The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has introduced a new pledge to establish responsible standards for influencer marketing in the region’s online gambling sector. The association said in a statement that the initiative aims to enhance transparency, strengthen consumer protection, and ensure that marketing practices safeguard minors.
The Pledge on Responsible Influencer Marketing in Online Gambling was developed in collaboration with the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA). It marks the first industry-wide framework of its kind in Europe’s gambling industry.
According to EGBA, the pledge “represents a significant step forward in addressing the fast-paced evolution of online marketing, particularly the growing use of influencers in the gambling industry.” Building on the organisation’s Code of Conduct on Responsible Advertising for Online Gambling (EGBA Code), the new framework sets out additional measures for influencer marketing content created on behalf of EGBA members.
Three pillars for responsible marketing
The EGBA said that the pledge is anchored on three key pillars: enhanced advertising standards, influencer selection, and independent monitoring and compliance.
Under Enhanced Advertising Standards, EGBA introduces “rules and guidelines on enhanced transparency and age-gating mechanisms to prevent minors from accessing influencer marketing content for online gambling.”
It expands the EGBA Code’s existing prohibition of marketing that appeals to minors by introducing “content moderation requirements and audience demographic checks.”
For Influencer Selection Criteria, EGBA members commit to working only with influencers who “have been screened for responsible marketing conduct and who abide by all applicable advertising standards and legislation.” The association also urges members to encourage the use of training programmes to ensure the influencers they work with remain on top of the latest regulatory and self-regulatory developments for advertising.
The third component, Independent Monitoring and Compliance, requires members to monitor their influencer marketing content by independent entities regularly, and to remove any content that is non-compliant with the pledge promptly.
The EGBA said that the pledge applies to all forms of influencer content, including live streams, stories, posts, videos, and any digital content formats.
Commitment to higher standards
“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,” Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, said. “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 association said that the pledge will be integrated into its members’ marketing activities, with an emphasis on educating influencers about responsible marketing conduct.
EGBA said the new framework will ensure influencer partnerships are transparent, independently monitored, and aligned with consumer protection goals.
The organisation has been active in driving policy harmonisation across the European gambling landscape. Earlier this month, it supported the approval of draft EU standards on markers of gambling harm, a separate initiative to help identify risky player behaviours and strengthen prevention measures.
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