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Eurasia and the Middle East in Focus at SBC Summit 2025 Emerging Markets Stage
Untapped potential, surging demand, and shifting regulations are putting Eurasia and the Middle East firmly on the iGaming radar.
SBC Summit 2025 will tap into this momentum with a new Emerging Markets: Eurasia & the Middle East track on Wednesday, 17 September at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), featuring five powerhouse sessions on market entry, regulation, and long-term growth strategies.
The track will provide in-depth analysis of key jurisdictions, including Georgia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, and the UAE; markets undergoing significant change due to political shifts, evolving regulations, and growing local demand.
Sessions will offer practical guidance on entering and operating in these regions, with a focus on understanding regulatory frameworks and adapting to local market conditions.
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “Eurasia and the Middle East are a core focus for SBC Summit 2025. The opportunities here are real, but so are the challenges. Long-term success means understanding the local landscape and building genuine relationships on the ground.
“With this track, we want delegates to hear directly from the people who know these markets best, and to walk away with strategies they can put to work straight away.”
The track will open with the Eurasia Leaders Panel: Expansion or Contraction – Which Way Will the Bridge Between Continents Swing?, offering delegates the chance to hear directly from the leaders shaping the market across the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Balkans. Irakli Asanishvili (Head of Central & Eastern Europe, Flutter International), Adam Lamentowicz (CEO, Superbet Group), Max Potomkin (Deputy CEO, Parimatch), and Simon Westbury (Strategic Advisor, 1xBet) will examine whether political and regulatory pressures could stall momentum in markets like Georgia and Uzbekistan or if the region’s passionate fanbase and tech-savvy operators will continue to fuel expansion.
Following this, Georgia & Armenia Lead the Way will explore how these markets are adapting to recent tax and regulatory changes. Nika Gigashvili (Managing Director / Partner, SMH Global), Giorgi Gvenetadze (CCO, Flutter CEE), Vahagn Tangamyan (Head of Legal Department, Totogaming), and Gega Topuridze (CBDO, Betlive) will discuss how operators can adapt to new frameworks while capitalising on the region’s abundant talent pool and digital infrastructure.
The session Cryptocasinos & Emerging Markets – The Boom Continues will examine the rise of crypto-based gaming models in Eurasia and the Middle East. The panel will bring together Tiago Almeida (CEO, Oddsgate), Andrew Gellatly (Executive Director, Alderney Gambling Control Commission), Stefan Kovach (Founder & CEO, RARER THINGS), Melissa E. Lamb (Director of Sales – Luxury, Payhound), and Tom Waterhouse (Chief Investment Officer, Waterhouse VC) to examine how operators can maximise increasing crypto-adoption while maintaining compliance and responsible frameworks.
Crossing Borders: Cross-Selling in Balkan Markets will bring together regional experts to explore how businesses can thrive in culturally connected markets while navigating diverse regulatory frameworks. Dan Alexandru Ghiță (President, Rombet), Ivan Gojic (Chief Sportsbook Officer, Entain CEE), Rossi McKee (Vice President, CT Gaming), Alexander Popov (Director of Supervision, Gambling & Gambling Activities Directorate, National Revenue Agency (Bulgaria)), Marinos Shiapanis (Co-Founder & CEO, Campeon Gaming), and Artem Skrypnyk (CEO, Favbet Tech) will share their insights on building a consistent brand across multiple jurisdictions without compromising compliance.
Inside the UAE’s Ambitious Vision: Building a World-Class, Regulated, and Responsible Gaming Market from the Ground Up will examine the UAE’s move towards adopting a regulated gambling framework. Garret Greene (SVP Global Relationships, SBC), Christina Hu (Chief Strategy Officer, Momentum), Kevin Mullally (CEO, GCGRA), David Patent (EVP, Wynn Al Marjan Island), Lauralyn Sandoval (Vice President Gaming Strategy and Business Development, Aristocrat), will explore what a regulated betting framework in the region could look like and how the UAE’s approach could influence neighbouring jurisdictions and reshape global perceptions of gaming in the Middle East.
The Emerging Markets: Eurasia & The Middle East track forms part of SBC Summit’s Emerging Markets stage, alongside sessions analysing iGaming and sports betting growth in Africa (Tuesday, 16 September) and Asia (Thursday, 18 September).
Secure your ticket to SBC Summit 2025 today.
Choose from three pass types: VIP Event Pass, Expo+ Pass, or Expo Only Pass. Please note that an Expo Only Pass does not include access to conference panels.
Our Group VIP Event Pass offers three tickets at €400 each (down from €600)—ideal for attending with your team.
Operators and affiliates are eligible for a complimentary passes, simply apply here.
The post Eurasia and the Middle East in Focus at SBC Summit 2025 Emerging Markets Stage appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Nagoshi Studio Unveils GANG OF DRAGON, a New Action-Adventure Game from Director Toshihiro Nagoshi
Steam page: store.steampowered.com/app/4146000/
GANG OF DRAGON
is a new action-adventure game set in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo’s iconic nightlife district. Protagonist Shin Ji-seong is a high-ranking member of a Korean crime syndicate, and is portrayed by celebrated Korean actor Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee).This new story will engage players in an exciting way and showcase increadible graphics for an action packed adventure. Viewers of The Game Awards were the first to get a look at the new footage!
About Toshihiro Nagoshi
The post Nagoshi Studio Unveils GANG OF DRAGON, a New Action-Adventure Game from Director Toshihiro Nagoshi appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Blask & Gamblers Connect Enter A New Media Partnership
Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming affiliate and media platform, is proud to announce a new media partnership with Blask, a leading AI-powered analytics ecosystem dedicated to the iGaming industry.
This collaboration marks a pivotal step in the company’s mission to provide the most accurate, transparent, and data-backed content. Under the terms of this agreement, Blask will provide Gamblers Connect with complete access to its cutting-edge market intelligence platform.
This suite includes the Blask Index and real-time data tracking across more than 100 jurisdictions, allowing for granular analysis of market dynamics, brand performance, and player behaviour. By integrating these professional-grade tools into the editorial process, Gamblers Connect will elevate the depth and precision of its industry reporting.
The cornerstone of this partnership is a commitment to sharing knowledge with the wider iGaming community. Gamblers Connect will produce four exclusive case studies throughout 2026. Released once per quarter, these comprehensive reports will utilise Blask’s advanced analytics to uncover emerging trends, benchmark operator performance, and provide actionable insights for industry stakeholders.
This alliance represents a shared vision for a more transparent iGaming sector. By combining Blask’s technological prowess with Gamblers Connect’s editorial expertise, the aim is to set a new standard for data-driven journalism.
Max Tesla, Blask CEO, commented: “Partnering with Gamblers Connect is a natural step for Blask. We are building an ecosystem of transparent analytics that empowers the industry, and GC is one of the few media partners that truly values data and knows how to work with it. I’m confident this collaboration will strengthen both sides and deliver more accurate, trustworthy, and insight-driven content to the iGaming community.”
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder & CEO at Gamblers Connect, added: “Partnering with Blask allows us to combine their strong analytical framework with our media expertise. It’s a collaboration grounded in trust and mutual respect, with the shared goal of delivering meaningful and measurable results to the industry.”
The post Blask & Gamblers Connect Enter A New Media Partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Law enforcement officers from Kazakhstan eliminated the organized financial criminal group organized by Vadim Gordievsky, Larisa Ivchenko, and Alyona Suvorova from Ukraine
The law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan have effectively eliminated the organized criminal group created by Vadim Gordievsky from Ukraine and his accomplices, Larisa Ivchenko and Alyona Suvorova. Even though the law enforcement agencies managed to block accounts and payments of the Marginplus Company, key employees and management are still hiding.
According to the media, just a few days ago, the Financial Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan revealed a large-scale shady scheme of cross-border transfers that involved numerous payment organizations and providers. The funds were disguised as legal transactions and withdrawn to the accounts of online casinos. The total volume of illegal transactions exceeded more than $1 billion.
According to law enforcement authorities in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the key organizer of the miscoding scheme, which involved bookmakers, online casinos, payment organizations, and bank employees, is Vadim Ivanovich Gordievsky from Ukraine, who was born in 1974. He was the leader of the organized criminal group and used the local Marginplus Company for these purposes (official website: marginplus.kz). In addition to companies from Kazakhstan, Gordievsky also worked with illegal Russian online casinos while helping them to facilitate illegal payments.
According to new information from law enforcement agencies in the Republic of Kazakhstan, banks and bookmakers, including the local PIN-UP bookmaker, have already terminated all cooperation with Gordievsky’s Marginplus company.
According to informburo.kz, the local licensed Pin-Up.Kz bookmaker (legal entity: Bonami LLP) declares that it has nothing to do with transactions carried out by individual payment organizations. Judicial and criminal proceedings have already been initiated against these structures, and the company itself is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies to establish all the circumstances and identify fraudulent, shady schemes.
According to unofficial information, the Pin-Up management provided the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan with all the data related to the Marginplus company belonging to Vadim Gordievsky.
As of today, all financial activities of Marginplus have been paralyzed. In addition, large amounts of money have been blocked in its bank accounts. This money should have been paid to partners, contractors, and providers, including the local Parimatch betting company. Ordinary employees of Vadim Gordievsky’s company are already looking for new work while its management, including Larisa Vladimirovna Ivchenko (listed as the head of Gordievsky’s FC Alta Capital from Ukraine), is still hiding. Alyona (Elena) Suvorova has already closed and renamed her social media profiles a few days ago. In addition, she does not respond to messages and is trying to evade responsibility.
We would like to remind the audience that Alyona Suvorova positions herself “as an entrepreneur, investor, and a crypto trader with 5+ years of experience.” According to Suvorova herself, she has been developing payment technologies in the field of FinTech for 10 years. In 2021, she opened her own business for international crypto transfers. In addition, she is the founder of the Lemoncoin Crypto Academy.
According to investigators, Gordievsky’s partner, Mikhail Kovalev (Mykhaylo Kovalov), who is a citizen of both Ukraine and Israel, as well as an owner of a number of companies in the EU, in particular, in Poland, and who has a residence permit in Spain, was closely working with Gordievsky. By using the STABLEX SOLUTION Sp. z o. o fictitious company (official website: solvexs.pl) in Poland, he was engaged in illegal payments and withdrawal of cryptocurrencies into fiat money.
At the same time, as the source notes, the mentioned management and the people involved in the money laundering of Marginplus Company will be added to the wanted list of Interpol in the nearest future. The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan has also announced that it’s going to closely monitor this case. According to local laws, participants of this shady scheme face up to nine years in prison. Information on Vadim Gordievsky’s companies and connections in other countries is also being checked.
After the initiation of criminal cases for financial crimes, fraud, and the announcement of his wanted list by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vadim Gordievsky left Ukraine on forged documents. Before diving into the world of financial fraud, he was involved in land and property issues in the Kyiv region. As of today, numerous criminal cases have been initiated.
The post Law enforcement officers from Kazakhstan eliminated the organized financial criminal group organized by Vadim Gordievsky, Larisa Ivchenko, and Alyona Suvorova from Ukraine appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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