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, an entrepreneur and founder of the Responsible Gaming Foundation, joined forces with Viktor Radics, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution at DLA Piper Hungary and Renata Kozak, Business Development Director at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, to discuss the evolving landscape of responsible gambling.

Moderated by Christos Zoulianitis, Director of Market Strategy of Playson, the panel powered by iGaming Academy delved into the regulatory trends, challenges, and opportunities facing the gaming sector in Eastern Europe.

Key regulatory trends and developments

Viktor Radics from DLA Piper Hungary highlighted the significant progress made in responsible gambling regulations within the region. He emphasised the shift from monopolistic structures to a more competitive landscape with independent licencing and the increased presence 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 emphasised the importance of leveraging alternative data sources and anti-fraud signals to enhance responsible gaming compliance. She highlighted the unique advantages of anti-fraud tools in gaining a broader understanding of customer behaviour and identifying potential risks.

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.