Major bookmakers appoint former EGBA Chief to global lobby group
Four of the world’s largest gambling companies have appointed former European Betting and Gaming Association secretary general Maarten Haijer to lead a new international industry organisation focused on regulation and illegal gambling.
Haijer has become the first director general of the World Gaming and Betting Alliance (WGBA), a Geneva-based organisation established in July 2026.
Its founding membership comprises bet365, Flutter Entertainment, Entain and FDJ United.
The organisation intends to represent licensed gambling operators in discussions with governments, regulators and public health organisations, with particular emphasis on combating illegal gambling and promoting regulated gambling markets.
Haijer brings more than 13 years of experience leading the European Betting and Gaming Association, where he worked on gambling regulation, consumer protection and industry policy across Europe.
Announcing his appointment, Haijer said the changing regulatory environment had increased the importance of international cooperation.
“The global regulatory landscape is evolving fast, and the case for well-regulated markets has never been more important, both for consumers and for the societies in which they operate,” he said.
“I look forward to engaging with regulators, policymakers and public health stakeholders to help shape the conversation on the global scale.”
Haijer also confirmed that the alliance plans to hold its formal launch in Geneva later this year.
“We will be formally launching WGBA later this year in Geneva, alongside our first flagship report,” he said.
The appointment comes as gambling operators face increasing regulatory pressure across multiple markets, including higher taxation, advertising restrictions and competition from unlicensed offshore businesses.
The new organisation will provide its founding members with a coordinated international platform for lobbying on those issues.
Haijer left the EGBA earlier this year, with Pierre Tournier taking over as interim secretary general.
