ban, gamers and other influencers have used alternative platforms to promote gambling.
The owners of online casino Stake set up the livestreaming site Kick, which has been used by Adin Ross, Trainwreck, and Drake, among others.
Drake, however, had a public falling out with Stake’s owners, which ended with the rapper closing his Kick account.
While the EGBA is made up of regulated gambling companies, the new regulations aim to control the links between streaming and gambling further.
Underage Gambling Facing Government Scrutiny
The promotion of gambling in games has also come under increasing scrutiny. Governments in the UK, Singapore, Brazil, and most recently Spain have urged for tighter rules around loot boxes and skin gambling.
The Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs recently launched a campaign warning that loot boxes in video games encourage underage gambling.
The country has also introduced tighter rules around gambling advertising. Operators must now display prominent warnings about the negative impact of gambling. These were primarily introduced to limit the rise of young people with gambling problems.
Gambling companies, including members of the EGBA, have opposed the measures, claiming that overregulation will result in more users gambling at unregulated platforms.
The new guidelines attempt to emphasize that the platforms are taking their own measures to advertise responsibly.
