Combating Illegal Lotteries and Betting

All state-licensed lotteries around the world face a threat from operators that are not authorized by local regulators to offer gaming products or services in their respective jurisdictions.

Territorial integrity is therefore a core principle of the global lottery industry. The WLA Combating Illegal Lotteries and Betting Committee (CILBC) is dedicated to the task of reviewing and developing tools and resources to help member lotteries uphold that principle with stakeholders in every region.

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CILBC activities Best Practice Guides News & Updates

CILBC activities

Sizing the illegal markets project

Against the backdrop of booming illegal lotteries and sports betting markets worldwide, estimating the size of these illegal markets had become increasingly important for WLA and its lottery and sports betting members, as well as the broader gaming industry.

In 2024, the WLA and the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), Switzerland, began a project to develop a standardized method for estimating the scale and scope of illegal gambling markets. Find out more

Partnerships and events

The CILBC works with diverse partners, such as the Council of Europe, the International Federation of Horse Racing Associations, and the United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports, to provide opportunities for WLA members and other stakeholders involved in the global effort to fight against illegal betting and other related illicit activities, to exchange information, best practices and intelligence. It participates in projects, such as the CoE ACT project and related events.

Best Practice Guides

‍Best Practice Guides are developed to assist members tackle illegal gaming and betting operators in their jurisdictions:

The WLA Working definitions publication describes both legal and illegal operations and covers the areas of: Illegal Gambling Operators, Lottery Courier Services Operator, Betting on Lotteries Operator & Commercial Gaming Broker.

The Best Practice guide for Protecting the IP of multi-jurisdictional games and lotteries, covers Europe and North America, and includes the IP ownership of each multijurisdictional game and provides a list of measures to take by the trademark owner, in case of infringement.