This year, the third European Safer Gambling Week (ESGW24) will take place between November 18-24. Introduced in 2021, and coordinated by the Brussels-based European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), this annual campaign brings together operators, regulators, harm prevention organisations, and other stakeholders from across Europe’s gambling sector to raise awareness about safer gambling, key to which is countering the growing, unregulated gambling black market, where consumer protection is virtually non-existent.

iGEN (iGaming Executives Network) and the other European iGaming associations work together with EGBA to co-ordinate responsible gambling activities and promote the various events - webinars, in-person seminars and social media campaigns – taking place over the five-day ESGW24 period. The week’s agenda and individual event registration details can be seen here https://igenorg.eu/sgw-agenda/.

Responsible gambling, also known as safer gambling, is a set of social responsibility initiatives promoted by the gambling industry to ensure the integrity of their own operations, and to promote awareness of the risks associated with gambling, such as gambling addiction.

These initiatives include:

• Self-exclusion or time out – allowing players to put their account on temporary hiatus.
• Reality check – a pop-up is triggered at certain time intervals to remind players to take a break / stop playing.
• Time limits – used for setting strict time limits on playing sessions.
• Deposit limits or account tracker – used for enforcing a limit on deposits.
• Permanent account closure – lets players close their account and cut off all contact with the gambling operator.
• Credit card restrictions – Players can instruct their bank to block access to internet transactions.

The tangible, positive effects of these Responsible Gambling initiatives are increasing year-on-year; data gathered during European Safer Gambling Week 2023 for example, shows that numbers of players using safer gambling tools soared; deposit limits saw a massive 18% increase, and maximum stake limits increased by over 300% in the same period. Related social media campaigns saw over 50 million impressions generated across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

EGBA’s Sustainability Report for 2023 reveals that over the year, a record 65% of all customers, or 21 million, used safety tools, a 14% increase compared to the previous year, with deposit limits being the most popular tool. Additionally, the association’s operators sent a record 67.6 million messages to their customers to promote safer play, a 49% yearly increase, which is confirmed by Maarten Haijer, EGBA's Secretary General.

"Europe's online gambling sector has made significant advances in both regulation and industry standards over the past decade. Our members sent almost 70 million messages to their European customers last year to promote safer play and 65% of their customers are now using safer gambling tools like deposit limits and time-outs. While the regulated industry continues to advance player protection standards, this commitment stands in stark contrast to the unregulated black market, which offers zero player protections, pays no tax, and contributes nothing positive to our communities or sports,” said Haijer. 

Every year EGBA release a complete package of materials for companies and organisations to download and adapt for their local needs. Key messaging, brand guidelines and graphics are supplied in a range of customisable formats. The striking visuals are designed to be highly visible and stick out in social media channels.

The record numbers of both campaign impressions and use of safer gambling tools are proof that the iGaming industry has never been more committed to ensuring that the millions of Europeans who enjoy placing a bet, or playing slot games for relaxation and fun, can continue to do so in a safe and responsible environment, while at the same time providing vital support for at-risk players.