16/09/25
This article examines the evolving legal landscape in the EU concerning responsible gaming, particularly age verification, consumer protection and platform liability. It highlights the European Commission’s July 2025 measures, national initiatives in France and Italy, and the interplay with broader EU digital policy.
📜 Regulations and Official Standards
The European Union has no single sector-specific law governing online gambling; regulation remains primarily national, but subject to general EU law such as the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and anti-money laundering directives.
On 14 July 2025, the European Commission published an age-verification blueprint together with guidelines on the protection of minors under the Digital Services Act (DSA). These introduce privacy-preserving methods allowing users to prove they are over 18 without disclosing more data than necessary.
The Commission is also piloting an interim age-verification app in France, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Greece, intended to bridge the gap before the rollout of the EU Digital Identity Wallet in 2026.
The DSA, which applies to platforms accessible in the EU, obliges service providers to protect minors. Its Article 28 guidance specifies that platforms offering adult content or gambling-related services must implement effective age-assurance mechanisms.
At the national level, France introduced a “double anonymity” rule - ensuring that verification providers cannot identify the service accessed, and the service cannot see the individual’s detailed identity. Similarly, Italy’s AGCOM Resolution No. 96/25/CONS (8 April 2025) mandates certified third-party verification with both identification and authentication steps for each restricted-content session.
These measures build on Recommendation 2014/478/EU, which urged member states to prevent minors from gambling and promote responsible consumer protection.
⚖️ Analysis and Comparison
The fragmented regulatory landscape creates compliance challenges for online casinos operating across borders. While the minimum age of 18 is widely adopted, implementation varies - with some jurisdictions requiring additional verification or imposing higher thresholds for certain games.
The age-verification blueprint and digital identity wallet represent a significant step toward harmonisation. These technical standards are designed to reduce reliance on outdated, intrusive practices such as full ID uploads, aligning with GDPR principles of data minimisation.
France’s double-anonymity model is among the strictest in the EU, surpassing the requirements of many other states. Italy’s system is equally stringent, demanding verification at each session - not just account creation.
Other member states still permit initial account-based checks, but the EU’s new guidance encourages front-loaded verification, ensuring that gambling does not begin before age is confirmed.
Importantly, the DSA complements but does not replace national gambling law. Operators must therefore comply with EU-level platform obligations while also observing country-specific licensing and advertising restrictions.
🔍 Evidence and Applicability
In France, failure to provide at least one compliant age-verification method after April 2025 can result in regulatory sanctions. This underscores the seriousness with which national regulators are treating the issue.
In Italy, AGCOM’s framework obliges operators to rely on certified third parties, adding new compliance and cost burdens for online casinos.
Operators are also expected to integrate responsible gaming features, including deposit limits, self-exclusion options, and stricter advertising standards, all aimed at mitigating harm.
The Commission’s pilot projects show how interoperability could work: a user proves their age through the EU app without disclosing their name or address, satisfying both data protection and gambling-law requirements.
Meanwhile, the Commission has already launched DSA enforcement investigations into platforms that failed to deploy sufficient age-verification mechanisms. Although these cases focus largely on adult content, the legal reasoning applies equally to gambling services.
For an online casino, relying on credit card checks or self-certification will no longer suffice. Operators will need to integrate certified verification providers, redesign onboarding flows, and demonstrate to regulators that they are both compliant and privacy-conscious.
✅ Conclusion
EU responsible-gaming rules are undergoing rapid transformation, with age verification now central to compliance. The 14 July 2025 Commission blueprint, DSA guidance, and national laws in France and Italy demonstrate the trend towards stricter, privacy-respecting standards.
For online casinos, this means adapting to multi-layered obligations: EU-level platform duties under the DSA, national licensing requirements, and forthcoming digital identity integration.
The shift offers long-term benefits in consumer trust but creates immediate legal and technical challenges.
Failure to comply risks regulatory sanctions and reputational harm.
If your business requires guidance on licensing, responsible gaming compliance, or the implementation of age-verification systems, contact NUR Legal for expert support.
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Emil Korpinen