Megan O. Basson has been named executive director for the UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation (ICGR). The center is the world’s only organization dedicated to the study of regulatory imperatives as aligned to their development for the dynamic and innovative gaming industry.

“I am honored to join the team seeing as the International Center for Gaming Regulation is a truly world renowned and one-of-a-kind center,” said Basson. “It was almost as if my educational background and experience over the past 20 years spoke directly to the requirements of this position, from having a legal background, being an admitted attorney, engaging with various government entities, and working within a gambling regulatory authority environment, it’s as if it was all meant for a position such as this, and for a time such as this.”

“Megan is a brilliant, well-respected leader in global gambling regulation,” said Brett Abarbanel, executive director at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute. “We are thrilled to have her on board, bringing her voice and vision to ICGR’s internationally-respected work across education, research, and innovation.”

Basson brings almost two decades of gaming-related experience to the position.

She served more than 14 years as the Head of the Licensing Department for the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board where she directed all activities relating to the licensing of gambling operations in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. 

Basson previously worked as a legal advisor and mediator at a legal advisory company and served as a Deputy Director: Chief Financial Analyst for the Western Cape Provincial Treasury. She earned both her B.Proc and LLB degrees from the University of the Western Cape. 

“We are very fortunate to have someone with Megan’s experience and energy to lead the ICGR,” said Leah Chan Grinvald, Dean and Richard J. Morgan professor of law at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law. “Megan has a strong vision for the positive impact ICGR can have on UNLV and on the future of gaming regulation research.”

ICGR, a partnership between UNLV's International Gaming Institute (IGI) and the Boyd School of Law, launched in 2016 to serve as a resource for global gaming regulators, providing world-class educational programs, research and consultancy. ICGR has developed a reputation as the only academic, unbiased and trusted educational and consultancy resource for regulators, gaming operators and manufacturers from around the world. ICGR has delivered its programs to more than 2,000 attendees from more than 30 countries and has advised national governments on six continents. For more information on the center, visit the ICGR website.