ICE Barcelona 2025: CEOs discuss challenges and strategies at Day 2

David Briggs, co-founder and director at GeoComply, moderated the session with panelists Fabio Schiavolin, CEO of Snaitech Group, Gavin Isaacs, CEO of Entain and Per Widerström, CEO of Evoke plc.

The unregulated elephant in the room

The panel tackled the ever-present tension between regulated and unregulated markets.  David Briggs immediately highlighted the central conflict: how can regulated operators manage growth while grappling with the expansion of the unregulated sector?

Gavin Isaacs captured the core challenge: “Which market is growing faster? The unregulated or the regulated? I don’t know, is the answer.” He explained that the uncertainty stems from the inherent difficulty in accurately measuring the scale of unregulated activity.  While he acknowledged steady growth in regulated markets, he noted that, likewise, “the unregulated markets are growing,” a statement corroborated by Per Widerström’s observation of “tremendous growth” in certain jurisdictions.  Widerström warned that there is “clearly a time window now that needs to be addressed.”  He added that success depends heavily on jurisdictions.  The obvious lack of comprehensive data on the unregulated sector, a point emphasised by Fabio Schiavolin, clearly hampered a precise comparison. 

Walking a tightrope between innovation and regulation

The panel explored the difficulties faced by regulated operators in balancing innovation with compliance.  David Briggs recounted a personal anecdote illustrating this tension, referencing a regulatory rebuke of an innovative bonus programme. His story illustrated the challenges of introducing innovative products in a highly regulated environment where even beneficial practices can be perceived as unfair competition.

Per Widerström highlighted the need for a regulatory framework that is both “fit for purpose” and “future proof.” He emphasised the importance of a “regulation environment that is fit for purpose, future proof to start with, that is in the best interest of all the parties based on regulation and player protection.”  This focus on consumer protection and responsible gaming became a recurring theme throughout the discussion.  Gavin Isaacs highlighted the speed of innovation as a key challenge. He argued that while creating innovative games isn’t inherently difficult, “It’s the speed that’s the issue”.  The rapid copying of successful games from the regulated to the unregulated sphere stresses the need for agile responses and intellectual property protection in the regulated space.

Convergence or fragmentation?

In their responses to a question posed by SiGMA News as to whether they see more convergence happening on a possible common regulatory framework, Per Widerström, while expressing a belief in the potential harmonisation of regulations within the European Union, realistically assessed that such convergence is unlikely in the next three to five years. He explained, “I truly believe in European harmonisation…which has not really happened.”  His response acknowledges the current state of regulatory fragmentation and highlights the inherent challenges involved in achieving broader harmonisation across different jurisdictions.