Playing by the rules – a global perspective on gaming regulation

There is renewed momentum within the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) that sets the stage for enhanced cooperation among jurisdictions and improved efficiency for global gaming regulation.  

As IAGR works to fulfill these goals and further establish itself as the world’s premier gaming regulatory association, it has been invited by the International Masters of Gaming Law to author a regular column in IMGL publications, beginning with this article.

Much has changed within IAGR since its membership voted in late 2010 to establish the organisation as an independent association. Consistent with the membership’s decision, IAGR in early 2011 incorporated as a non-profit association known as the International Association of Gaming Regulators Inc. Under its new bylaws, IAGR’s leadership converted from a steering committee run by a chairman to a board of trustees guided by a president and team of officers. 

Since incorporating, IAGR has attracted a record number of members and is today comprised of regulators from jurisdictions that include Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the Caribbean. The association recently held its inaugural independent conference in Cape Town, South Africa, which was attended by more than 180 regulators from more than 30 jurisdictions.  

The conference, organised superbly by South African regulators, featured regulatory and industry experts who spoke on a range of topics from how to improve international cooperation to technical developments and challenges of i­­nternet gaming to the impact of social media on problem gambling. The conference marked a successful term of IAGR’s first president, Serobi Maja, Limpopo Gambling Board, South Africa, whom I succeeded. 

Also elected in Cape Town were vice-president Mike Sarquis, executive director, Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, Australia;  treasurer Mark Lipparelli, chairman, Nevada Gaming Control Board, US; and secretary James Chan, Singapore. 

The following were elected to IAGR’s board of trustees: Atle Hamar, Norway; Serobi Maja, South Africa; Kaye McDonald, Antigua; Lau Peet Meng, Singapore; Birgitte Sand, Denmark; Jenny Williams, Great Britain; and Andre Wilsenach, Alderney. Looking forward, IAGR is focused on identifying opportunities to provide thought leadership in the area of gaming regulation. It is building on its 2008 adoption of eGambling Standards, which can be found on the IAGR website at www.iagr.org, by looking at best practices in compliance and enforcement, at poker network regulation and at removing barriers to cross jurisdictional recognition of machine and software testing.

In addition, IAGR is exploring creation of a multi-jurisdictional business entity form. Like the multi-jurisdictional personal history disclosure form that IAGR developed several years ago, the business entity form would standardise the type of information certain business entities would need to submit to jurisdictions that adopt the form. IAGR is also looking for new opportunities to engage in regional activities and develop strategic alliances with regionally based gaming regulator organisations.

As IAGR seeks to improve communication both within the association and with the industry and its representatives, it is expanding its use of social media. IAGR recently established a presence on Twitter and we invite you to follow us by searching for iagr_org. IAGR will further its reach into social media in the coming months as it continues efforts to strengthen its virtual regulatory community.

IAGR is now planning its next conference in Asia, where it hopes to grow its membership in a part of the world where gaming is expanding at an exponential rate. The 2012 IAGR conference will take place in Singapore the week of October 21, 2012.  In the coming months, you can visit the IAGR website for details on the conference location and programme.

In future IMGL columns, we will examine timely issues of concern or importance in gaming regulation. We look forward to this opportunity to interact with readers in both the regulator and the regulated communities and appreciate IMGL providing a forum for this global gaming regulatory perspective.

This report was first published in the winter 2012 edition of European Gaming Lawyer.