Pierre Tournier Appointed EGBA Interim Secretary General as Maarten Haijer Departs After 18 Years
TL;DR — EGBA has announced the appointment of Pierre Tournier as its interim secretary general effective 1 September 2026. He will succeed Maarten Haijer, who is stepping down after nearly two decades with the organisation. Tournier highlighted the illegal gambling market as the biggest threat to players and to the regulated sector alike.
SCCG Take — This ensures continuity on illegal market enforcement and standards advocacy, requiring operators to align compliance strategies with EGBA’s sharpened regulatory focus across Europe.
The European Gaming and Betting Association has appointed Pierre Tournier as interim secretary general effective 1 September 2026. He succeeds Maarten Haijer, who joined the Brussels-based body in 2008 and served as secretary general since 2013. Tournier, a 15-year industry veteran, joined EGBA as senior director in November 2025.
Tournier previously held roles as international director at the Betting and Gaming Council and director of government relations at the Remote Gambling Association. His background includes coordination with national and international trade bodies and efforts to address illegal online gambling. According to reporting by iGaming Business, Tournier stated: “I would like to pay tribute to Maarten for his outstanding work. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy.”
He identified the illegal gambling market as “the biggest threat to players and to the regulated sector alike” and said combatting it would be central to his agenda. Tournier pledged to uphold “high industry standards, regulatory best practices and lead the debates that will shape our industry’s future”.
Maarten Haijer’s Record at the Helm
Haijer steered the association through significant growth in its engagement with European Union institutions and national regulators. EGBA credited him with championing “safe, well-regulated and competitive multi-licensed markets” across Europe and with establishing its annual European Safer Gambling Week.
On his departure, Haijer 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.” He described the sector’s transformation during his tenure as evolving “from pioneering start-ups to world-leading digital entertainment providers, with licences across the globe”.
Continuity in Regulatory Priorities
The appointment keeps the association’s emphasis on illegal gambling and regulatory standards in place without interruption. Operators and regulators will watch how Tournier advances these priorities in ongoing EU-level debates and national licensing matters.
Reporting: iGaming Business (iGB)
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
EGBA gets continuity and sharper teeth on illegal operators as Tournier steps in with enforcement pedigree from BGC.
After 545 partnerships across every regulated market, we know leadership transitions at major trade bodies reset lobbying priorities and reshape enforcement strategy. Tournier's background at BGC and RGA signals EGBA will push harder on illegal market crackdowns—operators need compliance roadmaps aligned with that pressure, and regulators will follow his lead.
- Tournier replaces 18-year EGBA veteran Haijer on 1 September 2026
- Illegal gambling named the sector's biggest threat; enforcement central to agenda
- 15-year track record at BGC and RGA coordinating trade bodies and compliance
SCCG angle: Our Brussels and UK regulatory network helps clients decode how Tournier's BGC enforcement playbook will reshape EGBA advocacy—we connect you to the right regulators and trade bodies to stay ahead of compliance expectations and channel illegal market crackdowns into competitive advantage.
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