Industry trade groups the American Gaming Association (AGA), the UK’s Betting & Gaming Council (BGC), and European Casino Association (ECA) have teamed up in an effort to protect players from several issues facing the global gaming industry.

As reported in a press release, the three organizations have signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize their joint commitment to combating issues such as illegal gambling, security, and responsible gambling.

The first initiative under the agreement will be a law-enforcement roundtable scheduled for January 2025. At this meeting, industry leaders, regulators, and law enforcement officials will discuss the impact of illegal gambling on legal operators, consumers, and the global financial system.

“This new partnership is a significant step forward in our collective efforts to advance the legal gaming industry and protect consumers around the globe,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “By sharing our unique resources, we will expand our fight against illegal gambling to new fronts, work together to strengthen responsible gaming, and innovate around business best practices.”

“The ECA fully backs this initiative and supports the ongoing efforts to rigorously combat illegality within our industry, continuously strengthen player protections and security, and ensure the creation of an environment that fosters innovation and growth within the gaming community,” Erwin van Lambaart, Chairman of the ECA, commented.

“Working together with the AGA and ECA, I am confident our shared knowledge and expertise will be vital to bolstering safer gambling standards while tackling the threat of the growing and unsafe unregulated gambling black market in the UK,” added Grainne Hurst, BGC CEO.

A recent study funded by the AGA and partners revealed that casinos and sportsbooks could improve the effectiveness of responsible gaming messages by making them more fun, positive, and engaging.