Question (to Davide Gallino, Director of Media service at AGCOM):When can the industry expect AGCOM to publish the updated responsible gambling communication guidelines?
Davide explained that AGCOM's objective is to produce guidance that is useful not only to operators but also to consumer associations and the scientific community. The authority wants to provide clear direction on what operators are expected to do when communicating about gambling, particularly in an area where the boundary between responsible gambling messaging and other forms of gambling communication has often been unclear. The aim is to publish the updated guidelines before the summer holidays.
Global Gaming Insider note: Italian consumer and scientific groups have previously argued that permitted responsible gambling campaigns can be used by operators as a form of disguised gambling advertising.
Italy Update Panel- When the Dignity Decree was introduced in 2018, the government prohibited gambling advertising but also gave AGCOM the authority to issue guidance on how the law should be interpreted and enforced.
A further decree in 2024 introduced a new requirement obliging operators to invest in responsible gambling communications. This creates an entirely new dimension for gambling communications.
Some operators have inevitably approached this as a simple compliance exercise, but AGCOM's recent public consultation suggests a broader ambition.
Next up, we have - Italy Update: The New Rules for Gambling Advertising and Their Impact on the Market
The Italian Communications Authority (AGCOM) has initiated a public consultation to update the guidelines governing the total ban on advertising implemented by the Italian government in 2018. This move comes in response to new legislation that permits responsible gaming campaigns, as well as the growing popularity of infotainment in stadiums.
Prediction markets: Digital Gambling Without Safeguards?
Duncan Garvie, Simon Vincze, Melanie Ellis and Savvas Iliopoulos discuss the legality and safety of prediction markets.
Garvie opened the highlighting the difference between the US prediction landscape and elsewhere - with Ellis outlining that they are, of course, regulated as financial products in the US. In the UK, however, a prediction market like Kalshi or Polymarket would just need a GC license, with other EU countries having blocked platforms as unlicensed gambling.
Taking a user experience perspective, Vincze explained he believes there is a big overlap inside the players brain between gambling and predictions, but in actual fact, the overlap isn’t as large.
For me, the big concern is that users may get the same internal triggering as they would with a gambling product, without thinking they are actually gambling.
Bridging the conversation toward responsible gaming, Garvie thinks that a lack of care early on in the gambling industry’s development caused regulators to come in hard on the issue - and he thinks prediction markets could suffer the same fate is they don’t begin implementing strategies soon.
What lessons can the prediction sector learn from the regulated industry? The panel concurs on investing into models which identify indicators of excessive play, alongside more educational programs:
The point is to provide the best product in the most sustainable way,
says Iliopoulos.
Are consumers more vulnerable to harm when the product is framed as trading rather than gambling?
Ellis draws a comparison on the football index product, stating that the presentation of the product as trading meant that people viewed it as a long term investment instead of a short term recreational product. She built that the wording and packaging of prediction products leads people to be misled about what they are investing into.
She also built that the markets are not only used by individuals but also companies looking to hedge risks - which highlights the difficulty in regulating these products when you have two very different user types.
For me, the big concern is that users may get the same internal triggering as they would with a gambling product, without thinking they are actually gambling.
Simon Vincze of Casino Guru expresses his concerns on the safety of prediction markets from the player's perspective.
Love Island and I'm a Celeb still dominate ITV for pulling in the viewer numbers, which make them both prime shows for advertisers.
But the programmes themselves are only half the story. Localisation is key, and with how expensive it is to scale campaigns, it is worth focusing on one or two prime areas first.
A great dive into how the medium of TV is still seen as the golden standard for reputable brands. If they can be shown on TV, then they have really 'made it.'
We'll have the video for you guys later... but we've been asking industry voices at iGB Live, as well as members of the Global Gaming Insider team, who will win the World Cup?
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
On how he feels about sports teams not aligning themselves with licensed operators, Lyman said:
It’s money at the end of the day, isn’t it?
He also said he was “not convinced” about the issue of front-of-shirt sponsorships, because if that casino is illegal in that country, then it surely must not appeal to people in that country. Instead, he considers them to be advertising to people in whatever country they are legal in.
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
Lyman discussed how South Africa recently blamed Gibraltar for a rise in illegal gambling activity. However, he also claimed that prior to these claims being made, the South African Government had sent him a list of URLs and Lyman had confirmed that none had licences from Gibraltar. He pointed to this as a classic example of collaborative failures in the industry.
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
Gamstop has seen a 40% Y-o-Y rise in young people joining the platform to self-exclude. More research is needed to see how NotOnGamstop casinos are targeting young people, and through which channels. Willows brought up his own lived experience with gambling harm. He said that unless you understand why you are attracted to gambling in the first place, then the temptation will always be there. The black market knows how to exploit this.
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
Reynold-Jones brought up the subject of the tobacco industry advertising against the illegal market in places like national newspapers. Why does the gambling industry not do something similar?
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
Lyman has just licensed a prediction market platform in Gibraltar, where the users are crypto native. He also explained that an unnamed social media platform is planning to divert all users across all demographics on its platform towards its own proprietary prediction market product.
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
Willows spoke up about “enablers” and those who enable the black market. He has tried to improve digital resilience in young people, but there are always companies looking to target younger demographics by encouraging them to use black market casinos. A major problem in this is influencers, and he recently found – through talking with influencers – that many of them do not understand the difference between the regulated and unregulated market. Reynold-Jones agreed on this point, saying that there is no code of practice for influencers to follow.
iGB Live 2026: Digital Platforms and the Black Market
The panel is made up of Luis Portela de Carvalho, Lektou Co-Managing Partner; Andrew Lyman, Government of Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner; Katie Reynold-Jones, GamStop CMO; Lee Willows, Community Care Gaming, Founder and Chair.
Lyman opened up by noting that most regulated markets began as grey markets, and slowly drifted towards regulation over time.
A tool that is not used cannot reduce harm impact. A major factor is pushing for greater education around gambling harm reduction tools. There also needs to be a focus on how young people engage with gambling platforms. Preventative tools need to be used alongside prohibitive policies to protect young people.
Recent research from Episteme and Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona identified that media narratives shape societal perception. When the media uses particular words or narratives, they could actually increase the stigma of gambling harm, and potentially reduce the chances of people coming forward.
Ewa Bakun, ICE Research Institute Director, took to the Sustainable Gambling Zone to ask the question: How do you know whether your initiatives actually work? Just ‘doing something’ is no longer enough, companies are now being asked to prove that these plans work through evidence-based research.
Flutter's Senior Customer Safety Strategy Manager Emma Lee overviewed the operator's new sustainability zone and at it's Leeds HQ, discussing how creating a culture of sustainability and ethical consideration has shaped the company's evolving long-term strategy.
Clint Grist points out that within the gambling industry chain, affiliate software is often not independently owned and does not enhance affiliate marketing as well as e-commerce branches.
Tomasz Przybylowicz, CEO and Founder of Media and Leads Polska, previously mentioned that the biggest challenge is building a competent in-house team. He also noted that while AI is a useful tool for affiliates, it must be used with caution, as it can have its pitfalls. Although AI can handle analytics and optimisation around the clock, human intervention remains crucial.
Peter Gunni, Traffic Lab CEO: " Relationships have been the core of iGaming, but these have deteriorated in recent years. Healthy competition has become toxic competition.''
Stephen McBrinn, Co-founder and CEO of Game Time Digital, noted that Google's algorithm can be inconsistent and that an established SEO strategy can quickly become ineffective. His multi-revenue affiliate business also relies on platforms like Meta and TikTok. Although he is trying to diversify away from Google, he frequently finds himself returning to it. He notes that the value of advertising on Meta is nowhere near that of pay-per-click (PPC) on Google, leading him back to Google for better results.
Clint Grist, Co-Founder & CEO of Apidae, opens the panel titled "The Future of Affiliate Marketing: Adapt & Win." What we are about to hear: What forces will determine who are the winning and losing affiliates in 2026 and 2027?
Day 2 of iGB Live is officially underway! The floor is already buzzing, and we’re looking forward to another busy schedule.
If you haven't stopped by to see us yet, what are you waiting for? Head over to the Global Gaming Insider stand - we’re ready to connect.
Yesterday was packed with great panels and insightful discussions, and you can catch up on the ongoing coverage of several key highlights in the news section of our website.
We’re excited to see what Day 2 brings. Stay tuned here for updates as they happen!
Pro tip: The best time to explore an expo floor is before everyone arrives. 👀 Here are my 5 favourite stands from #IGBLive2026 ahead of the Day 2 rush. Featuring Soft2Bet, GR8_TECH, Titans.net, Endorphina and Uplatform.
Fearn emphasises that AI, data and analysis enable personalised consumer experiences, targeted messaging and scalable campaign content. However, companies that excessively rely on AI may produce generic results, risk poor data quality and experience a decline in expertise.
Let's hear from Damien Fearn, Founder of Tipstrr, as he explores The AI That Matters: Enabling Smarter Betting. When using AI, having your own data set is essential. The data you provide influences the value you receive. In summary: Data in, value out.
Compliance and responsible gambling can actually change entire market demographics. In Germany or the UK 15 years ago, casinos were focusing on high value players, and now they don’t exist as prominently in the market
DEBATE: How do we encourage game designers to be more responsible?
Daniel Lazarus, Co-Founder & Director of Games at Revolver Gaming, suggest that by developing a specified ‘safer by design’ certification that ensure certain constraints and considerations have been implemented during the development cycle of an online slot, for example.
G Games Founder Helen Walton retorts in disagreement presenting the bottom line opinion:
It just won’t work. Operators like games that make them money. The metrics that matter are GGR and RTP - that’s what keeps business in this industry alive.
Lazarus replies:
What Helen (Walton) is saying from a commercial perspective is great. But there has to be some alignment here between player protection and the bottom line.
Safety by design: Rewriting how safer gambling is built in by suppliers
A fascinating panel subject, moderated by BetBlocker CEO Duncan Garvie during day one at iGB Live 2026.
Maor Nutkevitch, Peter & Sons Co-CEO opened by explaining the difficulty of localisation with differing regulatory and cultural requirements and preferences across Europe - a challenge that comes before even considering safer strategies.
Founder & CCO of G Gaming, Helen Walton, outlined the difficulty of choosing whether to opt for a ‘one size fits all’ game that will roll out as the same iteration across multiple jurisdictions, or going for multiple bespoke games design for specific markets. She believes the primary option is more financially lucrative and economically viable.
We all want to see player protection incorporated into our games. There is a fine balance between introducing regulations which in fact have the opposite effect.
States Nutkevitch.
Helen Walton concurs, saying:
The question for suppliers is, can we create a game that is sticky enough to keep players engaged across markets and with appropriate safer mechanisms implanted. That is the only way we’re going to move forward in this.
Africa Summit panellist warning: Regulators often discover that taxes have been increased at the same time as the rest of the industry. As tax policy is often set by revenue authorities and ministries of finance, panellists stressed that these stakeholders need to cooperate more closely with gambling regulators.
Dan Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer at PawaTech, described Africa as a rapidly transforming and growing region, driven by improved broadband connectivity and an expanding population. He said operators are ready to invest in local markets, create jobs, and deploy significant capital - but only if the regulatory environment is stable and predictable.
Thomson urged governments to adopt reasonable tax policies and avoid frequent regulatory changes. He noted that operators are sometimes given only a few days' notice to implement new compliance requirements - for example, receiving a notification on a Friday requiring integration with a new payment system by Monday.
The conversation at the iGaming Africa Summit also turned to the growing challenge of illegal gambling. Panellists noted that while enforcement measures- such as blocking websites and targeting financial transactions - are important, authorities are often playing catch-up in what was described as a “whack-a-mole” battle. A well-regulated market attracts responsible operators that can offer competitive, attractive products, driving channelisation.
Dan Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer at PawaTech, stressed that successful channelisation across African countries depends on creating a market that is attractive to high-quality licensed operators. Excessive taxation and overly restrictive regulation, he argued, discourage responsible operators from entering or remaining in a market.
"Tax is the key," Thomson said, noting that while many African governments are under fiscal pressure, the gambling industry has significant growth potential over the next two decades. Operators are willing to contribute through taxation, but if tax rates become unsustainably high, they may choose to exit the market altogether.
A key point raised during the discussion was that some licensed operators across Africa are still not paying taxes. Across multiple markets, this is estimated to result in approximately $5bn in lost tax revenue.
The Future of Taxation, Channelisation and Sustainable Market Growth is now underway at the iGaming Africa Summit. Stay tuned for insights from an impressive panel of speakers, including John Mutua, CEO of the Association of Kenyan Gaming Operators and Mary Baine, Executive Secretary of the African Tax Administration Forum, as they discuss the impact of excessive taxation on channelisation and how governments can balance tax revenue with long-term market sustainability.
Entain launched a customer survey, just ahead of the remote tax increasing to 40%. The company wanted to investigate how aware customers are of the black market, before and after the change. In this round of answers, 5.3% of respondents associated no particular risk with black market casinos, while 50.6% were not aware of any black market sites. Around half of those who were aware had seen materials for illegal platforms through social media.
Parker concluded that not all companies are playing ball, and that is unacceptable.
Delafosse goes into what may have impacted specifity results, such as 'false positives' - players who say they don't have a problem but self-exclude soon after. But what does this all boil down to?
With GGR, we really have a situation. We have given licensees access to the algorithm. It is optional and acts as a compliance barometer.
Entain has created a regulatory playbook for global governments and international markets. This creates a great launch point for discussions with other regulators about what unique threats are happening in their jurisdiction, as well as which responses are working – and which ones are not.
Some fascinating points made by Ross Parker, Entain Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs on how to secure the legal gaming market, not just in the UK, but internationally.
He explained how once a market matures, a government is more likely to target it for higher taxes. However, this will cause a greater differential to occur between the legal market and the illegal one waiting in the shadows...
This will only grow as the illegal market can use this differential to offer better bonuses to players, and even outbid for front-of-shirt sponsorships in football leagues.
The ANJ's system uses a kind of traffic light equivalent, green for safe ranging through to red. Bet frequency, deposit frequency (and winning/losing) and self-exclusion history all impact whether someone is an 'excessive gambler' or not. The scientific community has validated the ANJ algorithm's performance with a sensivity of 90% and a specificity of 70%.
If you have a higher income, you are more likely to deposit more. This is something regulators need to take into account. But do they account for this enough, we wonder?
Thomas Delafosse is addressing a key-but-tricky topic: how to detect problem gambling. A first marker of harm is discussed: financial damage. But this is difficult to interpret without knowledge of a player's income.
Day one at iGB Live drives on with Better Change’s Anna Davies moderates a panel with Dan Spencer, Jessica Wilson and Lee Willows discussing the expectations and realities of the statutory levy.
Davies begins by asking Spencer how exactly the funding is being utilised, to which he confirms that himself and nobody in the audience (by show of hands) is in receipt of the funds.
He explained that the expectation from the levy was that there would be more funds available to organisations such as EPIC Global Solutions, where he is a Principal Consultant, and that it would ensure better reporting and an easier funding application process.
That statement of ‘if you work with operators you cannot have access to the funds’ was never clear.
Concerningly, he outlines a growing divide between those working with access to the levy and those without, who are both working towards the same player protection goal. This divide is coming from a lack of access to funds from those continuing to work with operators.
“Collaboration going forward is going to be impossible.”
Jessica Wilson, Associate at Harris Hahan, stated that when calculating the levy, the first invoices were issued well and were received by everyone. However, many operators were surprised by how high their amount was and it turned out they had been submitting inaccurate return data, which led to inflated levy contribution.
Unfortunately the commission’s guidance is not a one size fits all.
With no clear successor to Andrew Rhodes at the GC, it's interesting times in the UK market...
One takeaway from Tim Miller's remarks: With fewer major penalties for player protection failures, the regulatory focus should turn to illegal operators - a much bigger challenge to address.
Day 1 is in full swing and I have already bumped into someone super interesting. Meet Edmundo who tells us more about Betie - an innovative AI product dedicated to gaming (or in simple words ChatGPT for our industry).
Tim Miller addresses the issue of the illegal market, pointing out that it consists of large, well-organised criminal organisations that engage not only in illegal gambling but also in much more serious crimes. He emphasises that these operators cannot be tackled by individual regulators alone. Miller highlights the necessity of collaboration among various stakeholders, including the government, technology companies, affiliates and B2B suppliers. He warns that affiliates and B2B businesses that support the illegal market can expect increased criminal action against them in the UK and beyond.
Miller reflects on his long years of service with the Gambling Commission. He notes that, in the past, safer gambling was often viewed as merely a "box to check." However, today, many operators show a genuine commitment to this important issue. Regarding customer affordability checks, Miller acknowledges that players may be hesitant to share their data.
We've just had industry veteran Michael Baker-Mosley at our stand for a Huddle. Stay tuned for that to come. We also asked him who'll win the World Cup... Can anyone look past France right now?
Looking forward to hearing Tim Miller discuss how gambling regulation is evolving to tackle illegal gambling, financial crime, and cross-border enforcement. It should be a valuable discussion on strengthening market integrity and player protection.
Happy July, everyone! As the industry descends upon London, we'll have updates throughout iGB Live from our several-strong team right here on our live desk.
Of course, at 5pm UK time today, everyone at the ExCel might be a little distracted by a certain England World Cup match against DR Congo. But, until then, there's business to be done...
Just about to arrive in London ahead of this year’s iGB Live. A great variety of panels and conferences this year, with some standout ones being a review into the UK statutory levy one year on, case studies into interactive sports gameplay and including safety measures by design. Be sure to check back for our coverage on each one!
BetConstruct AI will be at iGB L!VE 2026 on July 1-2 in London, UK, at Stand S60.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup already underway, the focus at Stand S60 will be on helping operators maximize tournament performance in real time.
BetConstruct AI will also showcase the Sportsbook Platform, Casino Platform and the complete AI Suite alongside the Affiliate Ecosystem, covering player engagement, retention, risk management and acquisition.
Join Global Gaming Insider and BetConstruct AI at iGB L!VE 2026, and stay up to date on this feed for extensive coverage throughout the event.
In this week's GGI Friday, Stuart Hunter, Managing Director of World Gaming, shares his vision for iGB LIVE London and explains how the event continues to evolve.
In his exclusive guest column, he previews this year's edition, reflecting on lessons learned from previous shows, the new features and opportunities attendees can expect in London, and the long-term direction for one of the gaming industry's flagship events.
Be sure to read the full column in this week's edition of GGI Friday.👉 Click here to read.
World Gaming's Director of Industry Relations, Ewa Bakun, will highlight the need for more practical, evidence-based gambling research during a Sustainable Gambling Zone presentation at iGB LIVE on 2 July.
Bakun said the industry needs research that tests and measures real-world solutions rather than simply describing problems, as regulators place greater emphasis on the effectiveness of safer gambling measures.
She will also outline the work of the ICE Research Institute, which funds independent projects focused on prevention, player behaviour, sustainability and AI. According to Bakun, evidence-led research will help the industry build credibility, improve player protection and deliver measurable outcomes.
Gamecheck has become the first company to headline sponsor the Sustainable Gambling Zone at both ICE Barcelona and iGB LIVE London.
Founder James Elliott said the partnership has already delivered commercial results, with several conversations from ICE Barcelona turning into live partnerships. He also highlighted Gamecheck’s growth, with more than 450,000 checks completed, 85,000 verification requests processed, 8,500 fake games detected and over 197,000 app users worldwide.
To mark its iGB LIVE sponsorship, operators visiting stand SGZ-2 can claim one month of the Gamecheck SEAL free of charge. Elliott said fake games, unlicensed operators and manipulated content remain a growing threat as the online gambling market expands, making verification and authentication increasingly important for the industry.
Ahead of the UK's key trade show and the industry's key 'half-time' meet-up following the conclusion of Q2, wesat down on The Huddle with World Gaming and Clarion Events' finest Stuart Hunter and Jody Frost to talk all things iGB Live.
As always, this year comes with a twist, as there will also be parallel Africa and M&A Summits running in tandem with the wider show. Of course, the latest innovation, regulation and technology updates will all be up for debate as part of a meticulously designed schedule of panels and presentations.
Sprinkle in a little World Cup fever, and you've got an exhibition to remember!
London's calling for iGB Live 2026, we'll see you there...
The African iGaming Alliance (AiA) and World Gaming have announced a strategic partnership aimed at supporting the growth of sustainable and well-regulated gaming markets across Africa.
As part of the collaboration, the organisations will launch the Africa Summit at iGB L!VE London on 1 July. The summit will bring together regulators, operators, suppliers and industry stakeholders to discuss market development, regulatory cooperation, investment opportunities and sustainable growth across the continent.
Sponsored by SmartSoft Gaming, the event will provide attendees with direct insights from African regulators and operators on key regulatory priorities, commercial opportunities and the evolving dynamics of gaming markets across the region.
World Gaming to expand sustainability programme at iGB L!VE London
Following the success of its sustainability campaign at ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona earlier this year, World Gaming has confirmed a second phase of initiatives for iGB L!VE in London.
Measures being introduced include the Better Stand Programme, a new Sustainable Stand Award, fully recycled gangway and features carpet, and plastic-free badge wallets for all attendees.
Portfolio Director Margaret Dunn said the company remains committed to promoting social and environmental responsibility across the gaming industry. At January's events, 56% of segregated waste was recycled, up from 47% in 2025, while 90% of event features were fully reusable.
WorldGaming has announced the launch of its M&A Summit, an event focused on mergers and acquisitions in the iGaming sector. Bringing together operators, investment banks, legal advisors and corporate finance specialists, the summit aims to create opportunities for dealmaking, strategic partnerships and market insight sharing.
The event will also feature Strategic Intent Sessions, where industry leaders will outline their growth strategies, M&A criteria and consolidation plans, before attendees continue discussions at a networking reception and dinner.
WorldGaming Chairman Michael Caselli said M&A has become “a business imperative” in the current iGaming landscape, with speakers including representatives from Morgan Stanley and Bally’s set to provide expert insights.
Taking place 1 July, and serving as the curtain raiser to iGB L!VE the WGM&A represents the only dedicated forum for corporate development officers and M&A advisors working in iGaming
World Gaming has announced a new curated Visa Support initiative ahead of July’s iGB L!VE.
While most attendees can complete their travel requirements using the guidance on the event website, the service - delivered in partnership with law firm Branch Austin McCormick - will provide tailored assistance for those with more complex visa situations.
Mariya Savova•
CHIPS Charity has been named the official charity partner for July’s iGB L!VE in London, as the organisation works towards delivering its 800th wheelchair in 2026.
Born out of the land-based gambling industry, the charity provides bespoke wheelchairs for young people whose families cannot access or afford them, with each chair tailored to individual needs and costing up to £9,000. World Gaming will unveil a programme of activations at the event to raise awareness among attending iGaming professionals.
Registration is now open for iGB L!VE 2026, as the global iGaming industry turns its focus to London following January’s ICE and iGB Affiliate events in Barcelona. Organised by the World Gaming team, the event will bring together operators, affiliates, tech vendors and game providers to build partnerships and drive growth.
Marieta Lezaic
Megan Elswyth
