Nine European gambling regulators have moved collectively to flag the regulatory grey zone surrounding prediction markets – a signal that coordinated enforcement pressure may follow.
The gambling supervisory authorities of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland have published a joint statement addressing regulatory challenges posed by prediction markets (prediction markets). These platforms allow users to speculate on the outcome of future events, yet in many countries they currently operate under no clear gambling law framework.
The regulators identify several concrete consumer risks: inadequate player protection mechanisms, heightened addiction potential, and exposure to market manipulation, fraud, and a lack of transparency in the handling of stakes and payouts.
Germany's GGL formally endorsed the initiative, emphasising that cross-border information sharing is essential to combat illegal offerings, protect sports integrity, and maintain high player protection standards.
The full joint statement is available here: PDF-Dokument
Regulatory Pressure Takes Shape
The breadth of this coalition – nine jurisdictions spanning Western and Central Europe – signals that prediction markets are now firmly on regulators' radar. Operators offering or considering such products should assess their exposure carefully, particularly where regulatory classification remains ambiguous. The Dutch Kansspelautoriteit has already flagged market stagnation as a concern linked partly to unclear regulatory boundaries, while Belgium's Gaming Commission has issued parallel restrictions on gambling-adjacent products ahead of major sporting events.
No, the statement itself is not a legislative act and does not introduce automatic licensing obligations. However, it signals the intention of nine regulators to coordinate further action, which may precede concrete regulatory changes in the relevant jurisdictions.
According to the statement, regulators identified three key risks: insufficient player-protection mechanisms, increased addiction potential, and vulnerability to manipulation and fraud. Operators should conduct an internal audit of their products against these categories before regulatory classification is finalized.
GGL formally supported the initiative, emphasizing the importance of cross-border information sharing. This means data on illegal offerings may be shared among all nine jurisdictions, increasing regulatory risk for operators active in several of them at once.
According to GGL.
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