Around the world, the regulated lottery and sports betting industry works hard to ensure it provides sustainable responsible gaming environments that also have a positive impact on societies. Equally it is paramount to protect players and legal operators from the illegal operators, who jeopardize player safety, public trust, and our industry’s reputation.
Against this backdrop, the first international Seminar on Legal and Responsible Gambling took place on 28-29 April, in Santiago, Chile. Organized by two lotteries – Loteria de Conception and Polla Chilena de Beneficencia, in collaboration with CIBELAE and WLA, it was attended by over 100 participants.
The event aimed to address the importance of addiction prevention, mental health, and the impact of regulation and legal gambling in achieving these goals, with the theme of The importance of regulating illegal gambling, and provide participants with the opportunity to share best practices and experiences.
WLA initiatives to combat illegal operators
Andreas Kötter, WLA President and CEO of WestLotto, Germany, participated remotely and offered perspectives on the first topic of the event, on regulation and international strategies for combating illegal gaming.
He noted that the regulation of illegal gambling was more crucial than ever, particularly due to increasing digitalization, highlighting significant challenges faced by the lottery sector, including the rise of Commercial Gaming Brokers, Lottery Courier Service Operators, and Betting on Lotteries Operators.
He provided an example from Germany that illustrated the impact of regulation, where following a ban on online lotteries in 2008, "betting on lottery results" gained importance. One such operator even obtained a legal brokerage license in 2019. In some regions, these Commercial Gaming Brokers now dominate the online lottery market more than state lotteries.
At the same time, the lines between gaming and gambling are increasingly blurred, driven by digital innovation, changing player behavior, and the liberalization of regional gambling markets. Kötter commented:
“The World Lottery Association and its Combating Illegal Lotteries Committee (CILBC) have taken a proactive role. We offer essential tools like a global database of legal frameworks and the WLA Working Definitions publication, which clearly distinguishes legal from illegal operations.”
He also described a pioneering research project launched by the CILBC, in partnership with the University of Lausanne.
“This important initiative, using artificial intelligence to estimate the size of illegal betting markets, will provide critical insights by 2026 to help the industry better understand and counteract illegal gambling activities.”
More about the seminar
Other event speakers included Jesús Huerta Almendro, President of the Spanish State Lottery and Betting Association; Walter de Beauvesier Watson, Consultant – ISICS Group, from the Netherlands; Philippe Vlaemminck , a leading lawyer in the debate on gambling in the European Union, and Ana Isabel Estévez, a Spanish psychologist specializing in addictions, who along with other experts, discussed topics including:
- Regulation and internationalstrategies against illegal gambling
- Practical cases of effectivestrategies
- Mental health and addictionprevention
- Regulation of online gamblingplatforms in Chile.
During the seminar, CIBELAE representatives contributed to discussions and panels, sharing perspectives and experiences that seek to strengthen the integrity and sustainability of the sector.
