IAGR launches first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week for November 2026
Global consumer-protection campaign with CheckBeforeYouPlay.org and active window 9–13 Nov
Key Takeaways
- The International Association of Gaming Regulators launches the first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week in November 2026.
- Creative campaign materials from R&R Partners will be available from 6 November 2026 and the active week runs 9–13 November.
- CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, developed by Sharp Vision (Paris), will be publicly launched on 9 November 2026 to verify licences.
- IAGR presented the initiative at its annual conference in Lima, Peru, and appointed Fabio Macorin to its fiduciary board.
The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) announced the launch of its first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week (IGAW) for November 2026. The initiative was presented at the association’s annual conference in Lima, Peru, and calls on member jurisdictions to synchronise consumer-protection campaigns between 9 and 13 November.
Campaign details
The campaign is designed as an international effort to raise awareness of the financial and safety risks associated with unauthorised online gambling operators. The core message urges players to verify whether a betting platform holds a valid licence in their local jurisdiction before creating an account or depositing funds. R&R Partners, an independent marketing agency, produced creative materials that will be available for distribution from 6 November 2026; members should adapt these assets with local branding and coordinate press releases and interviews during the active week: 9–13 November.
“The advent of online gambling makes this a shared challenge for regulators. By coordinating our consumer communications, we can help more people understand why the local licence matters and where to find reliable information before dealing with a provider.” — Ben Haden, chair of the IAGR
Risks identified by the IAGR
The IAGR lists concrete consequences of the unlicensed market: lack of recourse to recover unpaid winnings; minimal dispute-resolution options; potential misuse of personal and financial data; and absence of mandatory responsible-gambling protections required of authorised operators. The association further warns that unverified betting traffic can fund transnational criminal activity, including money laundering, human trafficking and terrorist financing.
Verification tool: CheckBeforeYouPlay.org
The campaign will incorporate CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, a licence-information service provided by regulatory-technology firm Sharp Vision, based in Paris. The platform will be launched publicly on 9 November 2026 and will allow consumers to enter a gambling site URL and instantly review official licence data for participating jurisdictions. IAGR CEO Kevin Mullally summarised the rationale behind the tool:
“People often confuse visibility with trust. A professional-looking site can appear secure without holding a valid licence in that location. We want consumers to check licence status before opening an account or depositing.” — Kevin Mullally, CEO of the IAGR
Institutional context
The IGAW launch coincides with governance changes at the association; the IAGR appointed Fabio Macorin, Undersecretary of the Secretariat for Prizes and Betting at Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, to its fiduciary board. The initiative was presented at the annual assembly held in Lima, Peru, where members approved the execution window and the use of materials provided by R&R Partners and Sharp Vision’s tool. The IAGR encourages member jurisdictions to adapt and disseminate the messages during the designated week.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the IAGR’s Illegal Gambling Awareness Week held?
The campaign’s active week is 9–13 November 2026. Creative materials will be available to member jurisdictions from 6 November 2026.
What does CheckBeforeYouPlay.org do and when does it launch?
CheckBeforeYouPlay.org allows consumers to enter a gambling-site URL and review official licence data for participating jurisdictions; its public launch is scheduled for 9 November 2026.
What risks does the IAGR identify regarding unauthorised sites?
The IAGR identifies lack of recourse to recover unpaid winnings, limited dispute-resolution options, potential misuse of personal data, absence of mandatory responsible-gambling protections, and the risk that unverified betting traffic could fund transnational criminal activity.
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About the author
Miguel Sandoval
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Miguel Sandoval tracks gambling legislation, licensing, and regulator enforcement — from Spain's DGOJ and the Latin American authorities to the UKGC, the MGA, and the state-by-state map in North America. The reports answer three questions precisely — what changed, where, and who it affects — with jurisdictions, dates, and penalties cited exactly as published. Operators and compliance officers read Miguel Sandoval to know which rulebook moved before their next meeting.
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