eCOGRAs New Consumer Protection Agreement

It has been touted as the ‘Responsible Remote Gambling Measures’ publication and it’s hot news across the gaming world. This essentially marks the very first Pan-European consumer protection agreement by CEN. Indeed the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) is one of three European Standardisation companies that are recognized by the European Union. This organization draws up tech specifications including a CEN workshop agreement in order to facilitate an overarching platform for the European gaming industry across 31 countries in Europe. According to the terms and conditions of the CEN agreement, the Responsible Remote Gambling Measures lays out 9 policy objectives for the online safety and protection of online players in the EU. There are some 134 measures to ensure that objectives are achieved.

What are the policy objectives of the new agreement?

Foremost among players are the following 9 objectives:

1. Safe and fair gaming practices
2. Fighting online fraud
3. The protection of player privacy
4. Moves to prevent underage/illegal gambling activities
5. Protecting vulnerable customers from gambling
6. The preservation of player privacy measures
7. The timely and responsible payment of winnings and cashouts
8. Responsible marketing practices
9. Total customer satisfaction initiatives

These initiatives have been concluded between multiple stakeholders. These include leading industry experts, problem gambling aficionados, online players, industry representatives and leading academics. All of these vested parties are working together to ensure that a standardization of practices will be put into place for the benefit of customers.  The CEO of eCOGRA – Andrew Beveridge – alluded to the fact that in the past 7 months CEN has worked hard to make this important agreement a reality. It not only ensures that the very highest levels of protection will ensue in the gaming industry, but it also safeguards Europe as a whole. eCOGRA will work hard to make this a standard across the gaming industry, for sealholders as well as players. Pundits note that this is self-regulation at its very best.

What is eCOGRA all about?

eCOGRA is the eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance organization. It was founded seven years ago by competing online gaming companies. The purpose was to improve operation standards and increase player protection. In bringing greater accountability and integrity into the fold, this is the best way to provide Safe and Fair gaming to all. As an organization, eCOGRA is displayed as a seal on various online gaming websites. Those industries showcasing the eCOGRA seal are viewed as safe and responsible gaming operators. Thus the eCOGRA brand is synonymous with fairness, responsible gaming, professional conduct and top-tier gaming standards. New affiliates and software gaming companies are able to apply for eCOGRA accreditation, provided they meet the stringent requirements as set out at www.ecogra.org.