EGBA sets voluntary standards for responsible influencer marketing across Europe

Seeking to go beyond existing EU regulations, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has adopted a new influencer marketing pledge that sets voluntary standards for responsible gambling promotion.

Developed with the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), the pledge includes independent compliance monitoring and new criteria for influencer partnerships.

The Pledge on Responsible Influencer Marketing in Online Gambling is the first industry-wide framework for influencer marketing in Europe’s gambling sector. It builds upon the EGBA’s existing Code of Conduct for responsible advertising and introduces additional requirements for transparency, age protection, and oversight of influencer-related activities.

Under the pledge, EGBA members—licensed and regulated operators across the European Union—commit to ensuring that influencer content adheres to responsible advertising practices across all formats, including live streams, posts, stories, and videos.

Three core components

The pledge is organized around three main elements: enhanced advertising standards, influencer selection criteria, and independent monitoring.

Enhanced advertising standards: The pledge introduces rules to increase transparency and implement age-verification mechanisms, ensuring minors do not access gambling-related influencer content. It extends the EGBA Code’s existing prohibition on marketing that appeals to minors by adding audience demographic checks and moderation requirements.

Influencer selection criteria: EGBA members agree to collaborate only with influencers who meet responsible marketing standards and comply with relevant advertising regulations. The association encourages training initiatives to keep influencers updated on current legal and self-regulatory obligations related to advertising.

Independent monitoring and compliance: Members also commit to having their influencer marketing content reviewed by independent entities. Any content that fails to meet the pledge’s standards must be promptly removed.

Implementation and oversight

The new framework will be applied through members’ existing marketing operations and partnerships with influencers. EGBA plans to work directly with marketing partners to increase awareness and understanding of these standards across the industry.

“As the online advertising landscape continues to evolve, we’re proud to lead the industry with the first comprehensive standards for influencer marketing in Europe’s gambling sector,” said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA. “This pledge demonstrates our members’ commitment to responsible advertising and willingness to go beyond regulatory requirements to ensure the highest standards of transparency and minor protection in their influencer partnerships.”

The EGBA has been active in establishing responsible advertising frameworks across Europe. Its earlier Code of Conduct on Responsible Advertising for Online Gambling served as the first pan-European framework in this area. The new pledge extends this initiative into the domain of influencer marketing, reflecting the sector’s growing use of digital creators in promotional activities.

The association’s members are expected to incorporate the pledge into their marketing practices, with periodic reviews to maintain compliance and consistency with EU and self-regulatory advertising standards.