ICE VOX started this Monday the 11th. Three of Europe’s most relevant regulators met to discuss the challenges involved in protecting players across the ever-changing gaming market.
Speakers Rene Jansen, Executive President of Kansspelautoriteit, Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, President of the ANJ and Mikel Arana, Director General of the DGOJ, account for more than half of the European Union’s player population.
Speaking about the importance of player protection, Pierrotin noted: “I think, in general, the GDPR culture within operators is average. But I think for me the key question is whether we agree with the KPIs and indicators that show a player will become risky.”
“The problem we have in France, and I’m sure it’s the case in other countries, is that there is no agreement between regulators and operators on these indicators. Of course, this is difficult.”
“In France, we’ve had huge market growth, but if we want to maintain that market growth while still protecting players, we need regulators and operators to agree on risk indicators. Defining these indicators is absolutely fundamental to having adequate regulation”, he added.
ICE VOX: Experts emphasize the importance of the union between operators and regulators
This topic was addressed by the three experts, with each regulator highlighting the importance of an approach to player protection by both the operator and the regulator. Every market is different, however, in Europe every nation has a diverse and ever-changing population.
On approaching responsible gaming when considering these cultural differences, Jansen commented: “In Europe, we don’t have a standard or a legal framework. The cultural differences in Europe are too great to deal with in such a centralized structure. So what we try to do in general is learn from each other, exchange our experiences without trying to create a certain standard across Europe.”
By the end of the debate, each regulator apparently agreed with the biggest challenge they would face in the coming years, the ever-changing nature of gaming in the 21st century. According to Gambling Insider, it is evident that for regulators to succeed in their attempts to protect players, must keep up with the rapidly evolving trends and technologies that this industry has embraced.
