SiGMA East Europe 2024: The Future of Responsible Gambling
The opening panel discussion at SiGMA East Europe 2024 in Budapest provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of responsible gambling in Eastern Europe.
Rossi McKee, entrepreneur and founder of the Responsible Gaming Foundation, teamed up with Viktor Radics, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution at DLA Piper Hungary, and Renata Kozak, Business Development Director at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, to explore the evolving landscape of responsible gambling.
Moderated by Christos Zoulianitis, Director of Market Strategy at Playson, the panel, presented by iGaming Academy, examined the regulatory trends, challenges, and opportunities impacting the gaming sector in Eastern Europe.
Key regulatory trends and developments
Viktor Radics from DLA Piper Hungary highlighted the substantial advancements in responsible gambling regulations in the region. He emphasized the transition from monopolistic frameworks to a more competitive environment, characterized by independent licensing and a growing number of international operators.
“The region has leveled up a lot. The monopoly era is now over.”
– Viktor Radics, Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution at DLA Piper Hungary
Radics also discussed the implementation of various responsible gambling measures, including advertising restrictions, self-exclusion options, alcohol restrictions, and protection for minors. He noted the region’s adherence to European standards and the expectation of further growth in licencing and player protection.
Bulgaria’s recent regulatory changes
“Regulators should be aware that there are no regulations that could fit all the jurisdictions.”
– Rossi McKee, Entrepreneur & Founder at Responsible Gaming Foundation
Rossi McKee, Founder of the Responsible Gaming Foundation, focused on the specific developments in Bulgaria. She described the country’s journey from a broad regulatory framework in 2015 to the recent implementation of stricter player protection measures. She also talked about the government’s decision to ban gambling advertising on public media and the introduction of a new regulatory framework that will significantly strengthen the region’s commitment to responsible gaming.
The role of technology and data
“The universal advice is, leverage alternative data, know more about the user, and try to adapt as much agility to treat customers as much the regulatory permits.”
– Renata Kozak, Business Development Director at LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
Renata Kozak from LexisNexis Risk Solutions emphasized the crucial role of utilizing alternative data sources and anti-fraud signals to improve responsible gaming compliance. She highlighted how anti-fraud tools offer unique advantages in understanding customer behavior more comprehensively and identifying potential risks effectively.
Lessons learned and future outlook
Zoulianitis ended the discussion by reminding the crowd about the need for a balanced approach to regulation, avoiding overly restrictive measures that can stifle innovation.
“We got to make changes. We got to be technology adapted. Fast. And this is a very important aspect for startups to expand into these markets.”
– Christos Zoulianitis, Director of Market Strategy at Playson
The panellists’ message was clear: flexibility and adaptability are important in regulatory frameworks to accommodate different jurisdictions’ diverse needs.
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