Gaming Laboratories International Strengthens Global Partnership with International Association of Gaming Regulators
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has strengthened its position within the global gaming regulatory ecosystem after becoming a Diamond-Elite sponsor of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), a move that comes as Latin American jurisdictions continue accelerating online gambling regulation and technical compliance enforcement.
The expanded partnership will see GLI support IAGR’s broader regulatory initiatives while taking a more active role at the 2026 IAGR Annual Conference in Lima, Peru, scheduled for October 19 – 22.
As part of the agreement, GLI will host a dedicated half-day Regulators Workshop focused on technical compliance, operational controls, cybersecurity considerations, and emerging risk management challenges facing modern gaming regulators.
The workshop is expected to be tailored specifically toward Latin American authorities as governments across the region continue formalising digital gaming frameworks and introducing stricter certification standards for operators and suppliers.
GLI will also increase its participation within IAGR’s internal working structures, including the Technology Working Group and the Model Rules Committee, placing the company closer to international discussions around evolving gaming technologies, technical standards, and regulatory coordination.
Latin America Emerges as a Key Compliance Growth Market
The partnership reflects the growing strategic importance of Latin America within the global gaming industry, particularly as regulators move from early-stage legalisation efforts toward more mature operational oversight models.
Countries including Brazil, Peru, and Colombia are continuing to expand online gambling frameworks while strengthening requirements around licensing, anti-money laundering controls, responsible gambling measures, cybersecurity, and platform certification.
That shift is increasing demand for independent testing laboratories and technical compliance providers capable of supporting both regulators and licensed operators navigating increasingly complex approval processes.
For suppliers such as GLI, the region represents a significant long-term growth opportunity as regulators place greater emphasis on technical governance and operational integrity across digital gaming systems.
The selection of Lima as the host city for the 2026 IAGR conference also reflects Latin America’s growing importance in global regulatory discussions, particularly as regional authorities seek more standardised approaches to certification, compliance monitoring, and remote gaming oversight.
Industry stakeholders increasingly view regulatory harmonisation as essential for improving market scalability and reducing operational friction for operators entering multiple jurisdictions across the region.
Certification Providers Taking Larger Regulatory Roles
GLI’s expanded involvement within IAGR also highlights a broader industry trend in which major testing and certification firms are becoming more deeply integrated into regulatory education and policy coordination efforts.
Historically, testing laboratories primarily focused on product certification and technical approvals. However, the rapid growth of online gambling, digital payments, cloud-based gaming systems, and cybersecurity risks has significantly expanded the role of technical compliance providers.
Regulators are now relying more heavily on external expertise to help shape technical standards, evaluate emerging technologies, and support operational oversight capabilities.
As gaming ecosystems become increasingly digital, certification providers are positioning themselves not only as testing vendors but also as technical advisors supporting regulatory development and compliance modernisation.
That evolution is particularly visible in emerging markets where regulators are still building institutional expertise and operational frameworks for online gaming supervision.
The growing complexity of areas such as remote server monitoring, player protection systems, fraud detection, and cybersecurity compliance has created greater demand for specialised technical guidance across both regulatory and commercial gaming environments.
Industry Focus Shifts Toward Technical Governance
The 2026 IAGR conference is expected to place significant emphasis on technical governance, regulatory harmonisation, and operational oversight standards as authorities attempt to keep pace with the rapid expansion of digital gaming markets.
For operators, stricter certification and compliance expectations are increasingly becoming a central commercial consideration when evaluating market entry strategies across Latin America.
Longer approval timelines, varying technical standards, and evolving reporting obligations continue creating operational challenges for suppliers and operators attempting to scale across multiple regulated jurisdictions.
As a result, industry participants are placing greater focus on regulatory engagement, compliance readiness, and technical infrastructure capable of supporting multi-market operations.
GLI President and CEO James R. Maida said the company’s expanded involvement reflects increasing global demand for regulatory education and technical guidance as gaming oversight frameworks become more sophisticated.
IAGR President Ben Haden added that the partnership would help strengthen collaboration among regulators as jurisdictions confront increasingly complex compliance and operational challenges.
The partnership ultimately reinforces how regulatory influence within the global gaming sector is increasingly tied to technical expertise, certification infrastructure, and the ability to support evolving digital oversight requirements in newly regulated markets.
Source: Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
