Illegal gaming tops agenda at first roundtable of regulators, industry bodies and law enforcement
Industry associations, regulators and law enforcement discussed strategies at the IAGA Conference in Berlin.
Germany.- Illegal gaming topped the agenda at a global gaming industry enforcement roundtable at the IAGA Conference in Berlin this week. Representatives from international gambling regulators and law enforcement representatives sat down with industry bodies to discuss concerns and strategies.
The discussion was chaired by Keith Bristow, the former Director-General of the UK National Crime Agency and current chair of the UK’s Gambling Anti-Money Laundering Group (GAMLG). Participants discussed strategies to tackle the illegal gambling market, both nationally and internationally, and heard examples of successful tactics.
Following Bristow’s introductory remarks, the session heard from the CEOs of each trade association and then regulators and law enforcement representatives shared strategies, reviewed current activity and discussed potential joint efforts.
The meeting was the first roundtable as a result of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last October by three leading trade associations: the American Gaming Association (AGA), the European Casino Association (ECA) and the UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The MOU also created a new platform for undertaking joint research projects, while bringing each association’s staff and members together to share expertise.
The discussions took place as concerns about black market gambling increase in all three association’s jurisdictions. In the US, several states are moving to legislate against so-called sweepstakes and social casino gambling.
Meanwhile, operators in many European markets are concerned about the growth in unlicensed sports betting and online casino gambling, including in Germany where this week’s event was taking place, and where the GGL has been calling for legislation to be amended to allow it to block illegal gambling advertising.
Elsewhere, the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) has expressed concern after a study suggested that 25 per cent of players use unlicensed gambling sites, rising to 65 per cent among male players aged 18 to 21. And in Sweden, the ATG has been drawing attention to unlicensed gambling operators using the same platforms as those licensed by the Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen.
Recent developments have seen licensed operators in some jurisdictions launch their own initiatives to try to tackle unlicensed gambling. In November, the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) and Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK) launched the Meld Vals Spel (False Gambling Reporting Point), which can be used by any licensed gambling operator as well as by partners and professional stakeholders to report high-risk practices detected at illegal gambling websites or apps. The latest data suggests that the channelisation rate to licensed offerings in the Netherlands was just 50 per cent in the second half of 2024.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said of the roundtable discussion: “It was a privilege and honour to address this Enforcement Roundtable and hear from my fellow CEO’s who lead trade bodies in Europe and America.
“The growing, unsafe, illegal gambling black market poses a shared challenge to all our members, and their millions of customers. These illegal operators do not pay tax, do not support sport and don’t care about player protection measures. Instead, they target those vulnerable to harm, hurt the economy and threaten regulated businesses.
“These criminal organisations don’t recognise the rules, or international borders, so it was vital we joined today alongside a host of international regulators and representatives from the relevant law enforcement agencies, to share knowledge and understanding of the threat we all face. I hope this event will pave the way to further collaborative efforts against the unregulated illegal black market, as we continue working hard to ensure our sector stays crime free.”
AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said: “Illegal gambling is a global threat that undermines consumer protections, siphons revenue from legal operators who follow the rules, and jeopardizes the integrity of our regulated markets. This roundtable marks an important step toward stronger global collaboration. Together, we’re sending a clear message: the legal gaming industry stands united with regulators and law enforcement in confronting the illegal market and protecting consumers worldwide.”
ECA chair Erwin Van Lambaart added: “Illegal gambling has reached crisis levels across all 27 EU member states, capturing an alarming 70 per cent market share – a disturbing reality confirmed by the 2024 Yield Sec study. This translates to €80 billion in illegal revenues in 2024 alone – funds that should support member states’ budgets but instead flow directly to criminal operators. Even more concerning, there’s currently a 92 per cent probability of encountering an advertisement for illegal gambling products online rather than licensed offerings.
“This digital bombardment particularly endangers our young people, who are most vulnerable to these sophisticated marketing tactics. The numbers demand immediate, coordinated action. Regulators, governments, EU institutions, and national enforcement bodies must unite with the licensed industry to combat this growing threat before more damage is done to our economies and communities.”
