Key points:
- EU stakeholders stress the need for stronger online protections for minors
- EL supports age verification, responsible advertising and educational initiatives to enhance digital safety
- The Digital Services Act and the upcoming Digital Fairness Act aim to regulate harmful online practices affecting young users
An event at the European Parliament this week has highlighted the growing focus on protecting minors in the digital gambling space.
The European Lotteries (EL) organised a gathering that brought together EU policymakers, industry representatives and stakeholders to address the challenges of creating a safer online environment for young users.
The discussion, which took place on 5 February 2025, centred on the need for enhanced digital safeguards.
Commenting on this, MEP Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatia), stated: ”While digital technologies bring benefits, they also contribute to significant risks minors face, such as youth mental health challenges, exposure to harmful content, addictive design features and exploitative online practices.
“The upcoming Parliament’s own initiative report on the protection of minors online stresses the importance of shaping future EU policies to ensure the safety and well-being of minors in the digital sphere."
MEP Bogdan Zdrojewski (EPP, Poland), Vice-Chair of the Culture and Education Committee, added: ”We are fully committed to ensuring the safety of young people and believe strict age verification and responsible marketing are key tools to effectively protect minors. I believe our discussions this week give us valuable recommendations for the future. ”
The event underscored several key regulatory aspects, particularly the role of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in platform accountability and the anticipated Digital Fairness Act (DFA) in addressing challenges such as dark patterns and addictive features.
The European Lotteries and its members are also advocating for educational campaigns alongside technical solutions to safeguard minors from gambling-related risks.
