EGBA report shows record customer use of safer gambling tools in 2023

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has revealed a record number of customers from member operators used safer gambling tools during 2023.  

The association’s annual sustainability report showed a record 21 million European customers – equivalent to 65% of customers from member operators – used safer gambling tools last year, up 14% from the previous year.  

Furthermore, the report revealed more than half of the total number of customers who used the resources did so voluntarily. 

Deposit limits was the most popular tool; utilised by 70% of customers in the voluntary cohort. 

EGBA operators sent out a record 67.6 million messages to their customers to promote responsible gambling, up 49% compared to 2022.  

Almost 24 million of these messages were personalised, sent via email and screen pop-ups, based on customers’ respective playing behaviour. 

The increased promotion of responsible gambling had a clear impact on players, with 65% of customers who displayed potentially problematic play showing improved or more stable levels of play after receiving safety messages.  

Specifically, 45% “improved their play”, 10% “refrained from playing altogether”, and 10% “stabilised their play”, while 32% of customers “voluntarily activated or strengthened tools, including self-exclusion, in response to safety messages”.

In terms of member operators and staff education, 80% of all employees received dedicated safer gambling training, amounting to around 45,000 employees across both online and land-based businesses. 

The report also showed that the overall number of customer accounts reached a record 32.5 million, marking a 4% yearly increase. 

Breaking the customer base down further for 2023, 72% were male, a small decline from the 74% recorded in 2022, while the number of female customers rose to 28% from 26%.

Looking at age demographics, the largest customer segments were people aged 26-35 and 36-50, accounting for 59% of customers combined. 

EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer said: “We’re pleased to publish our latest sustainability report, highlighting significant progress by our members in many areas of safer gambling, particularly in the rollout of safety tools and their direct interactions with players about their playing behaviour.

“This demonstrates their collective efforts to embed a sustainable approach to gambling at the heart of what they do. In the report, our CEOs also quite rightly flag their concerns about the growing black market in Europe and the risks it poses to players and the progress made in safer gambling.  

“We’re pleased to expand our reporting this year with specific new metrics about the use of safety tools and messages to promote safer play,” he concluded. 

The EGBA threw its support behind the European Union’s new anti-money laundering framework back in April.