Jeremy Locke, the new chairman of the North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA), recently emphasized that gaming regulators in the US and Europe should strengthen cooperation to address the new challenges brought by the "explosive modernization" of the gaming industry. In a podcast broadcast by the UK Gambling Commission, he called for closer ties between transatlantic regulatory bodies to jointly maintain the integrity and stability of the gaming market.
Locke, currently the Chief Compliance Officer of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and former Vice President of NAGRA, participated in this podcast discussion with Jamie Woll, Senior Manager of International Regulatory Partnerships at the UK Gambling Commission.
"Over the past five or six years, we have witnessed rapid development and profound changes in the North American gaming industry," Locke said, "Regulatory bodies across North America are gradually realizing that the global gaming market is rapidly integrating, and the 'world is getting smaller'."
Locke pointed out that the expansion of the regulated sports betting market in North America has driven the attention and related betting volumes of European sports events, increasing the need for regulatory coordination across the Atlantic to ensure the integrity and transparency of cross-border gaming activities. "Many important events are happening in the UK and other parts of Europe, and the betting behavior in the North American market is closely linked to these events. Therefore, when integrity risks arise, we must unite and cooperate. The integrity team in the UK may be focusing on the same issues, and through coordinated cooperation, we can respond more quickly and effectively."
As the chairman of NAGRA, Locke revealed that the association is actively seeking cooperation with leading European authorities such as the UK Gambling Commission, hoping to learn from their experience to optimize and adjust the regulatory framework in North America to adapt to the evolving gaming industry. "We advocate for deeper cooperation between intercontinental regulatory bodies. Although it is difficult to achieve a single unified regulatory system, strengthening coordination can reduce the compliance burden on operators and enhance overall regulatory efficiency."
"Through NAGRA's work, I have learned that there are many subtle differences between states in the US, which makes coordination complex. We need to find practical solutions to provide more seamless and efficient regulatory services for an increasingly integrated market," Locke emphasized, "It is important to establish strict regulatory standards, but it is equally crucial that operators can clearly understand and easily follow these rules."
He added, "The more we do, the more we can help save time and resources for various jurisdictions. No regulatory model is perfect, but everyone is eager to share experiences and hopes that other regulatory bodies can continuously optimize based on their own realities."
