The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has released its fifth annual sustainability report, revealing strides in promoting responsible gambling and contributing to broader societal goals across Europe.
The Sustainability Report 2025 highlights a notable increase in EGBA members’ use of safer gambling initiatives, environmental progress, and economic contributions, including €3.8bn in taxes paid in 2024.
EGBA member operators, which collectively served 38.6 million active customer accounts in 2024, also deployed a record 100 million safety messages to their users during the year.
This marked a 48% increase from the previous year. Of these messages, 27.9 million were personalised, often based on customer behaviour patterns.
Such targeted messaging proved impactful, with 42-46% of high-risk customers showing improved or stabilised gambling habits after receiving them.
The organisation noted a significant uptake in the use of responsible gambling tools, with 69% of customers activating at least one tool on their account, equivalent to 26.7 million users.
Notably, 34% of all customers (13.2 million) opted to use these tools voluntarily, reflecting a growing awareness and proactive approach toward safer gambling practices.
Deposit limits remained the most commonly used tool, although their share fell from 70% in 2023 to 65% in 2024, suggesting broader adoption of a wider variety of tools.
The demographic breakdown of responsible gambling tool users revealed a proclivity among younger individuals to embrace safety mechanisms. In fact, 49% of those who voluntarily engaged with these tools were 35 years old or younger.
Similarly, 56% of the personalised safety messages were sent to customers within that same age group, emphasising the industry’s targeted efforts to mitigate risk among younger demographics.
Customer engagement on the rise
In terms of customer engagement, EGBA members recorded 15.9 million service interactions, a 10% rise over 2023. These interactions were most commonly related to offers and bonuses, account issues, and payment queries.
Training among employees also saw a notable boost, with 89% of the 62,698 workers receiving safer gambling instruction, a substantial increase from the 80% figure reported in 2023.
One salient indicator of the sector’s commitment to public welfare was the €148.9m invested in research, education, and treatment (RET) related to gambling harm, a 143% increase over the previous year.
Additionally, charitable donations rose to €156.8m, reflecting a 4% annual increase.
Beyond safer gambling, the EGBA emphasised its environmental accountability.
Alongside an 11% decrease in overall energy consumption to 190.2 GWh, the share of renewable energy used increased sharply to 78%, up from 64% the previous year.
However, total greenhouse gas emissions rose to 1.15 million tons of CO₂ equivalent, largely driven by improved reporting and increased Scope 3 emissions tied to value chain operations.
Economic contributions remained a cornerstone of EGBA members’ impact. The €3.8bn in taxes paid covered both corporate and gaming taxes, and supported vital public services across the continent.
Employment within EGBA member companies also rose by 7%, with 62,698 individuals employed in 2024 across both online and land-based operations.
The workforce remained diverse, with women comprising 43% of employees, and the largest age group being those aged 26-35, representing 37% of staff.
A further €735m was invested by members in European sports, spanning from grassroots initiatives to major professional leagues. Streaming rights made up the bulk of this expenditure, accounting for 62% of the total.
Sponsorships and levies composed the remaining share.
Black market gambling remains a concern
The report also raised concerns about the growing threat of black market gambling. Operators in this unregulated space often function outside European jurisdictions, avoiding taxation and offering minimal consumer protections.
The EGBA cited recent cases in the Netherlands and the UK as cautionary tales. For instance, restrictive regulations in the Netherlands led to a surge in black market activity, where it said unregulated operators matched the revenues of regulated ones.
In the UK, black market gambling was estimated to handle £2.7bn annually, leading to a £335m loss in potential tax revenue.
The EGBA advocated for more balanced and evidence-based regulation to address this issue, warning that overly stringent laws could inadvertently drive players away from safer, regulated environments.
The association called for coordinated enforcement against offshore operators and emphasised that sustainability and player safety must remain central to the future of Europe’s gambling industry.