TLDR
- The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) will hold its first Illegitimate Gambling Awareness Week from November 9 to 13.
- The campaign urges people to check whether an online gambling operator is licensed before they bet, register, or deposit money.
- A free tool, CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, built by Paris-based Sharp Vision, is set to go live on November 9.
- The IAGR warns that unlicensed sites can lead to withdrawal problems, stolen banking data, and loss of legal protections.
- The group also says unregulated gambling can help fund criminal networks involved in drug trafficking and terrorism.
The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has announced a new global campaign aimed at illegal online gambling. Its first Illegitimate Gambling Awareness Week will run from November 9 to 13.
The campaign asks consumers to check whether an online gambling operator is licensed where they live. People are urged to do this before they place a bet, register, or add money to an account.
The IAGR announced the program at an event in Lima, Peru. The group says it wants to bring consumer awareness efforts in different markets into line with each other.
Why Unlicensed Gambling Sites Pose Risks
According to the IAGR, people who gamble on unlicensed websites can face financial and cybersecurity problems. These include trouble withdrawing money and the loss of sensitive banking data.
Players on these sites may also have no clear legal way to settle disputes. They can also lose the responsible gambling protections that licensed operators must offer.
The IAGR says the risks go beyond individual players. The campaign states that unregulated gambling can help fund criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, human exploitation, and terrorist financing.
IAGR president Ben Haden said international cooperation is needed. “The reach of online gambling makes this a shared challenge for regulators,” he said.
Haden added that shared messaging could help. “By coordinating our consumer communications, we can help more people understand why local licensing matters and where to find reliable information before signing up with an operator.”
New Tool Lets Users Check Operator Licenses
A key part of the campaign is CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, a free online tool. It was built by Sharp Vision, a regulatory technology company based in Paris, France.
Users will be able to enter an operator’s website address into the tool. It will then show whether the operator is licensed in the jurisdictions overseen by participating regulators.
Results will depend on which jurisdictions are monitored by the relevant authorities. The tool is meant for users who may find it hard to tell a licensed platform from an illegal one.
The campaign also includes materials made by the agency R&R Partners. These include short videos, social media guides, and messages in English and Spanish.
IAGR members will be able to customize and share these materials starting November 6. Consumer protection groups around the world are also expected to take part.
IAGR chief executive Kevin Mullally warned that a website’s design does not prove it is legitimate. “People often confuse visibility with trust,” he said.
“A professionally designed website or a familiar name can give consumers confidence, even when they do not know whether the site holds the appropriate license in their location,” Mullally added.
He said the goal is for people to make license checks a habit. “We want consumers to routinely check a website’s licensing status before opening an account or making a deposit.”
The IAGR said the campaign’s success will depend on how widely the tool is used, how many regulators take part, and whether consumers check an operator first. CheckBeforeYouPlay.org is set to go live on November 9, the first day of the awareness week.
