SBC Summit’s Western Europe: Regulation, Technology and Market Competition

Western Europe Under Pressure

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, 30 September on the Global & Emerging Markets Stage, the track will bring together operators, regulators and industry leaders to examine how technology, policy reform and changing player behaviour are reshaping some of Europe’s most mature gaming markets.

Across the programme, discussions will cover developments in the Netherlands, UK, Italy, Scandinavia, and Portugal, alongside the growing influence of prediction markets and technology's role in protecting revenue and long-term commercial value.

Rasmus Sojmark on the Challenges Facing Mature Markets

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: “Western Europe is home to some of the world’s most established regulated gambling markets, but maturity doesn’t necessarily mean stability. 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.”

Technology, Revenue and Player Retention

Opening the track is the session The Impact of Tech on Operator Revenues and Player Retention in Europe, examining 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.

The Dutch Market and Black-Market Competition

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 (Chief Executive Officer, 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.

Regulatory Tightening in Scandinavia

Similar questions will be explored in Scandinavia: High Tax, High Standards, High Stakes, which 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 Market Under Pressure

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.

Italy’s New Gaming Landscape

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.

Prediction Markets and Portugal’s Growth Opportunities

The programme 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 US, while 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.

Regulatory Gaming Meetups

Beyond the conference programme, 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.

SBC Summit Lisbon 2026

Taking place from 29 September to 1 October 2026 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. Apply here.