ILLEGAL GAMBLING TOPS THE AGENDA AT ENFORCEMENT ROUNDTABLE

LEADING trade associations, international regulators plus law enforcement representatives joined together for a global gaming industry enforcement roundtable, to discuss tackling the illegal gambling black market.

The roundtable, held today during the IAGA Conference in Berlin, 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).

The gathering shared strategies to tackle the growing unsafe, illegal gambling black market, both nationally and internationally, and heard examples of successful tactics to combat its spread.

This was the first roundtable created as a result of the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the three leading trade associations for regulated betting and gaming.

In October last year, the American Gaming Association (AGA), European Casino Association (ECA), and the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) agreed to the MOU, formalising their commitment to tackle shared challenges facing the sector, including the gambling black market. The MOU also created a new platform for undertaking joint research projects, while bringing each association’s staff and members together to share expertise.

Grainne Hurst, BGC CEO, said: “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.”

Bill Miller, AGA President and CEO, 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.”

Erwin Van Lambaart, Chairman of the ECA, said "Illegal gambling has reached crisis levels across all 27 EU member states, capturing an alarming 70 percent 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."

Following introductory remarks from Keith Bristow, the session heard from the CEO’s of each trade association, before regulators and law enforcement representatives shared strategies, reviewed current activity and discussed potential joint efforts.