Having built its reputation as a trusted geolocation partner for North American gambling operators, Xpoint is now setting its sights on Europe. With Italy as its entry point, the company is looking to bring the same compliance precision and seamless player experience it has delivered stateside to a continent where regulatory boundaries are anything but straightforward. CEO Manu Gambhir sets out what is driving the expansion.
With a previous focus on the North American gambling market, what is driving your expansion into Europe now?
Our success in North America has given us an understanding of the complexities around geolocation as well as invaluable insights into what operators truly need from a geolocation provider. We have spent years building technology that balances compliance precision with user experience, and we have seen firsthand how critical that balance is. Europe presents a natural next step as markets like Italy have sophisticated regulatory frameworks and operators who understand the value of reliable geolocation. Our technology already handles complex multi-jurisdictional scenarios in the US where you might have different rules between states, or even between counties. That granular precision translates well to markets where regulatory boundaries don’t always follow national borders. We are not just looking to export our North American solution, we aim to bring our proven technology and adapting it to meet European requirements.
You mentioned Italy, how does Xpoint’s approach address that market’s specific compliance needs?
In Italy, geolocation rules for online gambling have recently undergone a massive overhaul. As of late 2025, the regulatory body Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) has transitioned the country into one of the strictest geolocation and identity verification frameworks in Europe. The core principle is simple. To gamble on an Italian-licensed site, you must be physically located within Italian borders. The complexity is added with the requirement of excluding specific territories like Vatican City and San Marino which are not covered by the local gambling laws. Some regional legislation also dictates safe distances from military zones, schools and places of worship which operators need to block activity from.
The ADM now also requires operators to use multi-layered location verification and to implement anti-spoofing technology, blocking access if VPN, proxies or Remote Desktop Software is detected.
Italy’s regulatory environment is rigorous, and rightfully so. Our approach has always been to work closely with regulators rather than simply meeting minimum standards. We are now focused on understanding ADM’s requirements around player location verification and responsible gambling measures.
What lessons from the North American market are most applicable as you expand into Europe?
The biggest lesson is that geolocation technology must be invisible when it works and transparent when questions arise. Operators in North America initially worried that location checks would create friction in the player experience. We have proven that accurate geolocation can happen seamlessly as players barely notice it. But when disputes arise, or when regulators have questions, our audit trails and documentation provide complete clarity. European operators have the same concerns, and we’re looking to bring solutions that have already solved them at scale.
Beyond Italy, what’s your broader vision for Xpoint’s presence in Europe?
Italy is our intended entry point, but we are also starting to look at Europe as a whole. In the US, we are seeing the use cases for geolocation evolve, with certain states like Illinois, introducing a higher levy in one county, making it even more important to identify the exact location of players. Similar challenges may emerge in Europe, too.
We are currently in a learning phase about Europe and what each market might need. As we have found in North America, what will definitely be essential is local expertise, responsive support, and technology that evolves appropriately with each market’s regulatory landscape.
