Canada and Europe Regulatory Bodies Collaborate

Some, like NAGRA president Ryan Winfield, see this as a real opportunity for the betterment of responsible and safer gambling worldwide.

After the announcement, he said: "The power of partnership and collaboration between GREF and NAGRA is important in this ever-evolving industry."

"The changing landscape and the future of gaming make it imperative that we reach out to other organizations in the industry to remain informed as we tirelessly serve our communities. This commitment to collaboration and communication will serve people across the globe."

Established in 1989, the Gambling Regulators European Forum markets itself as a facilitator for the industry's ideas marketplace.

Originally set up by representatives from Denmark, France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, the organization has grown. Today, 41 regulators from 34 European states are members of the agency.

The stated objectives are simple:

• A meeting place for organizations across the European continent relating to "gambling, in particular on regulation, supervision, control of operators, or on the gambling industry".
• To be the go-to group when there are varying views across European Gaming Regulators and provide "a central point of contact for enquiries directed at them from authorities or related organizations in Europe and elsewhere".
• To promote well-funded and reliable analysis on gambling regulation and any issues that arise from it, sharing any results with its members.
• To be a trusted source of all information and work relating to gambling regulatory practices.

They hold an annual conference every year - and will hold their 2024 event in Malta. No fewer than 35 member jurisdictions will be attending the event, which aims to be a safe space for "collaborative discussions, sharing expertise, and addressing the emerging trends and challenges within the gaming sector."

In December 2023, they announced their fifth working group, with Rachel Bezzina from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and Christophe Vidal from the French National Gambling Authority (ANJ) co-chairs for the Anti-Money Laundering Working Group. The aim is to help stamp out crime in the sector and increase the credibility and sustainability of the sector.

It joins the Responsible Gambling, Digital & Innovation, InfoStat, and Enforcement working groups currently under the GREF umbrella.

Based in Missoula, Montana, NAGRA is a nonprofit organization specializing in national and regional gambling regulation complexities in North America and Canada—arguably a more challenging region than other mature markets.

Set up in 1984, the group "hosts an annual conference, quarterly webinars, interest group meetings and provides access to members-only discussion forums" as part of their commitment to the "mutual exchange of regulatory information and techniques".

Their annual conference is set to take place between June 10-13 and will be held in Charleston, South Carolina.

Laws on online gambling have only started to relax across parts of America in recent years, while Ontario legalized online gambling as recently as 2022.

NAGRA's expertise in navigating complex regulatory landscapes makes it a crucial partner for GREF.