The European Commission makes proposal for digital identity

The European Commission has announced plans for a European digital identity, an electronic identity wallet (e-ID) to allow EU citizens to access public and private services online. A decision which could have a significant and positive impact of how players’ identity is verified in Europe’s online gambling sector, that had been welcomed the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA).

The European Commission’s proposal, which amends its previous eiDAS regulation, would oblige EU citizens and private sector bodies to offer the e-ID and allow them to utilize the e-ID anywhere within the EU to identify and authenticate themselves to access services in both the public and private sectors. According to the EGBA, the introduction of such an e-ID would benefit not only online betting customers as it would be a way to control what information they want to share and provide a reliable method to verify their identity, but also operators and regulators by offering them a standardized method to identify customer and support operators’ compliance in their jurisdiction. It would also positively impact the EU fight against criminal and fraudulent activity. “An ever-increasing number of Europeans are using online services and a common electronic identification method would help them to access online services in a practical, secure way which safeguards their date”, said Ekaterina Hartmann, EGBA’s director. “

Furthermore, its adoption could generate €9.6 billion in benefits for the EU economy and create up to 27,000 jobs over a five-year period according to the European Commission. Currently 14 EU countries have e-ID schemes, of which only 7 include mobile app. The Commission has set a target that 80% of EU citizens use e-ID by 2030.

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