The WLA is dedicated to combatting illegal lottery operations around the globe.
It considers the territorial integrity of its members as a top priority.
As such, it embraces the definition of illegal betting found in the Macolin Convention, which has been included in the WLA Code of Conduct.
The WLA advises member lotteries on how they can best fight unauthorized lotteries within the regulatory framework of their respective jurisdictions through the work of its Illegal Lotteries and Betting Committee (ILBC).
Established in 2019, the ILBC regularly reviews the tools and resources available to help member lotteries combat illegal gaming in their jurisdictions. In 2020, it launched a database of known illegal lottery and betting operations, with a particular focus on bet-on-lottery schemes and courier services and produced a set of detailed fact sheets for over 30 countries, which can be found in the member section of the WLA website.
In coordination with GLMS, the ILBC is developing a similar database related to sports betting legislation and national actions that can be taken to combat illegal sports betting.
In this regard, the WLA’s Betting Integrity on Sports & Horse Racing Committee also provides strategic guidelines for sports betting. GLMS is the Committee’s subject matter expert on sports integrity. Projects on the topic of sports integrity, including this guide, are executed within the framework of inter-association exchange and mutual support.
A united front affords a more effective way of addressing the increasingly complex, global nature of online illegal betting. The WLA values collaborating with other organizations involved in this fight, such as the Asian Racing Federation Council on Anti-Illegal Betting & Related Financial Crime (ARF).
During the first quarter this year, the ARF Council expects to publish a report entitled The State of Illegal Betting, 2022, based on the analysis of 534 betting websites licensed in 61 jurisdictions. It will detail such aspects as: betting trends, the most prevalent sports in global betting, the types of online gaming products offered, bettor demographics such as age and gender, devices used to place bets, payment methods, and more.
