European Safer Gambling Week Puts Player Protection in Focus

Taking place from 16 - 22 November 2026, the initiative will combine awareness campaigns, educational events and support resources.

How can information about gambling risks reach more people and help them find accessible support? This is one of the central aims of European Safer Gambling Week. Its sixth edition will take place from 16–22 November 2026, organised by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), a trade association representing online gambling operators licensed and regulated in the EU. Established in 2021, the initiative brings together operators, regulators, technology companies, research institutions and support organisations. According to the organisers, it also involves people with lived experience of gambling harm. Their shared objectives include raising awareness, exchanging good practices and improving access to player protection tools.

This year’s theme, “Play Smart, Stay Protected”, highlights setting personal limits, taking breaks and avoiding attempts to recover losses through further gambling. The campaign also reminds participants that relationships with friends and family matter more than gambling. Planned activities include local-language social media campaigns, conferences, workshops and webinars addressing consumer protection, research and regulation. The latest events programme is available on the official European Safer Gambling Week website, with further details to be added as the campaign week approaches.

According to EGBA, the 2025 campaign involved 221 partners from 24 countries, with social media messages reaching 4.1 million users. Bulgaria also featured in the reported activities: campaign messages appeared during televised football matches in the country, as well as in Germany, Greece and Italy.

These figures describe the campaign’s reach, but do not, by themselves, demonstrate a reduction in gambling harm. A meaningful assessment therefore needs to consider how greater awareness translates into the use of protection tools and timely access to support. That connection between public messaging and practical assistance deserves attention throughout the year, beyond the campaign week itself.