Three major players in the global gambling industry have joined forces to shape the future of regulatory education. SBC Events, the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), and the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) have committed to a three-year partnership designed to strengthen dialogue between regulators, operators, and legal professionals across the sector.

Building Bridges Across the Regulatory Divide

The partnership aims to create structured channels for knowledge exchange at a time when gambling regulation is becoming increasingly fragmented. New markets are opening across Latin America, Europe, North America, and Africa. That means operators and regulators face a rapidly shifting compliance landscape. This alliance positions itself as a central resource for navigating that complexity.

The three organisations bring distinct strengths to the table. IAGR represents gaming regulators exclusively, giving it direct access to decision makers. IMGL commands a substantial community of gambling law specialists and regulatory experts. SBC Events brings its established conference platform and media infrastructure, plus real reach into operator and industry circles. Together, they’re creating something none of them could achieve alone.

Content and Conferences Drive the Strategy

The partnership will generate educational materials spanning videos, podcasts, interviews, and published analysis. But the centrepiece is really a conference calendar. Two flagship events are already scheduled: a regulatory meetings programme at SBC Summit Lisbon in September 2026, and the IAGR Annual Conference in Lima, Peru, that October.

These gatherings serve a practical purpose. Operators need clarity on market entry requirements and compliance frameworks. Regulators benefit from understanding industry concerns and technical challenges. The partnership creates formal spaces for that conversation to actually happen.

Stakes Are High for All Parties

IAGR chairman Ben Haden framed this as essential infrastructure for modern gambling governance. “Smooth communication with all participants in the global gambling industry” is how he described the goal, emphasising that regulators increasingly need to understand operator perspectives in order to craft effective rules.

Marc Dunbar of IMGL saw the value in combining three specialised communities. Rasmus Sojmark, representing SBC, highlighted an uncomfortable truth: regulation has become so complex and fast-moving that keeping pace is genuinely difficult for operators trying to expand internationally.

That difficulty, left unaddressed, creates friction. Operators enter markets unprepared. Regulators struggle to enforce standards against companies that simply don’t understand local requirements. This partnership won’t solve every jurisdictional headache, but it’s a serious attempt to reduce preventable misunderstandings in an industry where regulatory risk has become a fundamental business variable.