Flutter Entertainment has become the latest operator to join the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA).

By joining the Brussels-based trade group, Flutter has reiterated its commitment to industry responsibility and safer gambling across the European betting and gaming sector, with the organisation representing EU licenced and regulated operators.

The Dublin-based FTSE 100 company joins a range of prominent betting and gaming incumbents as members of EGBA, including bet365, Betsson, Kindred and William Hill.

Pádraig Ó Ríordáin, Chief Legal Officer & Group Commercial Director, Flutter, remarked: “Safer Gambling and sustainability are paramount to everything we do at Flutter, so joining the EGBA was a natural fit for us. We look forward to working with other members to ensure the online gambling sector within Europe is more united on our role and responsibilities.”

The addition of Flutter to EGBA’s membership provides a boost to the trade association as it seeks to better promote industry safer gambling standards, at a time when the sector is experiencing increasing regulatory oversight in countries such as the UK, Sweden and Germany.

Last month, representatives of the five aforementioned operators – John Coates (joint CEO bet365), Jesper Svensson (Betsson AB), Jette Nygaard-Andersen (Entain Plc), Henrik Tjärnström, (Kindred Group) and Patrick Jonker (MD of William Hill International) issued a joint statement with a commitment to ‘raising the bar in safer gambling’.

“We believe that, as leading companies of Europe’s online gambling sector, we have a responsibility to take the lead in fostering a stronger culture of safer gambling across our sector and promoting a more sustainable future,” the CEOs’ forward statement read.

The leadership of the five operators have also agreed to publish a combined European sustainability report, compiled and published by the EGBA.

Commenting on the addition of Flutter to the association, Maarten Haijer, Secretary General, EGBA, said: “We are very pleased that Flutter has joined the EGBA family and welcome its commitment towards our ideals of sustainability and fostering a stronger culture of safer gambling in Europe.

“Flutter is a leading player in our sector, and its membership will enable us to strengthen our existing efforts to encourage and deepen industry cooperation and participation at European level. It’s the collective ambition of our members to be top of the class in terms of industry responsibility and Flutter’s membership strengthens our commitment and position. 

“We are determined to ensure Europe’s online gambling sector is more united and coordinated in its objectives and responsibilities, and we continue to invite Europe’s other reputable online gambling companies to join us in this mission.”

Flutter’s joining of EBGA follows an overhaul of its own responsible gambling initiatives, having recently lowered its net deposit limits for bettors under the age of 25 to £500 per month. 

The group intends to enact the policy across its UK and Irish Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Betting & Gaming brands, as part of a general move to ‘further enhance protections for younger customers and encourage sensible spending across its platforms’.