Maarten Haijer has announced his resignation as Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association, marking the end of a remarkable 13-year chapter for the trade body.
The EGBA promotes fair trade policies and responsible gambling standards across EU markets, making it one of the most influential voices in European iGaming regulation.
Haijer will officially depart at the end of August, handing over his responsibilities to Pierre Tournier, who assumes the interim Secretary General role on 1 September.
Tournier is no stranger to the organisation, having served as the EGBA’s Senior Director for the past ten months since joining in November 2025.
He brings more than 15 years of industry experience to the role, which he has already put to use by strengthening collaboration with national and international trade bodies against illegal gambling.
Among Haijer’s most significant achievements was the development and publication of a voluntary pan-European Standard on the markers of gambling harm, a project years in the making.
That standard now acts as the foundation for a unified player protection framework across member states, representing a landmark moment in coordinated European gambling policy.
Haijer also played a key role in launching the annual Safer Gambling Week initiative, which has grown into one of the most prominent coordinated efforts on the European gambling calendar.
Throughout his tenure, he was a consistent voice in debates over harmonised gambling legislation and frequently challenged political rhetoric that reduced licensed gambling to little more than a tax revenue source.
Haijer first joined the EGBA in 2008 as director of regulatory affairs before stepping up to the secretary general position in 2013, giving him one of the longest records of leadership in the trade body’s history.
He said: “It has been a privilege to lead EGBA and to work alongside our members, colleagues, partners, regulators and policymakers towards the common objective of a safe and sustainable online gambling sector in Europe.”
Tournier paid warm tribute to his predecessor as he prepares to take the reins of one of Europe’s most prominent iGaming trade associations.
Tournier said: “I would like to pay tribute to Maarten for his outstanding work. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy, and his name will always be synonymous with EGBA. These are big shoes to fill, and I am deeply honoured by the confidence both he and our members have shown in me.”
