For many people, when they hear the word ‘gambling’ they think about certain parts of the world. Most people will immediately think of glitzy Las Vegas, while others might visualize the elegantly classic casinos of Monte Carlo and France, the sumptuous wealth of Macau, or even the mega-resorts of the Caribbean. And while all those places have certainly earned the right to be considered the capitals of gaming, one particular region is often overlooked – Eastern Europe.
In recent years, Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Balkan Peninsula have become one of the fastest growing parts of the world for both brick-and-mortar casinos as well as online casino gaming. For many years, gambling in this part of the world stagnated under repressive communist regimes. But with the arrival of freedom and capitalism, gambling has also arrived in Eastern Europe, and in a big way.
Just a quick look at a gambling news sites like VegasMaster.com will illustrate how big gambling has become in Eastern Europe. The appeal of casino gaming in the region is evident from the large number of online casinos catering to Russian players, from the popularity of poker in the Czech Republic where the WPT and EPT events in Prague are some of the biggest on the continent, and from Ukraine to Bulgaria where some of the newest and most exciting online casinos and gaming developers operate.
Last year’s Eastern European Gaming Summit, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, was the biggest casino and gambling industry event in the region. Thousands of attendees gathered for speeches, workshops, and presentations about the future of Eastern European and Balkan gambling, and the future looks incredibly bright.
The Eastern European market is still developing and has become a dynamic and exciting area for all kinds of casino gambling. While no one knows what the future might hold, it’s hard not to be excited about what’s next.
