Younes Al-Mashrefi Re-Elected as a Member of the Executive Committee of the Lottery Union for Sports Integrity
Younes Al-Mashrefi, the Director General of Moroccan Games and Sports (MDJS), has been re-elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the Lottery Union for Sports Integrity (ULIS) during the union’s general assembly held on September 16, 2025, in Bern.
Representing Africa as its sole member in this strategic body, Al-Mashrefi will serve the continent for three years alongside representatives from Europe, Asia, and North America, highlighting Morocco’s prominent position among global stakeholders in the gaming sector and the protection of sports integrity.
The Lottery Union for Sports Integrity
Founded in 2015 at the initiative of the International Lottery Association and the European Lottery Association, the Lottery Union for Sports Integrity, formerly known as the Global Lottery Monitoring System, has played a significant oversight role in monitoring sports betting since its inception. It has developed a global system for tracking anomalies and suspicious betting activities.
The union has expanded its traditional oversight role to become a key player in combating illegal gambling and underground platforms operating internationally, as well as criminal networks that utilize sports betting for money laundering and funding illegal activities, while also focusing on awareness and prevention.
As a founding member, Al-Mashrefi has been regularly re-elected to the executive committee since its inception, becoming a powerful voice for Africa in the global governance of the sector.
Morocco Facing International Challenges
Moroccan Games and Sports is the only legal entity organizing sports betting in Morocco. However, the rise of illegal platforms, often operating from abroad, poses several risks, including:
- Tax evasion and financial losses for the state;
- Risks of gambling addiction and lack of legal protections;
- Threats to the national economy from organized crime.
For years, MDJS has been battling this phenomenon through international cooperation and the Macolin Convention (2021), the international legal instrument aimed at combating match-fixing and protecting sports integrity. Additionally, it is a member of the Copenhagen Group, collaborating with international institutions such as the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, UEFA, the FBI, and Interpol.
Al-Mashrefi has also served on the Executive Committee of the International Lottery Association since 2014, becoming its Vice President in 2022, and is a member of the Strategic Committee for Sports Betting Integrity.
International Recognition of Morocco’s Leadership Role
The renewal of Al-Mashrefi’s term on the ULIS Executive Committee reflects recognition of MDJS’s leading role in protecting sports integrity and fighting illegal gambling.
In a statement, Al-Mashrefi emphasized, “In light of the increasing spread of illegal platforms and the involvement of organized crime, our mission has become more urgent than ever. Moroccan Games and Sports is determined to continue advocating for a model of responsible, transparent, and equitable gaming that serves Moroccan sports and the public good through all the international bodies to which it belongs.”
This renewal underscores MDJS’s status as a key player in responsible regulatory practices at national, African, and international levels.
