IAGR schedules first awareness week on unlicensed gambling

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has announced its first Illegitimate Gambling Awareness Week, to run from 9 to 13 November, the association said. The campaign asks consumers to check whether an operator is licensed in their jurisdiction before they register, wager or fund an account.

The IAGR said the campaign aims to help consumers recognise operators in the market and to give them accurate licensing information by harmonising consumer awareness activities across markets. The association announced the programme at an event in Lima, Peru.

According to the campaign's rationale, gamblers on unlicensed platforms face financial and cybersecurity risks, including withdrawal problems, loss of sensitive banking data and a lack of efficient legal avenues to resolve conflicts, as well as the loss of protections afforded by responsible gambling. The rationale also states that unregulated gambling can serve as a way to finance criminal networks engaged in drug trafficking, human exploitation and terrorist financing.

A free digital tool, CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, forms part of the campaign. It was created by Sharp Vision, a regulatory technology company based in Paris, France, and is expected to go live on 9 November. Users will be able to enter an operator's website link to see whether it has access to jurisdictions monitored by participating governments.

The campaign also includes resources produced by agency R&R Partners, including short videos, social media guides and English and Spanish communications. The IAGR said these resources will be customisable and shareable by its members from 6 November, and that consumer protection organisations globally are expected to take part.

Ben Haden, the association's president, described online gambling's reach as a challenge regulators share. He argued that aligning consumer communications across jurisdictions would improve public understanding of local licensing and point people toward trustworthy information prior to registering with an operator.

Kevin Mullally, the association's chief executive, warned that appearance alone cannot establish whether a site is genuine. In his view, a polished design or a well-known brand may reassure consumers who are unaware of the licensing position in their own location. He added that the association wants people to make a habit of verifying licensing before they open an account or deposit funds.

The IAGR said the campaign's success will be determined by how widely the tool is used, the involvement of regulators and consumers' willingness to look up an operator's status before using its services.