Localised licensing: from challenge to strategic advantage
As the global iGaming industry continues to expand, regulation is becoming more complex for long-term sustainability. From localised licensing mandates in Sweden, Germany, Brazil, and Peru, to tightening advertising rules in markets like Italy, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, operators are navigating a fast-evolving patchwork of requirements that demand agility, compliance investment, and innovative thinking. At the same time, technological advances in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and compliance solutions are reshaping how operators approach responsible gaming, know your customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) are turning regulatory obligations into strategic advantages.
In this wide-ranging conversation with SiGMA News during the EURO-MED 2025, Dario Evangelista, Deputy General Counsel at Betsson Group, shares his insights into how operators can adapt to these regulatory headwinds while building trust, resilience, and sustainable growth. From compliance technology to marketing innovation and tax strategy, he reflects on the opportunities that come from meeting rising standards in a maturing global industry.
SiGMA News: How have the rising localised licensing mandates in markets like Sweden, Germany, Brazil, and Peru reshaped operational strategies for operators?
Dario Evangelista, Deputy General Counsel at Betsson Group: The rise of localised licensing mandates around the world, and the anticipated frameworks in countries like New Zealand and Finland, reflects a natural and inevitable evolution in the global gambling landscape. Over the past 15 years, the proliferation of digital gambling services has prompted governments to recognise that regulation is not only essential for consumer protection but also a strategic lever for economic growth. Local licensing regimes bring clarity, set operational standards, and foster safer gaming environments.
Today, success in regulated markets demands significant investment in compliance infrastructure, advanced technology, and robust KYC and AML processes. These are now central pillars of operational strategy. Operators must be agile enough to navigate a patchwork of regulatory requirements that vary from one jurisdiction to another, while maintaining consistency in consumer protection and operational excellence. In many ways, the bar keeps rising, and rightly so. It’s a challenge, but also an opportunity to build more resilient, transparent, and trusted businesses.
SiGMA News: India’s newly enacted Online Gaming Act, 2025, its implications for operators and regulatory alignment globally?
Evangelista: India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 represents a major shift, introducing a nationwide ban on online money games, whether skill-based or chance-based, alongside restrictions on advertising and related financial transactions. The legislation marks a sharp departure from earlier frameworks that encouraged collaborative and self-regulation and is creating significant uncertainty across the industry.
For operators, this may require rethinking business models, with some exploring alternative formats such as ad-supported or casual gaming. The Act also raises questions around its interaction with state-level laws and whether it could unintentionally encourage unregulated offerings, which may put players at greater risk.
Globally, the development is being watched closely. India’s approach will likely influence future regulator debates elsewhere and underscores the importance of dialogue between regulators, operators, and other stakeholders to ensure consumer protection while fostering sustainable industry growth.
Marketing in a restricted landscape
SiGMA News: What strategies are operators using to respond to tightening advertising restrictions, such as bans in Lithuania or changing ad limits?
Evangelista: In the face of tightening advertising restrictions, iGaming operators are responding with resilience and strategic agility. These shifts have prompted a rethinking of traditional marketing approaches, encouraging exploration of alternative avenues that remain compliant while still supporting brand visibility and consumer engagement.
It is important to recognise that the nature and scope of these restrictions vary significantly from one country to another, and this directly shapes the strategies operators can deploy. In Italy, for example, in line with the guidelines from the Communications Authority, operators have invested in alternative, non-gambling products and, more recently, following the enactment of Legislative Decree no. 41/2024, they have also launched promotional initiatives centred on responsible gambling messaging. This aligns commercial visibility with public policy objectives.
Elsewhere, operators are pursuing legal avenues to challenge disproportionate or procedurally flawed restrictions. A notable case is Lithuania, where on 13 March 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that the country’s gambling promotion ban had not been properly notified to the European Commission, rendering it unenforceable against operators. Following this decision, the European Commission confirmed that Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative Court must reopen the suspended cases and annul the fines previously imposed by the national regulator. Ultimately, the response to advertising restrictions is not monolithic. Successful operators are those who can adapt their strategies to each jurisdiction, balancing compliance, innovation, and commercial sustainability in an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape.
SiGMA News: With certain regulators banning targeted ads and influencer campaigns as seen in the Netherlands, how can operators adapt their advertising strategies to remain both compliant and relevant?
Evangelista: With targeted advertising and influencer campaigns facing increasing restrictions, such as the bans in the Netherlands and the new Italian Communications Authority guidelines for high-reach influencers (500K+ followers or 1M+ monthly views), operators are recalibrating their strategies. They are not only exploring compliant content and responsible messaging, but also actively assessing the boundaries of what remains viable within current regulations.
The challenge now is to innovate within the lines, ensuring relevance and commercial viability while navigating a patchwork of evolving rules. This is also encouraging operators to explore more sustainable approaches, such as partnerships with media outlets, sports organisations, and community initiatives, where engagement can remain both compliant and meaningful.
SiGMA News: What role are AI, automation, and advanced compliance tech playing in helping operators adapt to complex regulation and maintain competitive edge? How AI is being used in responsible gaming to meet regulatory standards?
Evangelista: AI, automation, and advanced compliance technologies have become indispensable tools for operators navigating increasingly complex regulatory frameworks. Far from replacing human oversight, these technologies act as powerful allies, enhancing efficiency, reducing manual workload, and enabling continuous, real-time monitoring.
In responsible gaming, AI-driven systems are particularly transformative. By analysing behavioural patterns, these tools can help detect early signs of potential risk and trigger tailored interventions ranging from gentle prompts and self-assessments to limits on play or temporary account pauses. This proactive approach not only aligns with best practice in consumer protection but, in some markets such as Italy, is already a legal requirement. This focus is shifting from reactive compliance to predictive and preventative safeguards.
Beyond responsible gaming, these technologies also support operators in maintaining a competitive edge. They enable faster and more accurate KYC checks, help adapt marketing and bonus strategies within regulatory parameters, and provide robust audit trails for regulators. In short, AI and automation are not just compliance tools, but they are strategic enablers that help operators build safer, smarter, and more sustainable gaming environments.
SiGMA News: How are iGaming operators adapting verification protocols such as eKYC, ongoing monitoring, and tiered risk-based checks to manage compliance effectively without hampering the user onboarding experience?
Evangelista: In response to the increasing regulatory emphasis on KYC and AML obligations, iGaming operators are refining their verification protocols to balance robust compliance with a seamless customer experience. A key development has been the widespread adoption of electronic KYC (eKYC) solutions, which enable real-time identity verification through technologies such as biometric recognition and secure document authentication.
By automating these processes, operators can reduce manual workload and accelerate customer onboarding, minimising friction for legitimate users without compromising regulatory standards. Many operators are also adopting tiered, risk-based verification frameworks, applying enhances checks where risk factors are identified, while keeping processes simple for low-risk customers.
In parallel, ongoing monitoring systems, often powered by AI, provide continuous oversight of player activity to detect potential red flags. These tools operate unobtrusively, ensuring compliance without disrupting the user journey. When anomalies are detected, automated workflows enable timely intervention, whether through additional checks, account restrictions, or escalation to compliance teams.
This integrated approach, combining advanced technology with strategic risk management, allows operators to meet evolving regulatory expectations while maintaining operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. It reflects a broader industry shift toward proactive, data-driven compliance, where technology serves not only as a safeguard but as a strategic enabler.
SiGMA News: The growing role of cryptocurrency in iGaming and the regulatory response you foresee?
Evangelista: Just as the regulation of gambling has evolved as a natural response to the industry’s growth and complexity, we are now witnessing a similar trajectory with Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) and cryptocurrency services. The global adoption of crypto-based payment solutions is accelerating, and in many jurisdictions, players are already engaging with iGaming platforms using cryptocurrencies, whether through direct wallet integrations, tokenised loyalty systems, or blockchain-based gaming environments.
It is likely that gambling regulators will increasingly recognise VFA as a legitimate and complementary means of payment alongside traditional fiat options. This will require regulatory frameworks to adapt in step with the realities of modern payment ecosystems. Importantly any such evolution must go hand in hand with robust safeguards. Strong AML, KYC and governance processes, including enhanced identity verification and transaction monitoring, will be critical to ensure integrity and consumer protection. By embedding these safeguards, the integration of crypto can strengthen rather than disrupt the industry’s digital transformation, helping operators offer innovative payment experiences without compromising safety or compliance.
Tax pressures and sustainable market strategies
SiGMA News: How are iGaming operators recalibrating acquisition budgets and market strategies to manage rising tax burdens while protecting consumer value and avoiding unregulated competition?
Evangelista: The increase in gambling taxes across several jurisdictions inevitably requires operators to recalibrate acquisition budgets, operational priorities, and market strategies. Higher tax burdens reduce margins, which means operators must become more selective and efficient in how they allocate resources. Strategies are shifting toward longer-term customer value, with greater emphasis on retention, personalisation, and responsible engagement rather than short-term promotions.
At the same time, it is important that taxation is considered withing a broader regulatory context. When designed in balance with measures that encourage innovation, channelisation, and fair competition, tax policy can support a sustainable market that protects consumers and ensures governments benefit from stable revenues.
Operators also need scope to communicate their value proposition responsibly, differentiate through safer gambling technologies and invest in innovation. The ultimate goal should be to create a well-regulated, competitive, and transparent environment, one where operators can thrive, consumers are protected, and governments achieve sustainable growth in tax contributions.
