New trade association launched

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ONLINE GAMING AND BETTING OPERATORS EXPAND TRADE ASSOCIATION

European Gaming and Betting Association launches in Brussels.

In a major move to expand, the European Betting Association has been replaced the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) launched this week in Brussels.

The new body builds on the foundations laid since EBA’s launch in 2003, carrying forward the acknowledgement by authorities throughout Europe of a trade association with a strong voice calling attention to national and European debates regarding the rights of regulated European-licensed operators to offer cross-border services.

In the context of fast-growing and changing markets, legal developments and an intense public and political debate, new challenges have emerged.

In the footsteps of EBA, EGBA aims at promoting the implementation at European level of a competitive, fair and regulated market accessible to operators applying high-level standards with regard to consumer and minor protection as well as other aspects of responsible gaming.

The EGBA believes that consumers should have access to a greater choice of regulated European operators and access to the highest possible standards in protection and care, which is more likely to be achieved through regulated competition than in a monopoly environment.

Established in Brussels, EGBA groups the leading cross-border online gaming and betting operators fully established and licensed in Europe, several of which are publicly listed.

Members of EGBA include Bet-at-home.com, bwin, Carmen Media Group, Expekt, Interwetten, PartyGaming, and Unibet, all of which abide by a code of conduct listing a common set of strict rules enforcing socially responsible internet gaming and betting.

These standards, audited by specialised external bodies, supplement each member’s national licensing requirements imposed by its home European regulator.

EGBA aims at continuing a constructive dialogue with all stakeholders including regulators, EU and national authorities, state operators and consumers. Secretary General Sigrid Ligné comments “It’s time now that all stakeholders put on the table their real concerns and expectations. EGBA has a strong commitment to lead the way to a regulated and transparent European market for the benefit of consumer choice and protection.”

The organisation has launched a website at www.egba.eu to better communicate its aims and objectives.

Sigrid Ligné joined the European Gaming and Betting Association in March 2007 as Secretary General, managing its Brussels based office.

She started her career working for the Legal Service of the Council of the EU and the European Commission, later moved to consultancy work. Over the last ten years she has been responsible for several Brussels-based and pan-European lobbying and communications campaigns, working for a wide range of corporations and trade associations. In 2001 she was appointed managing director of EuroRSCG’s European Affairs agency in Brussels.

A graduate from the University of Lund (Sweden) Ligne holds a European Law Degree from the University of Rennes (France) and a post-graduate Degree in European Community Affairs from the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium).

She is a dual Swedish-French national and speaks fluent French, Swedish and English.