“Consumer trust is essential to the lottery sector’s work and its contribution to society,” said Andreas Kötter, WLA President. “Helping players recognize locally licensed operators and understand the risks of illegal gambling are part of protecting that trust. Illegal Gambling Awareness Week educates our players about the serious risks posed by illegal operators and gives them an easy-to-use tool to check whether a site is properly licensed in IAGR member jurisdictions.”
The campaign encourages consumers to take a simple step before gambling online: check whether the site is licensed where they are playing. IGAW highlights the risks of unlicensed online gambling and helps consumers distinguish between operators that are properly licensed within their jurisdictions and those that are not.
Consumers using unlicensed gambling sites may face unpaid winnings, limited options for resolving disputes, and misuse of personal or financial information. They may also lack access to responsible gambling protections required of locally licensed operators.
The campaign features Sal the Snake, afictional illegal gambling operator who uses humor and satire to illustrate how unlicensed sites can exploit consumers’ trust. Its message, “Check before you bet,” gives consumers a practical action they can take before sharing personal information or funds with an online operator.
IAGR plans to introduce CheckBeforeYouPlay.org during campaign week to help consumers check available licensing information for covered IAGR member jurisdictions. The initiative also includes videos, social media content and other materials for participating organizations to use in their consumer communications.
“We appreciate WLA’s support and the reach its members bring to this campaign,” said Kevin Mullally, IAGR Chief Executive Officer. “By working together, we can help people understand why local licensing matters and how to check before they play.”
Organizations interested in participating in Illegal Gambling Awareness Week can contact [email protected].
Media inquiries: [email protected]
