The World Gaming and Betting Alliance (WGBA) is positioning itself as an international voice for the gaming and betting industry, with a focus on effective regulation, consumer protection, and efforts to combat illegal gambling. Based in Geneva, the newly established organisation plans to engage with policymakers and other stakeholders to support evidence-based approaches to gambling regulation.
The alliance has appointed Maarten Haijer, the former secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), as its director general. WGBA is expected to formally launch later in 2026, alongside the publication of its first flagship report.
According to the organisation’s stated mission, its work will centre on bringing together the international gaming and betting community around shared regulatory priorities and higher industry standards.
What Is the Mission of the World Gaming and Betting Alliance?
WGBA aims to unite stakeholders across the global gaming and betting sector and encourage cooperation on regulatory and public policy issues. Its approach focuses on the relationship between effective regulation, consumer safety, and the long-term development of legal gambling markets.
The alliance intends to contribute to discussions involving regulators, policymakers, public health representatives, and industry participants. By promoting dialogue and sharing evidence, it seeks to support regulatory frameworks that account for both consumer protection and the practical realities of gambling markets.
The organisation’s mission also reflects the challenges created by differences between national gambling systems. Rules governing licensing, advertising, consumer safeguards, and online betting vary considerably between jurisdictions, making international cooperation an important issue for operators and regulators alike.
Four Key Priorities of WGBA
The alliance’s stated objectives can be grouped into several interconnected areas.
1. Promoting Effective Gambling Regulation
WGBA advocates regulatory approaches that are informed by evidence and adapted to the conditions of individual markets. Its position emphasises the importance of effective oversight and high standards rather than regulation considered in isolation from its practical consequences.
For the industry, regulatory design can influence licensing conditions, compliance costs, market access, and the availability of legal gambling services. For consumers, it can determine which safeguards apply and what protections are available when problems arise.
WGBA plans to engage with policymakers to contribute to these discussions at the international level.
2. Strengthening Consumer Protection
Consumer protection is another central element of the alliance’s mission. WGBA supports high standards of integrity and transparency, alongside practical approaches intended to reduce gambling-related harm.
This priority covers a broader policy challenge: how to maintain safeguards for people who gamble while ensuring that regulatory systems can respond to changing consumer behaviour and developments in online gaming.
The alliance intends to support evidence-led policymaking, with the aim of helping stakeholders assess the effectiveness of different regulatory measures.
3. Combating Illegal Gambling Operators
Illegal online gambling remains a concern for regulators and licensed operators in multiple markets. Unlicensed websites may operate outside national regulatory frameworks, potentially leaving consumers with fewer formal protections and limiting the ability of authorities to enforce local requirements.
WGBA has identified action against illegal gambling as a global priority. Its work is expected to involve engagement with policymakers and other stakeholders on how regulatory systems can address unlawful activity.
The issue also raises questions about the relationship between market regulation and consumer behaviour. Understanding why people use unlicensed platforms, and how legal alternatives can remain accessible, is relevant to the development of effective policies.
4. Supporting Evidence-Based Public Policy
WGBA also intends to contribute to the shared knowledge base on gambling data and evidence. Reliable information can help policymakers evaluate regulatory approaches, identify emerging risks, and assess the effects of interventions.
The alliance’s planned flagship report, expected to accompany its formal launch, will be an important early publication to watch as the organisation develops its work.
However, the report’s detailed scope and findings should be assessed once it is published. Its announcement alone does not establish what conclusions the research will reach.
Maarten Haijer to Lead WGBA
In October 2026, WGBA appointed Maarten Haijer as its director general. Haijer previously served as secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association for more than a decade, giving him substantial experience in European gambling policy and industry representation.
His appointment comes as the new alliance prepares to establish its presence in international regulatory discussions.
Haijer has described WGBA’s objective as bringing the international gaming and betting community together around effective regulation, high industry standards, and evidence-led policy. He has also highlighted the importance of engagement with regulators, policymakers, and public health stakeholders.
The planned Geneva launch and accompanying flagship report are expected to provide further detail on how the organisation intends to translate these priorities into its activities.
Why WGBA’s Mission Matters to the Gambling Industry
The establishment of WGBA comes amid continuing debate about how governments should regulate online gambling. Authorities in different jurisdictions are reviewing licensing systems, enforcement mechanisms, advertising rules, and measures designed to protect consumers.
For licensed operators, these developments can affect the conditions under which they enter markets and provide services. For regulators, they create a need to balance enforcement, consumer safeguards, and the practical operation of legal gambling systems.
An international organisation such as WGBA could provide an additional platform for exchanging information and discussing these challenges across jurisdictions. Its practical influence will depend on its engagement with stakeholders, the quality of its research, and the initiatives it develops after launch.
The alliance’s position should also be understood in context: as an organisation representing an industry-focused perspective, its policy proposals and research will need to be evaluated on their evidence and merits.
What Comes Next for WGBA?
WGBA plans to launch formally in Geneva later in 2026, together with its first flagship report. These developments should offer a clearer picture of the organisation’s priorities, research agenda, and intended role in global gambling policy.
For now, the alliance has outlined a mission centred on effective regulation, consumer protection, transparency, and tackling illegal gambling. Its progress will depend on how these broad objectives translate into concrete policy engagement and measurable initiatives.
Source: https://wgba.global/our-mission/
