The European Commission adopted a Recommendation on online gambling services with the aim of encouraging Member States to pursue a high level of protection for consumers.
The Commission Recommendation on principles for the protection of consumers and players of online gambling services and for the prevention of minors from gambling online proposes the following measures for responsible advertising and sponsorship:
- Advertising and sponsorship of online gambling services should be more socially responsible and transparent. For example, it should not make unfounded statements about chances of winning, exert pressure to gamble, or suggest that gambling resolves social, professional, personal or financial problems.
- Member States should ensure that minors are not able to gamble online, and that rules are in place to minimise their contact with gambling, including through advertising or promotion of gambling services whether broadcast or displayed.
- Member States are also invited to carry out awareness-raising campaigns about gambling and related risks, as well as to collect data about the opening and closing of player accounts and breaches of commercial communication rules.
- Member States should also designate competent regulatory authorities to help ensure, in an independent manner, effective monitoring of compliance with the Recommendation.
Although not legally binding, the Recommendation can impact the way in which individual governments will regulate online gambling advertising.
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