The International Association of Gaming Regulators on Thursday announced winners of the IAGR International Regulatory Awards 2025. Regulators from Australia, Nigeria and Denmark were awarded honors October 22 during the IAGR conference in Toronto.
“Our judges looked for clear problem definitions, robust interventions and evidence of impact,” IAGR President Ben Haden said in a statement. “The 2025 winners show how thoughtful reforms, strong governance and targeted education can improve consumer protection and market integrity over the long term.”
Haden, who was part of the judging panel, added that this year’s winners “demonstrate measurable progress and sustainable outcomes.”
The winners:
Regulatory Excellence Award: NSW Independent Casino Commission in Australia for leading a three-year, milestone-driven remediation of Crown Sydney after the Bergin Inquiry, eliminating junkets, strengthening financial-crime controls, enhancing harm-minimization and reforming governance.
‘The NSW Independent Casino Commission is proud to be recognized for its dedication to restoring the expected standards at Crown Sydney. This has included three years of intense remediation, which has completely transformed the casino’s governance, culture, safety and compliance functions,” said NSW Independent Casino Commission Acting Chief Commissioner Murray Smith. “The NICC has proven that it is possible to enact long lasting change and in doing so has set a new standard for Australian casino operations.”
Regulatory Innovation Award: Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Nigeria for SafePlay, Africa’s first regulator-led, multi-operator self-exclusion platform — centrally managed by the regulator and integrated with operator systems — creating a consistent, replicable model for consumer protection.
‘We are honored to receive the IAGR Regulatory Innovation Award for our SafePlay initiative,” said Lagos State CEO Bashir A. Are. “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to responsible gambling, player protection, and data-driven regulation that puts the welfare of Lagos residents at the heart of our innovation.”
Best Regulatory Campaign: Danish Gambling Authority, for an interactive, school-based education program that engages young people with practical demonstrations and surveys evidencing shifts away from gambling ‘to make money’ towards safer play and awareness of help services. This marks the second consecutive year that the Danish Gambling Authority has received the Best Regulatory Campaign award.
“I’m very proud that IAGR has bestowed the Danish Gambling Authority with this award. It’s crucial that young people understand that gambling is designed so the player always loses in the long run,” said Danish Gambling Authority Director Anders Dorph. “By conveying this message, we hope to promote a balanced attitude toward gambling and I’m extremely honored that our efforts are recognized internationally.”
