Belgian Gaming Commission advisor to spearhead efforts to develop standardised reporting framework for EU member states
Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC) advisor Peter Naessens has been selected to lead a project to create a standard reporting framework for gambling in all European Union member states.
The wide-ranging project is being carried out at the behest of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), and aims to develop a uniform set of reporting protocols for all licensed operators.
By having all member states collect the same information from their licensees, CEN aims to ensure regulators can gather data that ensures a high level of consumer protection and operational transparency.
It also believes that standardised reporting will keep gambling fair, as well as helping with the detection and prevention of fraud and betting-related match-fixing.
Currently regulators oversee gambling activities in their jurisdiction by having licensees submit reports, allowing them to gather data on areas such as levels of participation, revenue generated and tax owed by operators. What data each licensee has to provide is currently down to each country’s individual regulatory body.
However, Naessens told iGamingBusiness.com that the ultimate goal was not to set uniform regulatory standards across the European Union.
The standards developed through the project will be developed for use by member states on a voluntary basis, which could be made mandatory as part of each country’s own legal framework for gambling.
“We will start from scratch, trying to find a good structure and scope of application, and after that will address the standard or set of standards itself,” he explained.
Naessens was chosen to lead the project over Gaming Standards Association (GSA) European managing director Mark Pace. However, the GSA is likely to remain heavily involved in the project, having already devised an international reporting standard, though this is not currently recognised by the European Union.
To develop a Europe-specific solution, Naessens will work alongside gambling regulators from other jurisdictions, as well as operators, industry associations and service providers. The project is being overseen by CEN Technical Committee 456, which is chaired by Claire Pinson, head of European and international affairs for French regulator L’Autorité de régulation des jeux en line (ARJEL). Pinson was named head of the committee in June this year.