Toni Karapetrov from Habanero at SiGMA Central Europe: "Italy has been a fundamental market for us since 2016"

Habanero at  SiGMA Central Europe

"At this year’s show, we kept the focus on what we do best—our slot portfolio. Many visitors were familiar with our work, and the event gave us a good opportunity to reconnect and highlight the strengths of our current offering.

We also saw steady interest in the technology that supports our operations, particularly how we manage localisation and compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Operators continue to look for partners who can adapt to different market needs without adding unnecessary complexity, and it was encouraging to see that our approach aligns with those expectations".

Business opportunities

"From our perspective, the event has offered the kind of conversations that genuinely move things forward. The people we met were well prepared and very tuned in to what is happening across Europe, especially with regulatory changes still shaping the landscape. Because of that, operators are looking at partnerships in a more strategic way, which naturally leads to clearer and more forward-looking discussions.

"SiGMA continues to be valuable for that reason, in particular this year with it making its debut in Italy, one of our core markets. During these shows, the focus should not be around trying to meet everyone in the room and spreading yourself thin, but rather about having access to decision-makers who understand the pace of change in Europe and want to work with suppliers who can help them navigate it. Is the region competitive? Yes. But does that competitiveness open doors for companies that can bring stability and real support as the market continues to evolve? Absolutely."

 The Italian market

"Italy has been a fundamental market for us since 2016, and over the years, we have established sturdy relationships with operators and players. The reason why our content performs so well is that it reflects local preferences and cultural nuances.

The thing that differentiates us is our strength in bringing together cultural insight and technical know-how. The modular nature of our game development process means we can adapt to responsible gaming settings, timing rules and other regulatory expectations with very little friction. Operators appreciate that reliability, and it is one of the reasons our position in Italy has stayed so strong over the years".

"Italy remains one of the most influential regulated markets in our industry, and it continues to set important benchmarks for the rest of Europe. The new concession framework is steering the market toward a more consolidated and structured environment, which should ultimately create greater stability for the long term. While this shift brings its own challenges, it also gives everyone clearer rules to work with, which is often exactly what the industry needs.

At the same time, we are seeing Italian players gravitate toward games with more depth and personality. Interest in social and interactive features is growing steadily, and that direction aligns very well with how we approach game design. In the near term, the main opportunity is helping operators navigate this transition confidently, with technology and content that integrate smoothly into the updated framework and support them as the market evolves."

To conclude,  what projects or launches do you anticipate rolling out in Italy and across Europe?

"The final months of the year will see us introduce a major title that really captures the creative direction we are moving towards as a company. We have been putting a lot of energy into strengthening the entertainment value of our portfolio, and this release brings that work together in a way we are very proud of.

Looking ahead to 2026, there are some exciting things on the horizon. Our focus will be on supporting operators in Italy as they navigate the new licensing cycle, while also reinforcing our partnerships and continuing to grow across Europe.

Regulation and consolidation will remain defining themes in the market, and that makes agility and technical reliability more important than ever. These have always been an important factor in how we operate - they allow us to adapt quickly, meet new requirements with confidence and help our partners stay competitive.

We will also keep enhancing our features to drive further engagement and improve mobile performance, as these remain essential to creating the kind of entertainment-led experiences players increasingly look for."

Relive SiGMA Central Europe experience with SoloAzar's social media coverage and exclusive interviews. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay in the loop!