The World Lottery Association and the University of Lausanne have presented in Lausanne a preliminary methodology to estimate illegal gambling markets using comparable criteria across jurisdictions.
The World Lottery Association (WLA) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL), through its School of Criminal Justice, have presented a preliminary report aimed at developing a standardized methodology to estimate the size of illegal gambling markets. The initiative was discussed during a workshop held on May 12 in Lausanne.
The presence of Francisco Portugal from INTERPOL stood out among the international experts attending the meeting, alongside representatives from the WLA, UNIL, the Council of Europe, H2 Gambling Capital, APLA and CK Consulting. According to the official statement, Portugal appears in the main photograph together with Lucile Goulard, Julien Chopin, Stefano Caneppele, Luca Esposito, Nicolas Sayde, David Henwood, John Teo, Christian Kalb and Lucas Tosi Rodriguez.
The project, launched in 2024 by the WLA and the University of Lausanne, aims to build a rigorous, transparent and reproducible tool to assess illegal online gambling across different jurisdictions and over time. Professor Stefano Caneppele from UNIL stressed that the objective is to provide a methodology capable of withstanding both technical and regulatory scrutiny.
According to the WLA, there is currently no public, standardized and internationally applicable methodology capable of rigorously measuring illegal gambling markets. The new framework is designed as a governance tool to support regulatory decisions, improve institutional dialogue and strengthen data ecosystems.
One of the model’s central elements is channelization analysis, meaning the proportion of gambling activity captured by the legal and regulated market. The WLA stated that the project has already been validated as a proof of concept in six pilot jurisdictions: the United Kingdom, Quebec, Chile, Singapore, Morocco and Germany.
The organization also warned that illegal gambling diverts revenues that should otherwise benefit public finances, good causes and licensed operators that comply with regulations and invest in consumer protection. In this regard, the new framework aims to provide solid evidence so governments and regulators can act with greater confidence.
The workshop also brought together regional associations from Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America, as well as WLA members such as Allwyn, Singapore Pools, The Hong Kong Jockey Club and West Lotto. The initiative forms part of the work carried out by the WLA Illegal Lotteries and Betting Committee (CILBC), which develops tools to help its members combat unauthorized operators.
18+ | Juegoseguro.es – Jugarbien.es
