Serbia’s gambling market has gained a new industry body – SPIS (Udruženje Priređivača Igara na Sreću), translated as the Association of Games of Chance Organisers.
The organization was officially introduced at a ceremony held at the Sava Center in Belgrade, where SPIS announced the start of work on its charter. The association will focus on promoting responsibility, transparency, and cooperation across all regulated forms of gambling in Serbia.
The event brought together leading figures from the Serbian gambling industry, representatives of government institutions, business partners, and civil society. Nevena Marković was appointed as the first Director of SPIS.
“Our industry employs thousands of people, contributes to public revenues, and invests in technology. But it is equally important to show society that games of chance can be safe and responsible entertainment,” said Marković.
“SPIS was founded to systematically cultivate these values through codes of conduct, education, and active cooperation with the state and the civil sector. Our ambition is to be a reliable partner in shaping the future of this industry.”
PIS brings together Serbia’s leading domestic operators including Mozzart and MaxBet with the joint objective of enhancing operational standards, strengthening player protection, and improving the public perception of the gambling industry.
Mozzart CEO Slobodan Prodanović and MaxBet CEO Savo Bakmaz addressed attendees, highlighting the importance of collaboration and collective responsibility to ensure sustainable industry growth.
“The establishment of SPIS represents a crucial step forward for our market,” said Savo Bakmaz, CEO of MaxBet. “For the first time, operators and the state can work side by side through a single forum that prioritises transparency, accountability, and player protection.”
“The Serbian market is changing rapidly — both through regulation and international partnerships,” Bakmaz continued. “SPIS gives us a unified voice to help guide that evolution responsibly and ensure that operators contribute to long-term, sustainable growth for the economy and local communities.”
In 2024–2025, Serbia will reform several aspects of its gambling regulation system, tightening control and increasing transparency in licensing.
Amendments to the Law on Games of Chance, which came into effect in January 2025, introduce stricter oversight of financial transactions, jackpot management, and operator reporting. New technical standards for gaming equipment and electronic payments have also been implemented.
The Ministry of Finance has launched nationwide inspections to ensure that betting shops and gaming halls comply with licensing, age verification, and responsible gambling requirements.
The new regulations require operators to display addiction warning signs, restrict alcohol service to active players only, and verify and record player information for online gaming. Altogether, these measures signal Serbia’s transition toward a more strictly regulated and harmonized gambling environment.
Additionally, President Aleksandar Vučić instructed the Olympic Committee, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, to develop a separate program aimed at protecting individuals under 21, which will include stricter rules for gambling advertising.
At the same time, the structure of Serbia’s gambling market is undergoing transformation due to a surge in foreign investment. Flutter Entertainment acquired 51% of MaxBet — Serbia’s second-largest betting and gaming operator — for €141 million, with an option to purchase the remaining 49% by 2029.
In April 2024, the Golden Matrix Group completed its acquisition of MeridianBet Group, creating a global multi-jurisdictional operator headquartered in Serbia.
Meanwhile, Superbet, the Romanian gambling group led by Sacha Dragić, secured €1.3 billion in funding from Blackstone to accelerate its expansion and strengthen its leadership position in Eastern Europe.
The entry of these international companies marks a shift in ownership and strategic direction, bringing new investment, global expertise, and heightened competition, as Serbia’s gambling market enters a more mature and internationally integrated phase.
The newly formed SPIS has also launched its first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative under the slogan “Even One Is Too Many”, developed in cooperation with the Special Hospital for Addiction Diseases in Belgrade.
The project focuses on educating teenagers in sports clubs about the prevention of gambling addiction and risky behavior. It is supported by medical professionals and online safety expert Katarina Jonev.
Former basketball player Igor Rakočević, who played for Minnesota, Real Madrid, and Crvena Zvezda, was appointed as the first ambassador of SPIS.
“No institution, company, or individual can achieve change alone. Only when we work together, share responsibility, and pursue the common good can we build lasting values,” Rakočević told delegates.
SPIS stated that it aims to serve as a bridge between the state, industry, and community, representing the collective voice of licensed operators in policy discussions while promoting a fair and transparent gambling market for Serbia’s future.
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