Is Europe’s online gambling industry finally aligning business success with public good? The newly released EGBA Sustainability Report 2025 makes a strong case. With €3.8 billion paid into public coffers, nearly 70% of customers using safety tools, and personalized messages improving high-risk behavior, the report reveals a sector serious about evolving and backing it up with numbers.
This isn’t a routine ESG update. It’s a progress map for how regulated operators are combining behavioral science, policy engagement, and player protection to strengthen Europe’s gaming landscape.
The EGBA sustainability report makes one thing clear: when nearly 70% of customers use safety tools and €3.8 billion flows back to society, regulated gambling isn’t just viable—it’s valuable.
What the EGBA Sustainability Report 2025 Reveals
The EGBA sustainability report 2025 doesn’t just track metrics. It captures a shift in industry mindset. The topline numbers from 2024 show real momentum:
- 38.6 million active accounts — a 19% jump from 2023
- €3.8 billion in corporate and gaming taxes reported for the first time as a collective figure
- €148.9 million directed to harm prevention via research, education, and treatment — up 143%
- 100 million safer gambling messages sent, including 27.9 million behavior-driven interventions
This consolidation of member data offers regulators something rare: a verified, pan-European view of gambling sector ESG impact. It also lets the industry benchmark itself with far more credibility than standalone corporate disclosures.
Safer Gambling in Practice: Tools, Messaging, and Measurable Change
What’s the real test of a safer gambling strategy? Behavioral change. And the EGBA report delivers new evidence that it’s happening. Among players flagged as high-risk, 42% to 46% either improved or stabilized their behavior after receiving personalized messages¹.
More players are proactively choosing to limit their exposure to gambling harm. In fact, over 13 million users voluntarily enabled safety features without being prompted – a sign that these tools are becoming normalized in user behavior. Behind the scenes, nearly 90% of industry staff have now undergone dedicated training on harm prevention, equipping frontline teams with practical skills to support at-risk players.
This isn’t about ticking boxes. It reflects a mindset shift across operators: focus less on how many tools are offered, and more on how they perform. EGBA members are now tracking behavioral outcomes, not just system alerts, to ensure that interventions deliver real impact – not just regulatory compliance.
Economic and Social Contributions: From Jobs to Public Revenue
The financial footprint of EGBA’s members also expanded last year. According to the report, the sector supported roughly 62,000 jobs across the EU and UK. That workforce, in turn, helped generate a combined €3.8 billion in public revenue, from corporate taxes to gaming levies.
One area where social value is especially visible is sport. Member companies invested €735 million into European sports infrastructure—funding everything from professional club sponsorships to local community programs. The money going into European sports and public services isn’t abstract. It helps keep local teams playing and supports systems that people rely on every day. That kind of visibility gives regulation a real-world dimension—not just policy, but impact.
Regulatory Gaps and Black Market Risks
Unlicensed gambling is becoming harder to ignore. In places where new restrictions have taken hold, some players are turning to offshore sites instead. These operators often work beyond the reach of local rules and don’t contribute to national tax systems or player protections.
Take the Netherlands, for instance. After new spending caps were introduced in 2024, a noticeable uptick in offshore activity followed. Within months, some of these operators were rivaling the market share of legal providers².
The EGBA response? Smarter regulation, not stricter for its own sake. They’re calling for:
- EU-wide enforcement against non-EU operators
- Regulatory strategies that guide players into safer, legal ecosystems
- Stronger promotion of licensed platforms across advertising and media channels
The message is blunt: when regulated firms are squeezed, unregulated ones fill the gap. That shift endangers both players and public finances.
Conclusion: EGBA Sustainability Report
The EGBA sustainability report offers a snapshot of a sector that’s learning to balance commercial success with better player safeguards.
When the rules are straightforward and supported by real outcomes, it creates space for trust – among players, regulators, and the public alike.
FAQ – EGBA Sustainability Report
What is the EGBA Sustainability Report?
It’s the European Gaming and Betting Association’s annual report tracking ESG progress among its regulated members.
What does the EGBA Sustainability Report 2025 reveal about safer gambling tool usage?
69% of users engaged with safety tools, and over 13 million opted in voluntarily—without being prompted.
How does the EGBA Sustainability Report 2025 address black market gambling?
It warns of increasing offshore activity in response to local restrictions, which threatens player safety and drains public revenue.
What behavioral outcomes are linked to safer gambling interventions in the EGBA report?
Among high-risk players, 42–46% either improved or stabilized their behavior after receiving personalized messages.
What regulatory solutions does the EGBA Sustainability Report 2025 propose?
The report calls for coordinated EU action against offshore operators and smarter national frameworks to keep players within the regulated ecosystem.
Sources:
- EGBA: “Sustainability Report 2025“
https://www.egba.eu/uploads/2025/07/250709-EGBA-Annual-Sustainability-Report-2025-Final.pdf - Kansspelautoriteit: “Monitoringsrapportage voorjaar 2025 toont positief effect beleidsregel verantwoord spelen“
https://kansspelautoriteit.nl/nieuws/2025/april/monitoringsrapportage-voorjaar-2025/ - Frontier Economics: “The safer bet for UK gambling“
https://www.frontier-economics.com/uk/en/news-and-insights/news/news-article-i20901-the-safer-bet-for-uk-gambling/
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