Industry associations from across the Balkans have united to launch the Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF), signing a Memorandum of Cooperation at a ceremony in Belgrade.
The alliance includes the following associations: AOGGAB (Bulgaria), UPIS (Republika Srpska), AGOS (Serbia), HUPIS (Croatia), ROMSLOT (Romania), MAK Gaming (North Macedonia), and the Group of Organizers of Games of Chance of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro.
The initiative comes at a time when the industry across the region is facing increasingly restrictive legislation, rising levels of illegal activity and a lack of a coordinated approach to key regulatory challenges.
The BGF has set out several key objectives. These include tackling the illegal gambling market and promoting responsible gaming. The federation also aims to support a more competitive environment and align regional practices with European standards.
In its first statement, the BGF said: ’’The formation of this platform represents a milestone - for the first time the industry in the Balkans is acting unitedly, with a clear vision and common interests."
The next steps have already been defined, with a meeting scheduled for 26 May in Belgrade during the Belgrade Future Gaming event, where the BGF will also make a joint appearance. Work on formalising the federation’s statute and organisational structure is expected to continue at that time.
The group also indicated plans to join the European organisation Euromat in the near future, which it said would further strengthen its voice at the European level.
One of the federation’s key goals is to position the Balkans as a unified gaming zone at European level, boosting investor visibility and strengthening cooperation with European institutions
