IAGR 2026 Conference: Gaming Regulators to Gather in Lima

From October 19–22, regulators, policymakers, industry leaders and subject-matter experts from around the world will gather at the JW Marriott Lima to examine the issues reshaping gaming oversight, including emerging products, illegal markets, financial crime, responsible gambling, technology, sports wagering integrity and cross-border regulatory cooperation.

Under the theme "Steady hands, shifting ground: Advancing regulation in a connected world," IAGR2026 will combine keynote addresses from senior regulatory leaders with practical panels, workshops and policy discussions designed to help regulators navigate increasingly connected markets and rapidly evolving risks.

New Sessions Focus on Emerging Products, Financial Crime and Illegal Gambling

The programme also includes several newly developed sessions addressing areas of increasing importance to regulators.

How Should Regulators Evaluate Products that Do Not Fit Today's Standards? will bring together Omar Hegazy, Of Counsel at Greenberg Traurig; Daron Dorsey, Executive Director of AGEM; and Dr. Aftab Rizvi, CEO of Gaming Associates to examine how regulators can evaluate new products that do not fit neatly within legacy technical standards and establish credible pathways for innovation within regulated markets.

The AML Innovation Lab: Using Data to Detect Criminal Risk Earlier will focus on practical ways regulators and operators can improve transaction monitoring, case management and coordination among AML, intelligence and enforcement teams. James Kilsby, Chief Analyst and VP Americas at Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, will moderate a discussion featuring Rebecca Coen of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, Jakub Plančár of the Gambling Authority of the Slovak Republic and Roger Parkes of Gaming Associates.

The programme will also feature a powerful session on Disrupting the Illegal Gambling Ecosystem, which will explore how regulators are collaborating and deploying technology to identify and disrupt illegal operators and the infrastructure that supports them. Moderated by international gaming lawyer Luis Portela de Carvalho, the session will include Michel Groothuizen, Chairman of the Netherlands Gambling Authority, Nicolas Ndiaye, Coordinator of the Strategic Support Office of the President of the Republic of Benin, Ross Parker, Group Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs for Entain, and Dave Phillips, Chief Operating Officer of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.  The session will examine new initiatives explained by regulators who are leading these initiatives and explain how regulators can work together to make tangible progress to disrupt illegal operators.

Latin America Takes Center Stage

With the conference taking place in Lima, the programme places a strong emphasis on the regulatory developments shaping Latin America.

LATAM in Focus: Regulatory Models, Market Developments, and Practical Lessons will be moderated by Karen Sierra-Hughes, Vice President, Latin America Caribbean & Spain at GLI, and feature Dr. Ida Lopez, President of ALEA; Yuri Guerra Padilla, General Director of Peru's General Directorate of Casino Games and Slot Machines; and Juan Carlos Santaella Marchán, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission.The session will compare regulatory approaches across Latin America while examining legalization, enforcement, market design, consumer protection and opportunities for stronger cross-border collaboration.

Lopez will also participate in the conference's Opening Plenary: The Regulator's Mandate in a Connected Market, joining regulatory leaders from Denmark, Brazil, New Jersey, and Ireland for an opening discussion on the pressures reshaping gaming oversight around the world.

Her participation in Lima follows her recent election to the IAGR Board of Trustees, further strengthening Latin American representation within IAGR's international leadership. Lopez's Board position reflects the Association's continued focus on expanding cross-border collaboration and including a wide range of regulatory perspectives in its work.

Global Regulatory Leaders to Keynote

The conference's Tuesday programme will feature two keynote addresses from leaders in two of the world's most closely watched gaming markets:

Mike Dreitzer, Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, will deliver "The Future of Gaming Regulation," examining how regulators can modernize long-standing approaches as new products, technology, market structures and illegal operators reshape the regulatory environment.

Sarah Gardner, Acting Chief Executive of the UK Gambling Commission, will follow with "New Developments in Great Britain and Their Implications for the Global Gaming Market." Her keynote will examine recent developments in Great Britain, changing regulatory expectations and the growing importance of international cooperation in combating illegal gambling.

Make Plans for IAGR2026

The IAGR Annual Conference will take place October 19–22, 2026, at the JW Marriott Lima in Lima, Peru.

With the programme finalized and speakers confirmed, IAGR is encouraging regulators, policymakers and members of the broader regulatory community to make their plans now to join colleagues from around the world in Lima.

Register: https://iaogr.wildapricot.org/event-6588726
Conference programme and information: https://iagr.org/lima-2026-conference-agenda/

The conference will also include networking receptions, regulator-focused workshops, the IAGR Annual General Meeting and the IAGR Gala Awards Dinner.

Conference: IAGR 2026 Annual Conference
Dates: October 19–22, 2026
Location: JW Marriott Lima, Lima, Peru