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Why Eurasia and the Middle East Are on Everyone’s Radar: The iGaming industry is buzzing about Eurasia and the Middle East. These regions are seeing massive demand, new opportunities, and shifting regulations that are changing the game fast.
To shine a spotlight on this, SBC Summit 2025 is rolling out a dedicated track called Emerging Markets: Eurasia & the Middle East on Wednesday, September 17, at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL). This track features five sessions packed with practical advice on market entry, regulation, and long-term success.
Exploring Fast-Changing Markets
From Georgia and Armenia to Uzbekistan and the UAE, these regions are going through big transformations. Political shifts and regulatory updates are shaping the landscape, and local demand for iGaming is only getting stronger.
This track will give attendees the knowledge they need to understand regulations, adjust to local realities, and build strategies that actually work in these markets.
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, summed it up perfectly: “Eurasia and the Middle East are a core focus for SBC Summit 2025. The opportunities here are real, but so are the challenges. Long-term success means understanding the local landscape and building genuine relationships on the ground. With this track, we want delegates to hear directly from the people who know these markets best, and to walk away with strategies they can put to work straight away.”
What Delegates Can Expect
The sessions are designed to dig into the most important issues. It all starts with the Eurasia Leaders Panel: Expansion or Contraction – Which Way Will the Bridge Between Continents Swing? Industry heavyweights Irakli Asanishvili (Flutter International), Adam Lamentowicz (Superbet Group), Max Potomkin (Parimatch), and Simon Westbury (1xBet) will debate whether regulatory challenges might slow things down or if the region’s passion and innovation will push growth forward.
The discussion then turns to Georgia & Armenia Lead the Way, with Nika Gigashvili (SMH Global), Giorgi Gvenetadze (Flutter CEE), Vahagn Tangamyan (Totogaming), and Gega Topuridze (Betlive). They’ll share how operators can respond to new tax and regulatory systems while making use of the strong local talent and digital infrastructure.
Another hot topic is Cryptocasinos & Emerging Markets – The Boom Continues. As crypto continues to reshape gaming, speakers including Tiago Almeida (Oddsgate), Andrew Gellatly (Alderney Gambling Control Commission), Stefan Kovach (RARER THINGS), Melissa E. Lamb (Payhound), and Tom Waterhouse (Waterhouse VC) will look at how businesses can tap into this trend responsibly.
Then comes Crossing Borders: Cross-Selling in Balkan Markets, where regional leaders such as Dan Alexandru Ghiță (Rombet), Ivan Gojic (Entain CEE), Rossi McKee (CT Gaming), Alexander Popov (National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria), Marinos Shiapanis (Campeon Gaming), and Artem Skrypnyk (Favbet Tech) will talk about how to build a strong brand across different Balkan markets while staying compliant.
Wrapping up the track is Inside the UAE’s Ambitious Vision: Building a World-Class, Regulated, and Responsible Gaming Market from the Ground Up. Garret Greene (SBC), Christina Hu (Momentum), Kevin Mullally (GCGRA), David Patent (Wynn Al Marjan Island), and Lauralyn Sandoval (Aristocrat) will explore how the UAE is creating a regulated framework and what it could mean for both its neighbors and the global industry.
Part of a Bigger Picture
The Eurasia & Middle East track is one piece of the wider Emerging Markets stage at SBC Summit 2025. Alongside it, there will be dedicated sessions on Africa (Tuesday, September 16) and Asia (Thursday, September 18), giving attendees a full view of where the next big growth opportunities are.
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