The Responsible Gaming Capacity Building Programme taps into Casino Guru Academy courses

The South East–South-South Responsible Gambling (SESSRG) Capacity Building Programme will take place on October 14–15, 2026, bringing together participants and speakers from across the gaming sector to strengthen responsible gambling practice and consumer protection in the region.

Developed through engagement between the Imo State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (IMLGA) and Gamble Alert, the programme is a regulator-linked capacity-building initiative designed around the practical responsibilities of gaming agents, operators, customer-facing staff, compliance teams and other industry stakeholders. It combines applied learning, discussion and practical exercises on player protection, responsible gaming systems and regulatory expectations.

Casino Guru Academy resources will contribute to selected parts of the programme. These include drawing on relevant elements of its Suicide Prevention in Gambling course to support a focused discussion on recognizing and responding appropriately when a player may be in acute distress.

The initiative is intended to extend beyond a single training event. Gamble Alert is serving as technical partner and programme manager, working with IMLGA to establish a practical regional platform that can support continued learning, stronger implementation and future capacity-building activity.

Commenting on the availability of Casino Guru Academyresources, Simon Vincze, Casino Guru’s Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling, said:

We are thrilled to support this initiative by offering free courses through our Academy. It's a globally accessible resource, but initiatives like these connect it with the right people and motivate them to build capacity.

Fisayo Oke, Chief Executive Officer of Gamble Alert, said:

This programme is being shaped around the realities of responsible gambling implementation in our region. Our partnership with Casino Guru is valuable because it connects practitioners with useful specialist resources and strengthens the wider effort to build capacity. The programme itself has been developed with the regulator to address the day-to-day decisions and responsibilities that affect player protection, from retail-facing practice to organizational systems and regulatory oversight. The Academy material is a targeted contribution to that work, within a broader programme designed for our local context.

The SESSRG Capacity Building Programme will focus on practical learning, industry collaboration, responsible gaming systems, regulatory capacity, customer protection and outcomes that can be followed up beyond the event. The longer-term ambition is to establish an annual regional platform that supports continued professional development and more consistent responsible gambling practice across the South East and South-South.

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