What are the biggest challenges operators face when entering emerging markets, and how can platform providers better support them?

The biggest mistake is assuming all emerging markets behave the same. While they often share strong growth potential, each market has its own payment ecosystem, player value dynamics, acquisition channels, player preferences and operational realities. In many cases, payment infrastructure is also expensive or difficult to optimise. Success comes from adapting to those differences rather than forcing a standard approach.

Another important challenge is strategic. Operators entering new markets need to be clear about what kind of business they are building. Some are focused on rapid acquisition and short-term returns, while others prioritise retention, trust and lifetime value. Increasingly, we also see operators running multi-brand portfolios across different markets from a single operational framework, which creates another layer of complexity.