Conferences
Institute for Gambling Regulation Curates Responsible Gaming & Player Safety Day at HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026
HIPTHER is proud to announce the Responsible Gaming & Player Safety Day of HIPTHER Prague Summit, curated by the Institute for Gambling Regulation (IPRH). This special section is scheduled for Day 2 (25 March) of the Main Focus Stage at HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026.
The thematic day will focus on current issues related to safer gambling, player protection, regulatory trends, compliance, and illegal gambling and its emerging forms. It will bring together legal experts, regulators, safer gambling specialists, and representatives of the gaming industry to discuss how approaches to safer gambling, consumer protection, and the sustainable development of the legal market are evolving across Europe. Attention will also be given to the way new trends in illegal gambling weaken player protection and why tackling the illegal market is an essential part of the debate on a safer gambling environment.
IPRH has long been regarded as a respected voice in the field of gambling regulation, with its representatives regularly contributing to expert discussions on legislation, public policy, and practical player protection tools in the Czech Republic and across the wider Central European region. Its cooperation with HIPTHER builds on a shared ambition to connect innovation in the sector with responsible governance, regulatory dialogue, and a strong public-interest perspective.
Three Key Topics to Watch
Alongside the broader discussion on developments across Europe, the programme will also highlight several concrete topics that are currently shaping both the market and the regulatory debate.
IRIS: one player, one view, across operators
One of the main highlights of the programme will be the presentation of IRIS, a project that introduces a new perspective on player protection. What makes it unique is that it does not look at risky behaviour solely within a single operator’s environment, but through the lens of one player across multiple operators. This approach has the potential to significantly improve early risk detection and strengthen player protection in practice. The current stage of the project will be presented by Petr Rybák, Project Manager of IRIS.
How much does illegal gambling cost the Czech Republic?
Another key session will feature a new economic study by the Centre for Economic and Market Analyses (CETA) focused on illegal gambling in the Czech Republic. The study will provide data on the scale of the illegal market, the volume of money lost outside the legal sector, and the related losses in tax revenues. Its findings will be presented by Jakub Žofčák, one of the study’s authors.
Can the IPRH model expand beyond the Czech Republic?
An important part of the programme will also be a panel discussion featuring representatives of the Czech, Slovak, and newly emerging Polish institutes. The debate will focus on cross-border cooperation in addressing shared issues in regulation and player protection. It will also explore whether the IPRH model can be transferred to other countries. IPRH is not a traditional industry association, but a unique platform bringing together business, regulators, public authorities, experts, and addiction specialists into one functional ecosystem and one shared discussion.
A Programme Connecting Law, Regulation, Research, and Practice
The Responsible Gaming & Player Safety Day will offer a series of expert discussions on regulatory developments, modern player protection tools, responsible marketing, and cross-border cooperation between regulators, experts, and operators.
The programme brings together a broad range of respected professionals from the legal, regulatory, research, and operational sides of the industry. Confirmed speakers include, among others:
- Petr Kozák, Lawyer and Secretary General at IPRH
- Petr Rybák, Institute for Gambling Regulation (IPRH)
- Jan Řehola, Director at IPRH and Partner at PS Legal
- Šimon Vincze, Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling at Casino Guru
- Bill Pascrell III, Partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group
- Martin Lycka, Vice President Institutional Affairs at Oddin.gg
- Nika Gigashvili, CEO and Partner at SMH Global
- Václav Ulrich, Co-founder of the Institute for Gambling Regulation
- Jakub Žofčák, Centre for Economic and Market Analyses (CETA)
- Alina Tace, Partner at WH Simion & Partners
- Olesea Naidion, Brand Manager at Nightrush
- Dan Illovici, Vice President at ROMBET
- Dávid Lenčéš, Executive Director Institute for Gambling Regulation of the Slovak Republic
- Justyna Grusza-Głębicka, Attorney-at-law and Founder at Kancelaria Adwokacka dr Justyna Grusza-Głębicka
Participants can expect practical insights from different jurisdictions as well as discussion on how regulatory requirements, innovation, and the long-term sustainable development of the legal market can be effectively aligned.
A Shared Commitment to a Safer Market
The cooperation between HIPTHER and the Institute for Gambling Regulation reflects a shared commitment to promoting safer gambling and encouraging informed dialogue between regulators, experts, and market representatives.
“As the gaming environment continues to evolve, so must our approach to player protection. This dedicated day gives us an opportunity to show how technology, data, research, and responsibility can work together in the field of safer gambling. We look forward to discussing how modern regulatory frameworks and practical tools can contribute to a safer and more sustainable environment for all stakeholders,” said Petr Kozák, Lawyer and Secretary General at IPRH.
The Responsible Gaming & Player Safety Day will form a central part of the 10-year anniversary edition of HIPTHER Prague Summit, bringing together leaders from gaming, fintech, AI, blockchain, and regulatory sectors for two days of discussions shaping the future of the industry.
Secure your place at HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026
The post Institute for Gambling Regulation Curates Responsible Gaming & Player Safety Day at HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
Groove joins SiGMA Asia panel on resilience of Asian iGaming licensing
Groove will take part in a regulation-focused panel at SiGMA Summit Asia, with CEO Yahale Meltzer attending and Business Development Director Giusy Campo speaking on the session titled “Jurisdiction Jungle: Who Rules Asia’s iGaming Empire?”.
According to the company, the panel will examine whether Asian licensing regimes can hold up under enforcement, cross-border scrutiny, banking pressure and rising compliance requirements. Topics slated for discussion include audit readiness, payment disruption, tax enforcement, evolving AML expectations and geopolitical shifts.
Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “The conversation in Asia has matured significantly. Operators are no longer asking just about content volume or time-to-market. They are asking about structural resilience: how a platform handles a studio API failure without impacting player experience, what the data sovereignty protocols are, and whether the compliance architecture is defensive or reactive|”
Campo added: “In a region where banking pressure and regulatory expectations shift rapidly, the platforms that survive will be the ones that built integrity into their stack from the first line of code, not the ones scrambling to patch it in later.” Meltzer said: “The ‘Jurisdiction Jungle’ is not a metaphor for growth; it is a reality for every operator trying to scale across Asia’s fragmented regulatory landscape.” He added: “The mistake some make is treating compliance as a hurdle to clear. We treat it as a design constraint from day one. If your architecture is not built to generate verifiable, immutable audit trails for every transaction, you are not actually ready for Asia’s top tier. Our presence at SiGMA Summit Asia is about having serious conversations with operators who understand that trade-off.”
Groove said it has published a White Paper on navigating the Asian iGaming market, available on its website, and positioned its SiGMA Summit Asia attendance as part of a broader push in Asia following recent expansion moves into LatAm and Africa.
The post Groove joins SiGMA Asia panel on resilience of Asian iGaming licensing appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Baltics
HIPTHER Celebrates Estonia’s Startup Ecosystem & Tallinn Homecoming with Eestistartup
HIPTHER is proud to announce a new community-driven initiative for HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026, opening 50 fully complimentary delegate passes for members of Eestistartup.ee, one of Estonia’s largest startup communities, bringing together more than 1,000 startups across the country’s fast-growing innovation ecosystem.
The initiative is launched in collaboration with Daniel Gunba, founder of Eestistartup, long-standing friend of the #hipthers community, and recurring HIPTHER conference speaker. Designed as a friendship project rooted in shared respect for Estonia’s founders and innovators, the initiative aims to support local startup access to international industry dialogue, networking, and business opportunities.
Taking place on 2 June 2026 at Hilton Tallinn Park, HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 will explore Digital Governance, Startup Innovation, Nordic Market Expansion, fintech, compliance, AI, digital identity, investment, and regulated technology ecosystems — making the collaboration a natural fit for Estonia’s startup community.
Through the initiative, selected Eestistartup members will receive full access to the conference programme, networking sessions, lunch, and the evening networking party, including one complimentary drink.
More than a delegate pass, the initiative reflects HIPTHER’s commitment to opening doors for ambitious builders, connecting founders with decision-makers, and celebrating Tallinn’s role as one of Europe’s most dynamic centres for digital governance, entrepreneurship, and technology leadership.
As HIPTHER OÜ proudly calls Estonia home, Tallinn 2026 carries special meaning for the #hipthers team. The event represents both a regional milestone and a homecoming — a chance to bring HIPTHER’s international community closer to the founders, innovators, and tech leaders shaping Estonia’s next chapter.
“Estonia has always represented something bigger than just a startup ecosystem. It’s a mindset, practical innovation, digital-first thinking, and founders who build without waiting for permission. As HIPTHER OÜ proudly calls Estonia home, creating this initiative together with Daniel and the Eestistartup community felt natural. Tallinn 2026 is not just another conference stop for us; it’s a chance to give back, open doors, and connect local builders with an international network of decision-makers, investors, and innovators. Also, let’s be honest… in Estonia, even bureaucracy somehow feels like it runs on startup logic.” said Zoltan Tundik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER.
The collaboration with Eestistartup strengthens HIPTHER Tallinn’s mission to bring together startup founders, regulators, investors, fintech leaders, gaming and tech companies, compliance experts, and digital policy voices in one focused, high-value environment.
With Estonia widely recognised for its digital-first mindset and startup success stories, Tallinn offers the ideal setting for conversations that move beyond theory and into practical ecosystem growth, cross-border cooperation, and future-ready innovation.
Daniel Gunba, Founder of the Eestistartup Community, commented: “Through the collaboration between the Estonian startup community and HIPTHER, we are opening the doors for industry professionals to connect with our startup founders. This is the moment when the crowd will experience 100% synergy between founders who have been on the market for many years and founders who are ready to create, explore, and grow.
Estonia has always been a talent hub, and I am happy that together with Zoltan and his team, we found a way to empower it even more!”
HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn will serve as the grand finale of the 2026 HIPTHER Baltics series, following the highly successful Vilnius and Riga editions, and will also host the HIPTHER Baltic & Nordics Gaming Awards Ceremony & Closing Party.
Complimentary passes for Eestistartup members are limited to 50 and available through the official application form.
Apply here: https://hipther.com/events/tallinn/eestistartup/
Event information: https://hipther.com/events/tallinn/
The post HIPTHER Celebrates Estonia’s Startup Ecosystem & Tallinn Homecoming with Eestistartup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Canada
Digicode to showcase Diger Suite at SBC Summit Canada 2026
Digicode will showcase its Diger Suite at SBC Summit Canada, taking place in Toronto from May 19–21, 2026.
At the event, the company will highlight how its product suite addresses evolving technical and partnership demands in Canada’s regulated iGaming market.
As the market moves beyond initial entry and into a phase defined by performance, scalability, and compliance, operators are re-evaluating their technology foundations.
Digicode’s Diger Suite is built to support this shift, offering a modular architecture that enables faster adaptation to regulatory changes, improved system reliability, and more efficient operations.
Aligned with the summit’s 2026 theme, “Partnerships, Performance, and Market Reality,” Digicode will demonstrate how its technology supports sustainable growth.
The Diger Suite equips operators with tools to manage complex integrations, streamline localized payment processing, and ensure compliance with responsible gaming requirements.
Its AI-driven framework automates backend workflows while maintaining strict standards for security and uptime.
“The Canadian market has entered the phase of operational maturity where the focus is no longer on expansion alone but on improving efficiency and long-term profitability,” said Elkhan Shabanov, CEO of Digicode Americas.
Operators are looking for solutions that not only meet regulatory demands but also enable them to scale efficiently and maintain control over their platforms.”
During the summit, Digicode’s team will engage with industry stakeholders on topics including AI adoption in product development, modernization of legacy systems, and the transition away from traditional SaaS and revenue-share models toward full platform ownership.
The company aims to help operators regain control of their technology stack, reduce dependency on third-party vendors, and build scalable, compliant solutions tailored to their business needs.
About Digicode
Digicode is a full-cycle AI-enabled product development company that designs and delivers enterprise digital solutions for organizations in complex, regulated environments.
Digicode supports clients with enterprise systems, integrations, and long-term software development. The company operates internationally and prioritizes projects where ownership and technical responsibility remain with the client.
The post Digicode to showcase Diger Suite at SBC Summit Canada 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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