Four operators create the World Gaming & Betting Alliance in Geneva

Bet365, Entain, FDJ United and Flutter, together with the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), announced on 19 October 2026 the creation of the World Gaming and Betting Alliance (WGBA) headquartered in Geneva. The organisation will be led by Maarten Haijer, former secretary general of the EGBA, according to his LinkedIn post.

Purpose and founding messages

WGBA will seek to promote a regulatory framework that does not impose the same restrictions on licensed operators as on illegal operators and will call for stronger measures against the illicit sector. At the public launch the body set out four main missions:

• Protect consumers and reduce gambling-related harm

• Enable the safe enjoyment of gambling and betting as a general recreational activity

• Support integrity and transparency in regulated markets

• Combat illegal gambling that undermines safeguards and public revenues

"At WGBA, we aspire to bring the international gaming and betting community together around the shared purpose of defending effective regulation, high industry standards and policies based on evidence," Maarten Haijer wrote on LinkedIn.

Operations and timeline

The new organisation said it will work with governments, regulators, law enforcement, public health authorities, international institutions, civil society and consumers to support evidence-based policies adapted to national and local contexts. The official launch in Geneva and the publication of its first major report are scheduled for late 2026.

"The global regulatory landscape is changing fast, and defending well-regulated markets is more important than ever," Haijer added.

The initiative brings together four major operators and the EGBA on a Geneva-based platform intended to influence regulatory policy and action against illegal gambling.