Balkan countries join forces to form a new gambling trade body

(AsiaGameHub) –   A newly established trade body, composed of the largest associations in the region, will provide the Balkan gambling sector with unified international representation.

Following a joint proposal from the Serbian and Bulgarian national gambling associations, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed in Belgrade by a total of seven industry organizations.

The signatories include Serbia’s AGOS and Bulgaria’s AOGGAB respectively, alongside Croatia’s HUPIS, Romania’s ROMSLOT, GPIS from Montenegro, UPIS RS from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia’s MAK GEJMING.

Operating under the name Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF), these associations—representing gaming stakeholders such as online and land-based operators, suppliers, and manufacturers—will promote the region’s emerging markets while maintaining close internal collaboration to align their goals.

The founding document outlines several areas of cooperation, including combating illegal gambling, fostering healthy competition, sharing best practices, engaging in legislative discussions, attracting investments, and organizing joint events.

Within the broader European gambling sector, it is notable that several of the BGF’s founding associations are members of the European Gaming and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT).

As a result, the BGF is expected to function as a regional cluster within EUROMAT, while retaining a distinct identity that specifically represents the Balkan region.

Balkans as a hotbed of regulatory development

The formation of the BGF coincides with a period of significant regulatory changes across the Balkan region.

In Serbia, the government recently introduced a major legislative update allowing domestically licensed operators to offer jackpots, incentivizing players to use the regulated market and ultimately boosting channelization rates.

Bulgaria is currently facing political pressure from within the government to further restrict the gambling sector by raising the minimum legal age from 18 to 21, less than two years after the nation’s gambling legislation underwent its most substantial overhaul in decades.

Similar developments are evident in Romania, where the new President of the country’s gambling regulator has initiated rapid collaborative efforts with policymakers to revamp the gambling sector in favor of stronger player protection policies.

In Montenegro, the gambling industry recently clashed with the government over a poorly executed attempt to alter the taxation system, which lacked supporting evidence and a clear assessment of its future impact.

Croatia is in the process of rolling out a planned package of gambling reforms, with the first change being the launch of a new self-exclusion scheme. In North Macedonia, significant reforms appear imminent, driven by an outspoken Prime Minister who supports increased restrictions on the gambling industry.

Meanwhile, discussions are intensifying in Bosnia and Herzegovina that could potentially lead to the abolition of the VAT exemption currently enjoyed by the gambling sector.

Given the numerous concurrent regulatory changes, the establishment of an organization like the BGF to help navigate legislative complexities will certainly be a welcome step for all industry stakeholders involved in the Balkans.