By Rocco Havel | July 16, 2008

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) issued a set of standards– including fair and responsible gaming – with mandatory compliance for its members. European gaming companies now have to follow over 170 technical requirements on top of the already stringent European licensing requirements.

Some of EGBA’s most noted members include Party Gaming, Bwin and Unibet. Norbert Teufelberger, Chairman of the EGBA, explained the reasons behind these additional requirements:

These standards are a sign of our commitment to an exemplary level of corporate and social responsibility. They could serve as a basis for reflection at a time when governments and regulators across Europe are trying to find ways to best protect consumers in the online gaming and betting environment.

Some of the over 170 requisites included are: responsible gaming(prevention of problem gambling and underage gaming), prompt and efficient payment and handling of customer money, security(protection of customer info, zero tolerance approach to fraud) and a commitment to a responsible marketing practice

The newly minted standards build upon EGBA’s 2003 Code of Conduct, which is compulsory for all members. EGBA’s press release states that,

Self-regulation is vital in the online gaming and betting industry in order to continuously take stock of this fast developing eCommerce sector and stay ahead of slower legal developments. It also ensures, given the cross border nature of the sector, consistency of standards across Europe to guarantee consumers can play in a safe, secure and reliable environment.

To ensure the members are complying with EGBA’s regulations old and new, there will be a compulsory annual audit by eCOGRA, a respected player protection body.

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