SBC Summit’s dedicated Western Europe track will help operators navigate the mounting pressures facing the region’s mature gambling markets, including tighter regulation, black-market activity, and the growing challenge of retaining players.
Taking place on Wednesday, Sept. 30 on the SBC Summit Global & Emerging Markets Stage, the track will bring together operators, regulators, and industry leaders to examine how technology, policy reform, and changing player behaviors are reshaping some of Europe’s most mature gaming markets.
Across the program, discussions will cover developments in several regions:
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Scandinavia
- UK
Also on the SBC Summit Western Europe track agenda will be the growing influence of prediction markets and technology’s role in protecting revenue and long-term commercial value.
“Western Europe is home to some of the world’s most established regulated gambling markets, but maturity doesn’t necessarily mean stability,” said SBC founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark. “Rising taxes and shifting regulation mean companies now have to navigate a genuinely complicated period.
“This track is about understanding what operators can actually do next. By comparing how mature markets are responding to similar pressures, delegates can see which strategies are working, where regulation may be creating unintended consequences, and what those lessons mean for sustainable growth across the region.”
SBC Summit panels on tech, black market, taxes & more
Opening the track, the session ‘The Impact of Tech on Operator Revenues and Player Retention in Europe‘ will examine how technology can help operators unlock growth against an increasingly competitive European landscape. Featuring Andrew Cochrane (Chief Commercial Officer, Soft2Bet), Paddy Desmond (Group Chief Operating Officer, Tote), Eberhard Dürrschmid (CEO, Golden Whale), Elena Rousseva (CEO of Managed Services, Playtech), and Marinos Shiapanis (CEO, Campeon Gaming), the panel will assess which innovations are increasing player value and retention, and which risk adding complexity without delivering a return on investment.
Attention will then turn to black-market competition in the session ‘The Dutch Dilemma: Deposit Caps, Ad Bans and the Black-Market Boom‘, examining how regulatory pressure is affecting the competitiveness of the Dutch market. Featuring Cristiano Blanco (CEO, Spincore Group), Björn Fuchs (Chairman, VNLOK), Eric Olders (Chairman & CEO, JOI Gaming / JVH Gaming), and Frank Op de Woerd (CEO, CasinoNieuws.nl), the session will explore the impact of deposit limits, advertising restrictions, and rising operating costs, alongside what licensed brands can do to compete with offshore operators.
‘Scandinavia: High Tax, High Standards, High Stakes‘ will assess how regulatory tightening is changing both operator strategy and player behaviour across Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Fredrik Wastenson (Managing Director Nordics, LeoVegas), Pascal Chaffard (Chief Online Betting & Gaming Officer, FDJ United), Anders Dorph (Director, Danish Gambling Authority), Jesper Eliasson (Director, PAF), and Gustaf Hoffstedt (CEO, BOS.NU) will be on the panel to examine how taxes, bonus restrictions, payment controls, and compliance costs are affecting acquisition and retention.
The UK will also come under the microscope during the fireside chat ‘The UK Squeeze: Can the Regulated Market Keep Winning?‘. Led by Andy Wright (MD, UK&I, LeoVegas Group) and Josh Hodgson (COO, H2 Gambling Capital), the discussion will examine how Financial Risk Assessments, rising taxes, affordability measures, and tighter advertising rules are influencing operator strategy, and where the balance lies between consumer protection and sustainable growth.
Elsewhere, the session Beyond the Reform: The New Italian Gaming Landscape will examine the next phase in Italian gaming. Experts Davide Diodato (CEO, HBG Online (Novomatic)), Fabio Bufalini (Country Manager, Stake Italy), Marco Castaldo (CEO, Microgame), Marco Tiso (Managing Director, Sisal), Quirino Mancini (Partner & Director, WH Partners Italy), and moderator Mauro De Fabritiis (Founder, MDF Partners), will explore how Italy’s latest regulatory reforms and upcoming land-based tenders could reshape competition, market entry, and operator strategy.
What can Europe learn from US situation?
The agenda will also look at the emergence of new gaming opportunities in the region. ‘Prediction Markets: The Future’s Not Near, It’s Here‘ will explore what European operators and regulators can learn from the rapid growth of prediction markets in the U.S.
‘Portugal’s Gambling Evolution: Growth, Pressure and New Opportunities‘ will assess where future growth can be unlocked in Europe as online revenues rise alongside tighter player protection and compliance demands.
Beyond the conference program, delegates can continue the conversation through SBC Summit’s Regulatory Gaming Meetups, with dedicated sessions covering markets including Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium, the UK and Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal and the Nordics. Bringing together operators, regulators, legal experts and market specialists, the meetups give attendees a chance to explore the regulatory challenges shaping individual jurisdictions and build relationships with the people influencing their future direction.
Taking place Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at Feira Internacional de Lisboa and the MEO Arena, SBC Summit will bring together more than 40,000 industry professionals for three days of conference content, exhibition, and networking.
Entrance to SBC Summit’s conference agenda is reserved for attendees with conference, business, and VIP passes.
Operators, affiliates, and some operators may be eligible for a complimentary pass to SBC Summit. Apply here.
Want to find out more about prediction markets? The Global Prediction Market Forum is being held in Lisbon alongside SBC Summit on Oct. 1. More details.
