Playtech CEO targets global growth opportunities as company seeks to regain momentum

(AsiaGameHub) –   Live casino products provide limitless opportunities for operators in the U.S., as stated by Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer of Playtech, during an interview with SBC News.

Shortly after Playtech released its full-year 2025 results, Weizer told us that the Group will stay focused on expanding the live casino market in the U.S., even though the product has lower adoption rates than in many other global regions.

“We see the U.S. as a huge opportunity,” he noted. “Live casinos are indeed very popular in Asia, and they’re also well-received in some other markets—there are countries where live casino makes up 25-30% of total gaming activity.

“In the U.S., as you rightly noted, adoption rates are still limited to around 17%. However, we see this as a chance because we are confident that the U.S. market’s fundamentals will enable significant growth in live casino. 

“As we stated earlier today, live casino customers generate 1.8 times more revenue than regular casino players, which creates a cross-selling opportunity for operators to expand live casino offerings in the U.S. further.”

A Global Shield Against Tax Burdens

The Americas region overall has been a critical contributor to Playtech’s financial performance over the past year, particularly as the company undergoes a rapid transition to a B2B-focused business. However, a notable point from the FY25 report was that B2B costs rose while B2B revenue declined year-over-year (YoY).

When asked if Playtech can reverse this trend in 2026, Chris McGinnis, Chief Financial Officer, noted that revenue was affected by the updated agreement with Caliente International, but costs are projected to increase at a slower pace this year, and profits are expected to return to growth alongside this.

Looking ahead, this year is set to bring higher tax burdens in several of Playtech’s key markets, including Brazil and the UK. Nevertheless, the company’s management is confident that Playtech can weather these challenges due to its diversified portfolio.

McGinnis explained: “The most significant impact for Playtech has been in the UK, where the government announced an increase in the Remote Gaming Duty. We issued a statement indicating that this would have a major effect on our business. 

“But we remain optimistic. Playtech is geographically diversified, so even with tax hikes in the UK and other regions, we are still confident that we will continue to grow.”

Weizer further emphasized: “We have a strong presence in other markets such as Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Romania, and the Scandinavian region. This broad diversification means we are well-equipped to handle any regulatory changes that may arise.”

Finally, Playtech confirmed that it is exploring several new markets to boost its diversification, specifically Finland, New Zealand, and Ireland.

All three nations are currently implementing major regulatory changes. 

Finland is working to end its state-run gambling monopoly with operator Veikkaus by June 2027, New Zealand is set to launch its first online gambling licenses, and Ireland has a new gambling regulator that will reshape the country’s domestic market.

Weizer concluded: “Finland is adopting a new regulatory framework that will allow operators to enter the market openly. We view this as a chance to deepen our partnership with Veikkaus.

“We also have existing Scandinavian partners who are eager to enter the Finnish market as soon as the regulatory changes take effect.

“New Zealand, meanwhile, is currently unregulated but is considering introducing regulations. Playtech is seeking to partner with operators that are likely to establish themselves there, including both B2B partners and structured agreement partners.

“As for Ireland, they are also revising their regulatory framework. We see this as an opportunity due to our strong connections with individuals who have access to the Irish market.”