Maarten Haijer has been appointed the new director general of the World Gaming and Betting Alliance (WGBA), signaling a notable shift in leadership within the global gambling regulation sector.
Haijer previously served at Algonquin Consulting and brings over ten years of notable experience in European gambling advocacy and regulation. He is particularly recognized for his extensive 13-and-a-half-year tenure as secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), a position he left in September.
During his time at EGBA, Haijer guided the association through a significant expansion, enhancing its interactions with European Union bodies and national regulatory agencies. The EGBA has praised Haijer for advocating “safe, well-regulated and competitive multi-licensed markets” throughout Europe and for establishing the annual European Safer Gambling Week.
His prior experience also includes positions within the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the European Union.
The WGBA announced that, under Haijer’s direction, it will spearhead a global initiative aimed at engaging policymakers and bolstering the evidence base that informs gambling regulation.
The WGBA is set to be formally launched later this year. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Haijer articulated the alliance’s objective to unite the international gaming and betting industry around the ideals of “effective regulation, high industry standards and evidence-led policy.” He stressed that gambling should persist as “a lawful, safe form of entertainment” for the majority of adults.
The organization, based in Geneva, plans to have a structure that includes a general assembly, a board, and a secretariat. Founding members are reported to include prominent organizations such as EGBA, Flutter Entertainment, FDJ United, Bet365, and Entain.
Regarding the regulation of gambling markets, Haijer noted on LinkedIn that the case for well-regulated gambling sectors has “never been more important.” According to a report from the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, by 2025, unregulated operators are projected to generate €91.6 billion ($102.4 billion) in gross gambling revenue across the EU’s 27 member states, compared to €36.5 billion from regulated operators. This suggests that unregulated markets could account for 72% of the overall €128 billion online gambling industry.
