Council of Europe Steps Up Youth Gambling Risk Coordination

European authorities are intensifying joint efforts to address youth-related harms connected to online gambling and digital gaming, with regulators seeking stronger frameworks for product controls, marketing standards and prevention measures.

On February 2, 2026, the Council of Europe convened the fifth Technical Support Instrument (TSI) Advisory Group meeting for its initiative focused on protecting the mental health of children and young people from risks linked to online gambling and gaming. Delegations from Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia took part, while Bulgaria, Denmark and Spain joined as observers.

National policy updates shared across participating states

During the session, participants presented recent regulatory and policy developments within their jurisdictions, with attention centered on youth exposure and patterns linked to digital addiction. The group also outlined its operational priorities for 2026.

The initiative does not aim to impose a single regulatory model. Instead, it is structured to help each participating state select and adapt measures that fit its own legal and supervisory framework.

Initial project outputs reviewed

Members examined three core deliverables completed in the first project phase.

These include a comparative situation analysis describing how different jurisdictions currently tackle risks tied to youth gambling and gaming activity, along with a collection of international best-practice examples that can be reused or tailored locally. A draft communications framework was also reviewed, designed to support targeted awareness campaigns for young people and their families.

Better data seen as critical next step

A technical paper on data collection standards was also discussed, setting out methods for more consistent monitoring of youth exposure and harm indicators. The objective is to improve cross-country comparability and provide regulators with more reliable evidence for future rulemaking and prevention strategies.