IAGR sets 9–13 November 2026 as the first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has announced the first coordinated international campaign aimed at getting consumers to check whether an online gambling site is licensed where they play. For PSPs and operators, the message is straightforward: if local licensing is part of the compliance story, consumers are now being told to look for it before they deposit.

1. The campaign, called Illegal Gambling Awareness Week (IGAW), will run from 9 to 13 November 2026. IAGR unveiled it during a briefing at its Annual Conference in Lima, framing it as the first globally coordinated effort to raise consumer awareness about the risks of unlicensed online gambling.
2. IAGR says the core message is simple: before placing a bet, check whether the site is licensed in the jurisdiction where you intend to play. Ben Haden, IAGR president, said the reach of online gambling makes this a shared challenge for regulators, and that coordinated consumer communications can help people understand why local licensing matters and where to find reliable information before they sign up with an operator.
3. The consumer risks listed by IAGR are familiar, but worth stating plainly: unpaid winnings, limited dispute resolution options, and misuse of personal or financial information. The association also says unlicensed sites can leave consumers without the responsible gambling protections required of locally licensed operators, and that uninformed consumers may unknowingly fund criminal organisations involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorist financing, or other illicit activity.
4. R&R Partners, an independent marketing and communications agency with experience in public education and behaviour change campaigns, created the concept and campaign materials for IGAW. The integrated campaign will include 30- and 15-second videos, social media content, a draft press release, and talking points, with English and Spanish versions in the starter pack. Materials will be available on 6 November for IAGR members to distribute through their own channels.
5. IAGR members can add their agency branding, publish campaign content daily between 9 and 13 November, issue local press releases, and arrange media interviews. Consumer protection bodies, responsible gambling organisations, and other relevant groups are also being encouraged to take part. The November campaign will use CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, a free licensing information tool provided by Sharp Vision, a regulatory technology company based in Paris.