Well it’s remarkable but I’m already five months into the President role and increasingly excited about IAGR’s achievements, but perhaps more importantly the tremendous opportunity we have to secure our position as the global leader in gambling regulation into the future.

While exciting, navigating a strategic direction for IAGR that materially advances efficient and effective gambling regulation internationally and securing our role as the global leader in gambling regulation is rich with challenge. It means we need to decide how best to position IAGR to escalate its reach and impact and ensure we can demonstrably influence regulatory policy and practice while also focusing on enhancing value for our members.

Our annual conference is an unrivalled event on the gambling regulatory calendar and its relevance is rapidly growing for industry operators and stakeholders that want to participate in public policy and regulatory conversations and hear about and contribute to existing and future regulatory practice and innovation.

But IAGR can be me more.

IAGR can achieve more.

IAGR can grow its contribution to securing safe and responsible industry while advocating and enabling regulatory innovation, advancing best practice and introducing thinking and conversation to explore what is next practice.

We have much to do and the board is actively wrangling with these matters as well as discussions around growing IAGR revenue to better enable the increased capacity the organisation needs to underpin greater strategic impact.

IAGR had a strong presence at the International Legislators’ Agenda at ICE London. I spoke briefly to ICE media about the significance of the event and relevance of the exhibition for gambling regulators. You can see the in-depth interview here.

While walking the floor and getting across the scale of innovation and new capabilities being introduced to the market is fundamental to attending ICE, perhaps more important are the meetings on the margins and the opportunity to have a drink or meal with colleagues and key stakeholders to build relationships, exchange news and perspectives and explore opportunities that can advance efficient and effective regulation and facilitate secure, safe, responsible, and vibrant industry.

I made the most of the opportunity for face to face meetings and it was a great opportunity to spend some time with Peter DeRaedt, and Mark Pace from the Gaming Standards Association as well as Joe Bertolone the new Executive Director of the International Center for Gaming Regulation. I mention these meetings specifically because both organisations have passionate and dedicated leadership and share our mission to advance efficient and effective gaming regulation and support responsible industry development and innovation. I think we can achieve great things leveraging these partners into the future.

I am thrilled to announce we have appointed Senet to provide pro bono legal services to IAGR and look forward to this partnership and new chapter supporting IAGR’s development. You can find out more about Julian Hoskins and Senet at senetlegal.com

I’m also excited to share I am in discussions with the International Center for Gaming Regulation to conduct another gambling regulation course in Sydney, in August 2020, alongside the Australasian Gaming Exhibition again. While planning is in its early stages, once arrangements are progressed, we will again offer several complimentary registrations that will be allocated to interested IAGR members.

Finally, there are still a couple of weeks to get your submissions in to speak at #IAGR2020 Boston. Don’t miss this opportunity to secure your spot as a thought leader and impact senior regulatory and industry leaders and spark innovation in regulatory practice.

Paul Newson

President