Before the Internet blurred all frontiers, gambling jurisdictions have their own criterias to consider what can be subject to regulation for all gambling forms. This was done in a time when operations were not only done locally but also internationally through the expansion of land based infrastructure and betting phone services.

Once online gambling disrupted the industry, it became necessary to figure out how to provide wider protection for customers and citizens around the globe in order to prevent further exploitation of an industry that can only profit over someone else's losses. Since 1985, The International Association of Gaming Regulators offered its members the opportunity to follow and anticipate the gambling industry trends.

After its first appearance as an adjunct to the annual meeting of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys, the IAGR has gained its own authority as a common ground where international online casinos, regulators, governments and also industry corporations dictate what could be the best practices of efficiency and fairness to the gambling industry.

Origins
It seems that where gambling action appears, regulators soon or later will follow it. Back in the 80’s the state of Nevada in the US hosted not only the world’s gambling capital but also the inception of the IAGR. Back in the days, a group of gaming attorneys create the first National Association of Gambling Attorneys to behold the interest of the industry's corporates,

Subsequently, the NAGA evolved to IAGA as they earned international reach. It was in one of its conferences that gambling regulators representatives perceived the value of the association In 1985 they created their own with the mission of advancing the effectiveness and efficiency of gaming regulation.

But It was not until late 2010 that the IAGAR gained the recognition it has today. After the membership voted to establish the organization as an independent association. the IAGR in early 2011 incorporated into a non-profit association known as the International Association of Gaming Regulators, Inc. Following the membership decision and under its new bylaws, the 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. Compromising 42 national, estate, and provincial regulators from jurisdictions that include Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, North America, South America and the Caribbean. The association held its inaugural independent conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

IAGR Mission & Objectives

As repeated through this article it becomes impossible to overlook the commitment the IAGAR as association has to the mission: “to advance the effectiveness and efficiency of gaming regulation”.

Complying to that simple yet powerful statement has been possible through the objectives that the IAGR as a whole and trough each one of its member has pursued by providing:

“A forum in which gaming regulators from around the world can meet, exchange views and information, and discuss policy issues among themselves and with representatives of the international gaming industry.”

Each regulatory jurisdiction is bound to face the same problems that problem gambling, gambling-related crime and their ramifications cause to each member. The IAGR offers the perfect place where all implied members can bring their concerns and strategies and contrast them in order to enhance the efficiency of their labor under their jurisdiction and across them.

“A means of fostering cooperation between gaming regulators in the performance of their official duties.”

Challenges don't distinguish from nation and jurisdictions. And combining efforts has been the most prized result of the IAGR. The 2018-2019 survey reported 91% of respondent jurisdictions having informal lines of communication and engagement arrangements with other organisations. The response has also extended to Half (50%) of jurisdictions having cooperation arrangements with non-governmental third parties (eg payment providers)

“A central point of contact for inquiries from governments, gaming regulatory agencies and personnel, and representatives of the international gaming industry.”

Industry stakeholders, regulators and government, can have first-handed what could be the trend towards the gambling industry (i.e cryptocurrencies) an alongside regulators identify opportunities and strategies to provide new operation standards along with GamCare company to promote better service and customers practices for provider alongside the legal and regulatory guidelines that can keep them on the right track

Changing the Gaming Industry

Providing the opportunity to listen to known and emerging issues and trends across the industry from the people and organizations involved in it, has made every IAGR conference an unmatched event in the gambling regulatory calendar.

With all the involved stakeholders alongside with multiple field experts joined to discuss leading thinking in regulatory policy and practice and access international perspectives and insights, proposals to improve the industry and its regulatory practice are not in shortage.

eGambling Guidelines 2018
While it can be considered a practical checklist, for jurisdictions that still to date were new to the regulation of online gambling. the eGambling guidelines are intended to:

1. Provide clear good practice guidelines for eGambling that contributes to the credibility and integrity of eGambling operations.

2. Outline minimum criteria that will contribute to fair, honest, secure and auditable eGambling operations.

3. To construct a reference document that can be easily changed or modified to allow for new technology.

4. To identify principles and good practice and not specify any particular method or technology, recognising instead that a wide range of existing and new methods and technologies may well be used to meet the guidelines contained in this document

Multi-Jurisdictional Testing Framework
One of the leading projects is the phase one of a multi-jurisdictional testing framework (MJTF), to test the fairness of random number generators (RNG) as they are essential components for slot games and any other chance based game for online gambling.

Although the project won't substitute the individual requirements for each jurisdiction, it will provide a robust resource to rely as allows a common agreed process for the testing and certification of online gambling products.

Final Words
IAGR has provided the much necessary concentus that gambling regulation demands in such a connected world. With general guidelines and proper practices, along with communication on affairs of global interest for the gambling industry, jurisdictions are now more entitled to roide consistency on regulations creating major fairness towards the protection of customers and licensees rights to operate.