Conferences in Europe
New Gamification Academy at SBC Summit to Present Fresh Approaches to Player Engagement
With gamification emerging as a driving force in the casino industry, SBC Summit introduces the Gamification Academy, an initiative built to confront pain points in engagement, retention, loyalty, and differentiation by exploring what truly keeps players coming back.
Launched in partnership with leading iGaming turnkey solutions provider Soft2Bet, the Gamification Academy will take place on Tuesday, 16th September, at the Sala Tejo, MEO Arena.
The programme forms part of SBC’s newly introduced Tech Academies, a series of immersive learning streams designed to arm summit attendees with practical know-how in AI, marketing, Web 3.0 & blockchain, and gamification.
Delegates can anticipate discussions examining the role of personalisation in driving loyalty, strategies for balancing gamified features with brand authenticity, and honest reflections on both the successes and challenges of gamification in the industry.
“Gamification has transformed how people interact with digital products across industries, and iGaming is no exception,” SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark said.
“Players now expect fun, engaging, and rewarding experiences, and that’s exactly what gamification delivers. The Gamification Academy will show the industry how to apply these proven principles to build deeper connections, keep players returning, and create more meaningful player journeys,” he added.
Kicking off the Academy, Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer Yoel Zuckerberg will lead the ‘Introduction to Gamification & Player Engagement’ workshop. Setting the stage for the day, the session offers a comprehensive overview of gamification’s power and how it has shaped the industry in recent years.
Chief Business Development Officer Toni Jermaniš (SofaScore), CEO & Co-Founder Josh Jones (Rise & Hustle), and Senior Solutions Engineer Alec Gehlot (Optimove) will focus on the player retention angle through their ‘Why Personalisation is the Key to Retention‘ panel moderated by Soft2Bet’s Chief Business Development Officer Martin Collins. The session will explore how tailored offers, customisable interfaces, and personalised recommendations are giving players more control over their experience and, in turn, strengthening loyalty and long-term value.
Following a networking break, two case studies will spotlight real-world lessons from gamification, dissecting what works, what doesn’t, and how to measure success.
First up is the case study titled “Baking in Gamification During Design”, led by Alexis Wicen (CEO, Scatters Group). In this session, delegates can learn how to weave gamification into their products without losing brand authenticity. Drawing on real-world examples, the session will examine where brands have succeeded in integrating gamification into their games and platforms, and where they have fallen short, showing delegates how to approach gamification more effectively in their own projects.
The second case study, ‘The Metrics of Gamification’, will examine where the impact of gamification is most evident and how brands can measure it effectively. Featuring Uri Admon (CEO, Captain Up), the session will cover key factors such as retention, loyalty, engagement, revenue, and player enjoyment, helping delegates understand how to balance player needs with company goals.
The Academy will close with ‘The Five Steps of Gamification,’ a panel hosted by Soft2Bet’s Head of Sales, Alon Eshed, joined by Helen Walton (Founder & CCO, G Games), David Olim (CEO, FootAR), and Tom Jang Lemke (CEO and Founder, SavageTech). By breaking down the fundamental building blocks of gamification, including rewards, progression, competition, and storytelling, the session will highlight how these principles form the foundation of more engaging and personalised player experiences.
The Gamification Academy will feature at the upcoming SBC Summit 2025, SBC’s global flagship event, taking place at Feira Internacional de Lisboa and MEO Arena from 16–18 September. The summit will also host a six-track conference, a 135,000 square meter exhibition, the Affiliate Leaders Summit and Payment Expert Summit, plus a full schedule of evening networking events.
Participation in the Tech Academies is exclusively for VIP Event Pass and Expo+ holders only.
You can RSVP to attend our tech academies here.
VIP Event Pass: Access to the show floor, all networking areas and conference sessions, complimentary food and drink from the summit’s food festival and access to exclusive evening networking sessions and parties.
Group VIP Event Pass: Get your passes for just €400 each when you purchase for three or more people (a saving of €200 per ticket!) – perfect for bringing your team along.
Expo+ Pass: Access to the show floor, conference sessions and daytime networking only.
Expo Only Pass: Our free option, which gives you access to the show floor only. This is perfect for individuals from outside the gaming industry who want to explore potential partnerships. Please note that this will not grant you access to our academies.
Operator and Affiliate Passes: Operators and affiliates are eligible for a free VIP event pass. Simply apply.
The post New Gamification Academy at SBC Summit to Present Fresh Approaches to Player Engagement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Conferences in Europe
HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025 Marks Record Attendance and Announces Marek Plota as Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The 2025 edition of the European Gaming Congress (EGC) closed its doors in Warsaw with record-breaking attendance, a strengthened industry footprint, and an announcement that marks a new chapter for HIPTHER’s European expansion: in 2026, EGC officially evolves into the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit with renowned legal expert Marek Plota appointed as its first Ambassador.
Held across two content-rich stages – the Compliance & Operations Lad and the TechXperience Stage – alongside the hands-on HIPTHER Academy Workshops, EGC 2025 delivered its most ambitious program to date. Attendance has now tripled compared to its reintroduction in 2023, establishing Warsaw as one of the most dynamic conversation hubs for gaming, compliance, and tech in Europe.
A European Outlook With Global Relevance
The Compliance & Operations Lab brought together regulators, lawyers, and industry specialists for a panoramic review of the evolving European ecosystem. Discussions spanned the Polish market’s legal framework, cross-border compliance from Paris to Berlin, key CEE territories, the Czech Republic and Romania, and an outlook on emerging priorities in the Baltics. Experts also explored global trends with a timely update on several LATAM jurisdictions.
A highlight of the Agenda was the IMGL Masterclass – “Regulators, Legislators, and the Power of One Voice: A Legal Strategy for Industry Unity” – which explored the future of collaborative governance and harmonization.
Fintech, taxation, licensing, and responsible gaming standards added essential layers to a program designed to help operators and suppliers navigate an increasingly interconnected regulatory landscape.
Tech, Innovation, and the Human Factor
On the TechXperience Stage, conversations shifted to the future:
– AI for competitive advantage
– The evolution of esports and startup innovation
– AEO & SEO trends redefining discoverability
– Personalization and the new player journey
– Cyber resilience in iGaming
– Strategic Event Preparation in B2B PR, Marketing & BizDev
These sessions brought together marketing leaders, technologists, founders, and innovators across iGaming, fintech, digital entertainment, and cybersecurity, underlining Warsaw’s emerging status as a cross-industry meeting point in Europe.
A Key Voice: Marek Plota’s Impactful Participation
Throughout the Congress, Marek Plota – Founding Attorney at RM Legal & Gaming in Poland – played a leading role as both moderator and speaker. His contributions spanned Poland’s gambling framework, European lessons for CEE markets, and strategic taxation and licensing standards. He also brought legal depth to the IMGL Masterclass, adding critical clarity to one of the most pressing topics for operators in the region.
Marek’s widely respected presence across national and international gaming markets, combined with his years-long collaboration with HIPTHER as panelist, moderator, sponsor, and advisor, made this year’s Congress a natural moment to formalize the partnership.
Introducing the Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit
HIPTHER is proud to announce Marek Plota as the Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit, beginning with the 2026 edition.
In his own words: “It’s a real honor to serve as an ambassador for the Hipther Warsaw Summit and the European Gaming Congress. My collaboration with Zoltan Tundik and the Hipther team goes back many years as a panelist, moderator, sponsor, and above all, as a friend. These events are truly unique in the global gaming and gambling conference calendar — intimate, insightful, and refreshingly personal. Unlike the vast expos, Hipther events give people a genuine chance to meet, talk, and exchange ideas without walking 50,000 steps from one meeting to another. We are already looking forward to the next editions and to working together to make these conferences a true must-have for everyone in the industry.”
Marek is a founder and a head of the legal team at RM Legal Law Firm and Gaming In Poland, jointly providing multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional support for leading international gambling operators in the Polish, European Union, and African markets. His gambling practice includes regulatory support at the pre and post-licensing stage, IT, and taxation services, as well as the unique service of performing a function of a gambling representative. RM Legal is the only law firm in Poland representing offshore companies operating legally in the Polish gambling market. Apart from gambling Marek specializes in corporate commercial law and international investment projects.
A New Era for Warsaw, Europe, and the Global Market
The transition from EGC to the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit marks a strategic evolution with HIPTHER enhancing the region’s growing importance: Poland now stands as a crossroads of regulatory influence, iGaming innovation, and international market expansion – connecting Western Europe, CEE, and fast-emerging global markets, from Africa to LATAM.
In 2026, the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit will continue shaping the conversations and connections that define the future of gaming and tech.
HIPTHER looks forward to welcoming the industry back to Warsaw next year for an even bigger, more influential, and more globally connected event – assisted by the expertise and vision of its new Ambassador.
The post HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025 Marks Record Attendance and Announces Marek Plota as Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
ADMIRAL Pay
NOVOMATIC Italia Showcases Innovation and Responsible Growth at SiGMA 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes
NOVOMATIC Italia played a key role at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, one of the leading international events for the gaming and digital technology industry, which was held in Rome from November 4 to 6. The Group showcased ADMIRAL Pay, the payment institution authorised by the Bank of Italy, and Quigioco, its online gaming brand, presenting an integrated and sustainable vision for the future of payments and digital entertainment.
The synergy between the Quigioco gaming platform and ADMIRAL Pay was at the heart of NOVOMATIC Italia’s presence at SiGMA Central Europe 2025 was. This integrated solution offers legal gaming operators a concrete response to the ongoing transformation of the market, particularly in terms of regulatory compliance.
The combined structure of Quigioco and ADMIRAL Pay ensures fully compliant financial flow management by providing operators with technologically advanced tools that are aligned with the latest Italian legislative requirements. This infrastructure represents an integrated payment system and a complete digital ecosystem that is designed to support operators in an increasingly regulated and competitive market. The model is complemented by B2C solutions, including APay E-Wallet and APay Card, which interface seamlessly with the B2B architecture to expand additional growth opportunities.
Driving the market with technology and security
The collaboration between ADMIRAL Pay and Quigioco marks a key milestone for the Italian market: by adopting integrated digital payment systems, online gaming platforms can now deliver increasingly personalized and secure experiences to their users.
ADMIRAL Pay technology enables rapid conversion between cash and digital currency, ensuring instant and secure transactions that meet the highest international standards. For PVRs (Punti Vendita Ricarica: venues authorised to sell recharges for online gaming) and operators, this means access to an advanced payment tool that simplifies operations and guarantees efficiency, even during peak periods.
Meeting new regulatory and market demands
The digital payments and gaming sector in Italy is now subject to increasingly stringent regulatory standards that are designed to ensure maximum security, traceability and transparency. The integration of Quigioco and ADMIRAL Pay fully meets these requirements, offering a unique solution that strengthens compliance while enhancing the customer experience. By managing financial flows in a compliant manner, operators can reduce risks and provide players with immediate and secure access to their funds. This model translates into trust and long-term loyalty, creating value across the entire supply chain.
Responsibility and leadership: the pillars of the future
SiGMA Central Europe 2025 was also an opportunity to highlight NOVOMATIC’s commitment to promoting responsible gaming and continuous product innovation. The target is to maintain industry leadership by investing in technologies that not only enhance the user experience but also ensure maximum player protection and operator transparency.
“Our goal is to extend the success and expertise that have always defined NOVOMATIC Italia in the land-based sector into the digital world. We want to offer operators and players an integrated ecosystem that combines technology, security, and innovation, reaffirming our Group’s leadership in online gaming,” said Markus Buechele, CEO of NOVOMATIC Italia.
This strategic vision was recognized when NOVOMATIC Italia received the “B2B Industry Leader Italy 2025” award at the SiGMA B2B Awards, in honour of the company’s excellence and ongoing commitment to an innovative, responsible and sustainable approach to development. The Group is not only addressing evolving market and regulatory challenges but also paving the way for a future in which innovation and sustainability move forward together.
Through ADMIRAL Pay, Quigioco and the major innovations showcased at SiGMA, NOVOMATIC Italia demonstrates how the convergence of digital payments and online gaming can drive growth, security, and long-term sustainability across the industry. By being built on innovation, responsibility and strategic vision, this model is positioning the company at the forefront of a tech-driven and sustainable future.
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2026 iGaming Trends Report
Presenting Industry Trends and Celebrating 100 Brands: SOFTSWISS Shines at SiGMA Central Europe
Reading Time: 2 minutes
SOFTSWISS, a global tech leader in iGaming solutions, has wrapped up a remarkable showcase at SiGMA Central Europe 2025. From the launch of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report to the live-built Alfa Romeo 4C handover, the company once again demonstrated why it stands as the industry’s leading technology provider and creative pioneer.
One of the main highlights of the event was the official release of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report. The fourth edition offers a data-driven overview of the macro- and microtrends shaping the future of iGaming – from the industrialisation of AI to regulatory shifts, cybersecurity evolution, and the rise of brand trust.
To mark the launch, SOFTSWISS hosted the 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon, a four-hour live event featuring global thought leaders. In the opening panel discussion, Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, Heathcliff Farrugia, COO of SiGMA, and Pierre Lindh, CEO of NEXT.io, arranged the ‘Ultimate Forecast Duel,’ exploring which trends will define the industry’s next chapter.
Another key moment was the Alfa Romeo 4C gifting, organised to celebrate the launch of the 100th brand powered by SOFTSWISS software in 2025. The sports car, assembled live during the expo at the SOFTSWISS stand, became a symbol of the company’s engineering precision and team spirit.
During a special ceremony, Ivan Montik handed over the keys to one of SOFTSWISS’ valued partners, Lottu, represented by Hugo Baungartner, Chief Business Officer, marking another milestone in a long-standing partnership based on trust and shared success.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 36,700 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post Presenting Industry Trends and Celebrating 100 Brands: SOFTSWISS Shines at SiGMA Central Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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