In Switzerland, four iGaming operator giants bet365, Entain, FDJ United и Flutter, together with European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) were united to create World Gaming & Betting Alliance (WGBA).
The alliance is headed by Maarten Haijer, former Secretary General of the EGBA Maarten Haijer.
He announced on a LinkedIn post:
It is with great excitement that I announce a new chapter in my career, taking on the role of Director General of the newly established World Gaming and Betting Alliance (WGBA), based in Geneva.
WGBA intends to advocate for a regulatory framework that does not impose the same restrictions on licensed operators as it does on illegal ones, while also pushing for more rigorous action against the illicit sector.
The main missions of the WGBA are to promote fair, effective and proportionate frameworks that:
- Protect consumers and reduce gambling-related harm
- Enable the safe enjoyment of gaming or betting as a mainstream leisure activity
- Support integrity and transparency in regulated markets
- Tackle illegal gambling that undermines safeguards and public revenues
The organization plants to ‘work with governments, regulators, law enforcement, public health authorities, international institutions, civil society and consumers to support policy outcomes grounded in evidence and tailored to national and local contexts.’
Maarten Haijer added:
At WGBA, we aim to unite the international gaming and betting community around the shared purpose of championing effective regulation, high industry standards, and evidence-led policy, so that gaming and betting can remain what it is for most adults: a lawful, safe form of entertainment.
The global regulatory landscape is evolving fast, and the case for well-regulated markets has never been more important, both for consumers and for the societies in which they operate. I look forward to engaging with regulators, policymakers and public health stakeholders to help shape the conversation on the global scale.
The organization’s official launch in Geneva and the release of its first major report are scheduled for the end of the year.