WLA and UNIL begin next phase of project to size global illegal gambling markets
Against the backdrop of booming illegal lotteries and betting markets, estimating the size of the illegal betting and gaming market is an important priority for WLA lottery and sports betting members, and the wider gaming industry.
The importance of global expertise
Given the scale, complexity and transnational nature of illegal lottery and betting operators, this issue requires global reach, knowledge and expertise.
In 2024, the WLA partnered with the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), Switzerland, and began work to develop a standardized method for estimating the scale and scope of illegal gambling markets.
The project is supported by the following organizations: the American Gaming Association, CK Consulting, the Council of Europe (CoE), The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), H2 Gambling Capital, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), Interpol, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UNIL, WLA and Yield Sec, as well as several WLA Lottery members, and the WLA Regional Lottery Associations in Africa, Asia/The Pacific, Europe/The Middle East, Latin America and North America/The Caribbean.
In addition to providing insights, the experts will guide the integration of innovative and artificial intelligence-driven tools to ensure that local and global challenges are addressed effectively.
2024 project outcomes
During the first meeting in 2024, a general consensus was reached to join forces, pool respective expertise and resources, and work on developing a common methodology for sizing the illegal betting market, based on a standardized definition.
Find out more about the projects initial key takeaways, and the work already done by Singapore Pools to size their local illegal betting and gaming markets.
2025 project kick-off meeting
UNIL commented on the forthcoming meeting that will begin the second phase of the project:
“We look forward to the February meeting, to establish the fundamental building blocks, through this expert collaboration, that will advance our project to effectively tackle global illegal gambling markets.”
During the meeting on 4 February, participants will:
- Present the project’s objectives and key phases in detail
- Discuss the proposed methodological approaches and gather expertise
- Define and clarify specific roles and contributions of the project participants
- Identify critical areas for coordination and ensure alignment across stakeholders
