The recent shift of focus for the online gambling industry from the United States to Europe has changed nothing as far as the need for universal standards and licensing...

The recent shift of focus for the online gambling industry from the United States to Europe has changed nothing as far as the need for universal standards and licensing in the online gambling industry.

At least that"s what Andrew Beveridge, CEO of leading online casino player protection body eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) says.

"We"re aware that there are inter-nation and perhaps political difficulties in reaching a harmonised form of detailed international standards and regulations among national licensing jurisdictions," Beveridge said at the recent European iGaming Congress and Expo conference in Barcelona.

"But the main prize is surely a safe and fair online gambling environment for the players. That is our goal in promoting practical standards on which we can all agree and the inspection and monitoring necessary to ensure compliance."

Formed four years ago, the London-based organisation has worked doggedly to develop advanced best practice standards for operational conduct and the technology to inspect and monitor accredited companies, but, Beveridge says, there"s still plenty of work to be done.

Several key presentations from industry leaders at the Barcelona conference echoed a similar sentiment - that there is a growing necessity for online gambling operators to commit to serious licensing jurisdictions with real regulatory requirements.

Adding momentum to the trend, the United Kingdom"s recently published advertising "white list" has spurred numerous companies to gravitate toward effective and acceptable licensing jurisdictions like Gibraltar, Malta, Alderney and Britain itself.

The swing has also generated substantially more interest in private non-profit standards and player protection bodies like eCOGRA, which now has some 120 online gambling venues on its accredited list.

"We are confident that eCOGRA makes it possible," Beveridge says, "for accredited operations to meet or exceed the principal demands of the top licensing jurisdictions."

"And that has generated substantial interest in our activities by operators who look for professional guidance in reaching the right levels of acceptability."