Maarten Haijer has announced his resignation as Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association, the Brussels-based trade body that promotes fair trade policies and responsible standards for iGaming across EU markets. Haijer departs at the end of August, with Pierre Tournier stepping in as interim Secretary General on 1 September. The transition marks another notable shift at the top of a major European regulatory body, following a similar leadership change at a national gambling regulator earlier this year.
Tournier’s move into the interim role follows a 10-month tenure as EGBA’s Senior Director, a position he took on after joining the association in November 2025. He brings more than 15 years of gambling-industry experience, work he has used since arriving at EGBA to strengthen collaboration with national and international trade bodies in their joint fight against the illegal gambling market. According to iGaming Business, Tournier previously served as international director at the Betting and Gaming Council and as director of government relations at the Remote Gambling Association. The handover echoes the kind of scrutiny that accompanies senior executive succession at major sector operators.
Pierre Tournier, interim Secretary General, 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. I take on the role at a pivotal moment: Europe’s regulatory landscape is evolving quickly, and the growth of the illegal market remains the biggest threat to players and to the regulated sector alike – combating it will be central to our work,” Tournier said.
A record built on player protection
Haijer’s tenure produced the years-long development and publication of a voluntary pan-European standard on markers of gambling harm, which now serves as a foundation for a unified player-protection framework across member states. He was also a frequent contributor to Europe-wide debates on harmonised gambling legislation, and represented the industry in discussions touching on shortcomings in local markets – including Germany – as well as broader EU gambling policy, a theme that continues to shape regulatory conversations around gambling-policy developments across Europe.
Haijer joined the trade body in 2008, and under his leadership EGBA launched the annual Safer Gambling Week initiative, which has grown into one of the largest coordinated efforts on the European gambling calendar to raise awareness of gambling harm.
What comes next
Tournier officially takes over as interim Secretary General on 1 September, with combating the illegal gambling market set to remain central to his agenda. Haijer struck a confident note on the handover, saying: “I leave the association in a strong position and in very capable hands, and I am confident Pierre and the team will build on the momentum of recent years.”
Source: SBC News
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