EU Digital Fairness Act Proposal: EGBA Calls for Coherence with National and EU Consumer Protection Rules

Europe’s online gambling sector supports stronger consumer protection while calling for proportionate EU rules that build on and are coherent with existing national and EU safeguards, and for more effective enforcement against illegal gambling. Brussels, 12 November 2026 – The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) takes note of the European Commission’s Consumer Package published yesterday, which includes the proposed Digital Fairness Act (DFA), a Simplification Directive and a revision of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Regulation. EGBA shares the Commission’s objectives of strengthening consumer protection, including the protection of minors, tackling misleading commercial practices and ensuring greater transparency in the digital environment. These objectives are consistent with the regulated online gambling sector’s longstanding commitment to responsible advertising, safer gambling and high standards of player protection. Online gambling is already subject to extensive national legislation covering advertising, consumer protection, age verification, prevention of underage gambling and safer gambling measures. EGBA members often go beyond these requirements through pan-European self-regulatory initiatives, including EGBA’s Code of Conduct on Responsible Advertising and its Pledge on Responsible Influencer Marketing. Against this background, EGBA emphasises the importance of ensuring that the new EU rules are coherent with national gambling frameworks and EU legislation, including the Digital Services Act (DSA) and existing consumer protection rules. New EU requirements should be proportionate, address clearly identified regulatory gaps and avoid unnecessary duplication, conflicting obligations and legal uncertainty. Pierre Tournier, Interim Secretary General of EGBA, said: “More regulation does not automatically mean better consumer protection. The DFA must build on existing national and EU safeguards, avoid duplicating obligations and provide legal certainty for businesses. At the same time, stronger consumer protection in our sector cannot stop at regulated operators. Illegal gambling websites operate outside the law, disregard player protection standards and expose consumers to serious risks. If Europe is serious about protecting consumers online, tackling the illegal gambling market must be a priority, not an afterthought.” Effective enforcement will be essential to achieving the Consumer Package’s objectives. EGBA therefore calls for stronger cross-border cooperation and action against illegal gambling services, including through cooperation with online platforms and payment service providers, to ensure that consumers are protected in practice. EGBA will now assess the proposals in detail and engage constructively with the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission throughout the legislative process.