Global Gaming Regulators Get an Awards Program

Gaming regulators around the world now have a little more incentive to become more proactive in helping to shape the gaming industry. The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), a global organization created by gaming regulators for gaming regulators, has introduced a new awards program designed to highlight those entities that are making a bigger impact on their respective regions. The International Regulatory Awards (IRA) specifically target five areas, with standing representatives forming a panel to make the final determination about who is worthy of being singled out. The first awards are expected to be presented this September.

International Regulatory Awards Make Their Debut

The IAGR will rate regulators based on a number of criteria, ultimately choosing a winner in five categories – international regulator of the year, regulatory excellence, regulatory innovation, best regulatory campaign, and regulatory rising star. The type of award to be presented and any other perks of winning have not been detailed. The panel of judges is comprised of eight individuals, all of whom are intrinsically tied to the global gaming scene. Currently, these are representatives from the UK Gambling Commission, the Botswana Gambling Authority, National Gambling Board South Africa, the Jersey Gambling Commission, Australia’s Senet Advisory, Australia’s Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR), Canada’s Greo, and a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law.

Catherine Myers of the VCGLR currently has her hands full trying to help put Australia’s gaming industry in order. She is the organization’s CEO, as well as an IAGR Trustee, and has been dealing with the drama surrounding Crown Resorts and the casino operator’s ties to money laundering and alleged criminal activity. Myers says of the new endeavor, “There has never been a greater need for gaming regulators to be innovative in their regulatory practice. The International Regulatory Awards offer a unique opportunity to acknowledge and recognize exceptional regulators who are helping to drive the industry forward. They provide a platform to promote success, share ideas, and inspire other gaming regulators across the globe.”

All Nominations Welcome

Even though the panelists will make the final decision, they are not going to be responsible for scrutinizing all regulators. Recommendations can be submitted by anyone using forms available on the IAGR website, but the nominees should be supported with a significant amount of factual, verifiable data to be considered. The individual submitting the recommendation also needs to be ready to discuss the submission with the organization, which could contact the individual for follow-on details, as well as to request a short video supporting the recommendation. That video could be aired during the awards ceremony.

The inaugural awards will be presented when the IAGR meets this September. It has scheduled a conference, Disrupting the Regulator – Sparking Innovation In Regulatory Practice, to be held in Boston, Massachusetts September 12-17 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. That event is going to be a big deal for the gaming industry, with UK Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller, Entain Senior VP of American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling Martin Lycka and a number of others lined up to speak.