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