SBC Eurasia Editorial Team is happy to present a quick recap of the gambling industry events, news, regulations, and partnerships that happened last week.
SBC Summit Tbilisi returned, with attendees praising the quality of conversations, direct access to senior leaders and opportunities to build new partnerships across Eastern Europe and Central Asia and beyond. While the panel “From Clubs to Entertainment Brands: The New Business Model of Modern Sports” explored how football clubs, broadcasters, and digital platforms are adapting to a world where sport is no longer only about the 90 minutes on the pitch.
SBC Summit will provide delegates with strategies to identify and effectively capitalise on opportunities in some of the gaming industry’s fastest-growing regions through its dedicated Emerging Markets track. While the new AI Academy will take delegates beyond the theory of artificial intelligence and into hands-on, practical application.
1xCare, the non-profit responsible gambling initiative established by the owner of the global operator brand 1xBet, has created a four-member independent Advisory Committee chaired by Simon Westbury to strengthen the oversight of its player protection programme.
Hennadii Novikov, Head of Ukraine’s State Agency PlayCity, explained how gambling advertising monitoring and enforcement in Ukraine have transformed over the past year – from fragmented oversight to a more systematic, digital and cooperation-based model.
Bulgaria’s Deputy Financial Minister has shot down opposition calls to restrict gambling advertising and introduce further tax hikes. While Romania’s second most populous county of Iași will close the doors of all local land-based venues that host slot game machines.
The online betting market grew by 965% in Kazakhstan last year, with residents placing $786 million in web-based bets. While Kasinohai’s review of 50 online casinos in Finland found that advertised wagering requirements often understated the amount players actually had to stake.
Change is on the horizon for Belgium’s land-based gambling sector after Super Technologies expanded its footprint by winning a tender to operate a casino in Brussels.
A report from the General Directorate of the National Lottery Administration (MPi) has highlighted the global scale at which Turkey is taking its battle against unlicensed gambling. While the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) is expanding its international efforts to combat the illegal gambling market by launching a joint initiative with the Turkish authorities.
The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) recorded moderate growth in Greece’s gambling industry revenue in 2025, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) reaching €3.07bn, representing a 6.7% increase compared with the previous year. While the government of Liechtenstein has been informed of the “steepest contraction” of income generated by casinos across the country.
European authorities are planning to tighten the screws on betting activity on international sport following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While no cause for concern about suspicious betting has been identified by FIFA during the entirety of the World Cup tournament run.
Illegal gambling rings in Southeast Asia have become more convoluted over recent years, acting as a facade for cyber-related fraud and human trafficking. This was revealed in the latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has revealed that it considered suspending Evolution’s operating licence after an investigation found that the company’s games were available on six unlicensed websites accessible to customers in Great Britain.
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