Maarten Haijer named director general of new WGBA trade body
The former EGBA secretary general will lead the newly formed World Gaming and Betting Alliance, a Geneva-based body whose members include Flutter, bet365 and Entain.
Maarten Haijer has been appointed director general of the World Gaming and Betting Alliance (WGBA), a newly formed trade body registered as a non-profit association in Geneva, Switzerland, according to EGR.
Haijer left his post as secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) in September, after thirteen years in the role. Pierre Tournier took over on an interim basis from 1 September.
The WGBA is structured around a general assembly, a board and a secretariat. For now, Haijer is the only person listed as an employee of the organisation.
Its stated membership so far includes the EGBA itself alongside Flutter Entertainment, FDJ United, bet365 and Entain.
In its mission statement, the WGBA said it intends to "work with governments, regulators, law enforcement, public health authorities, international institutions, civil society and consumers to support policy outcomes grounded in evidence and tailored to national and local contexts".
The body added that it would "encourage governments to prioritise evidence-led frameworks that clearly distinguish between regulated and unregulated operators, strengthen collaboration between regulators, public health authorities and the regulated sector".
Announcing Haijer's appointment, the WGBA pointed to his background in gambling regulation and consumer protection, including his time at the EGBA and earlier posts at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Netherlands' Permanent Representation to the EU.
The organisation said Haijer would lead efforts to engage policymakers and build a shared evidence base on gambling data, with the aim of helping regulation deliver a safer environment for consumers.
Haijer described the appointment as the start of "a new chapter" in his career, saying the WGBA aims to "unite the international gaming and betting community around the shared purpose of championing effective regulation, high industry standards and evidence-led policy".
He said the goal was to keep gaming and betting functioning as "a lawful, safe form of entertainment" for most adults, adding that the pace of regulatory change globally made the case for well-regulated markets more pressing for both consumers and the societies in which operators work.
Haijer confirmed that the WGBA will be formally launched later this year in Geneva, when the body also plans to publish its first flagship report.
He said he was looking forward to engaging with regulators, policymakers and public health stakeholders to help shape the wider conversation on gambling policy at a global level.