Kevin Mullally has been appointed as the new CEO of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), per an announcement made today (17 February).
The appointment of the CEO represents a change in the operations of the IAGR, as the association has been a member-led body since its inception in the 1980s.
Mullally has taken on the new role three months after his resignation from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The IAGR has a board of trustees, which sets the strategic direction for the association, and Mullally has the task of implementing these strategies on a day-to-day basis.
As CEO, he will be in charge of overseeing the coordination of the day-to-day operations of the conferences and the services provided to the members.
He will also coordinate the relationships and the exchange of information between gaming regulators as they deal with the legal and technical issues affecting them on an international level.
The association is currently headed by President Ben Haden, who is also the director of research for the Gambling Commission in the UK.
Haden said of the appointment: “[Mullally’s] experience in regulatory governance, gaming industry technology, institutional leadership and international collaboration will be invaluable as IAGR continues to strengthen its global role and support regulators facing complex cross-jurisdictional challenges.”
Mullally has had a 40-year-long career in the gaming industry, and his new role as CEO of the IAGR is the latest in a long list of achievements in the gaming sector.
A veteran regulator behind the UAE’s gambling framework
Mullally was the inaugural CEO of the UAE’s gambling regulator. His achievements include the development of the basic legal framework for commercial gaming and the launch of the country’s first national lottery.
He resigned from this position on 6 November 2025, citing his desire to return to Kansas City to spend more time with his family.
Mullally also previously worked for the Missouri Gaming Commission for 13 years, holding the position of executive director from 2000 to 2006.
He will be responsible for the organisation’s efforts to act as a global convener for jurisdictions experiencing rapid expansion in their gambling markets, particularly across Latin America.
The appointment comes as the association prepares for the IAGR2026 annual conference in Lima, Peru, scheduled for October.
The association aims to use the new executive role to provide more consistent support for members dealing with issues such as illegal betting and the integration of new technologies into oversight frameworks.
A primary objective for the new chief executive is to increase the efficacy of international cooperation.
Many regulators currently face challenges involving operators that move between jurisdictions or utilise digital platforms that bypass local controls.
By establishing a permanent executive head, the association intends to improve its capacity to offer practical tools and research to its members.
Mullally remains the founder of The Mullally Group, an independent consultancy he established to advise governments on regulatory governance.
