SiGMA Central Europe 2025, igaming world’s most anticipated gathering, kicks off today
SiGMA Central Europe has opened in Rome today, bringing global operators, regulators and suppliers to Fiera Roma for conferences, expo, awards and high‑level networking across the Italian capital.
Italy.- SiGMA Central Europe 2025 has officially opened its doors today (November 4) at Fiera Roma, Italy, marking an important chapter for the region’s gaming industry. Spanning three days from November 4 to 6, this year’s event covers more than 75,000 sqm of exhibition space, hosting over 30,000 professionals and more than 1,200 sponsors and exhibitors. Meanwhile, the four-stage conference agenda includes 550 speakers, addressing topics such as regulatory frameworks, artificial intelligence in gaming, compliance, affiliate marketing, blockchain adoption, and fintech innovations.
The voices shaping the industry’s future, all in one place
As always, the agenda of SiGMA is fully charged with panels, keynotes, and high-level addresses focused on the gaming, betting, and technology ecosystem in Europe.
The SiGMA Europe B2B Awards took place yesterday (November 3) at the Cinecitta Studios. 30 accolades were handed out, followed by a final special award for outstanding contributions to the igaming sector this year. Among the winners was Focus Gaming News, which was named “Best Gaming Media Platform of the Year” again!
On this occasion, Focus Gaming News once again received the “Best igaming Media of the Year” award. The media outlet had already secured the same honour at the previous three editions of the event, as well as at the SiGMA Americas Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024. This marks the seventh time the publication has earned the accolade, which recognises Focus Gaming News as the most authoritative source of information in the gaming industry for its unwavering commitment to quality and reliability.
The opening day agenda began today (November 4) at 10 am with a speech by Trudy Kerr, SiGMA Stage Host, followed by a panel discussion focusing on issues related to regulation and market structure. There was also time to discuss the changing profile of mergers and acquisitions in the media and data businesses, and how tax risk insurance is transforming deal certainty and tax risks in the gaming industry.
At 12.10 pm, the official opening ceremony will take place featuring an address from European Parliament president Roberta Metsola, remarks by Italy’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, and a welcome from SiGMA founder Eman Pulis, before the ribbon‑cutting.
The programme will resume with a North American regulatory overview, setting the scene for two headline keynotes: Betsson Group’s Ronni Hartvig on unifying a multi‑brand portfolio for a regulated world without losing local edge, and SoftConstruct’s Leonid Kirakosyan on how AI is reshaping igaming. Maarten Haijer, Secretary-General of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), will talk about compliance and market growth in the panel titled “Voices of Authority: Inside Europe’s Regulatory Roundtable” on day one of the conference, while later debates will probe who will steer Brazil’s billion‑dollar market as federal rules roll out, take stock of Italy’s sweeping gaming reform, and close the track with “Grey to Gold: Jurisdictional & Compliance Challenges,” a hands‑on session on expanding into regulated jurisdictions.
Across the Affiliate Leaders stage, the day will focus on growth levers and visibility. The afternoon will mix formats with a rapid‑fire game show, a Google perspective on data‑centric app trends for 2025, a security panel on AI‑enabled fraud and deepfakes, and a closing SEO block on competing in an LLM‑driven discovery landscape—ending with a candid look at black‑hat versus white‑hat affiliate tactics.
A creative fireside will demystify how great games are made, Sal Piacente’s live demonstration will spotlight real‑world cheating threats and countermeasures at table games, and the SiGMA Startup Pitch will connect founders with investors on stage.
On the Frontier Tech & Payment Expert stage, Malta’s innovation‑friendly regulatory approach and startup ecosystem will set the tone, followed by a welcome from Malta’s Ambassador to Italy. Panels will move beyond MiCA to address crypto, gaming and AML; consider a post‑SWIFT future shaped by blockchain and stablecoins; and contrast Europe’s MiCA framework with the US’s emerging Genius Act. A fireside with Hon. Marcello Coppo will focus on blockchain, fintech and Italian regulation, leading into sessions on leveraging AI agents for security, compliance and CX in banking, payments strategy as a growth driver for operators, the “primetime or failure” debate on stablecoins, and the technical realities of scaling crypto payments for high‑volume gaming.
The day will conclude with networking drinks before the evening’s social calendar takes over: the SiGMA B2C Awards.
The SiGMA Europe B2C Awards target a diverse range of companies in the igaming industry. The organisers said: “From sleek casino experiences to next-gen sportsbooks to the affiliates driving global engagement, these awards honour the pioneers setting new standards for user experience and creativity.”
The evening will also feature a live charity auction, where guests can bid on luxury items and bespoke artworks created especially for the occasion. All funds raised will go toward SiGMA Foundation initiatives, helping to drive education, opportunity and lasting change in communities in need.
During the three-day summit, attendees will be able to visit the booths from the most renowned industry players, including 1spin4win, 1xBet, 1xSlots, Altenar, Amusnet, BETBY, BetConstruct AI, BGaming, Boomerang, Booming Games, Communication Hub, CreedRoomz, Digitain, EGT, EGT Digital, EvenBet Gaming, Fast Track, Frogo, Galaxsys, Gamzix, GR8 Tech, Greco, Imagine Live, MelBet Partners & Affiliates, Onlyplay, Pascal Gaming, PIN-UP Partners, PopOK Gaming, RedCore, ReferOn, SOFTSWISS, SYNOT, TaDa Gaming and Uplatform.
As usual, Focus Gaming News welcomes SiGMA Central Europe participants at Booth 3097 G and in the Media Zone G!
Day two: economy, land‑based and investment
Day 2 will run from 10:00 across four stages. The programme will pivot from regulatory and land‑based priorities to affiliate monetisation, sports tech and AI, and skills development—setting up a full day of policy signals, commercial tactics and product innovation.
On the Regulatory Briefing stage, the morning will open with “Rolling the dice on Italy’s economy,” a discussion on how gaming will bolster tourism and local prosperity, before an opening speech from EUROMAT president Jason Dean Frost and a keynote by Hon. Federico Freni, Undersecretary at Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. Anders Dorph, chair of the Gambling Regulators’ European Forum (GREF), will then outline Europe’s regulatory outlook and enforcement priorities. The track will go on to examine true omnichannel operations—blending retail and digital under one brand experience—and a “cashless revolution” panel on modernising payments despite legacy constraints.
Hon. Silvio Schembri, Malta’s Minister for the Economy, will deliver remarks ahead of an afternoon slate that will tackle the illegal gambling epidemic, survey regulatory trends across jurisdictions, and bring in UFC legend Kamaru Usman for a fireside on “Championship DNA” and leadership. Capital formation will take centre stage with “Is gaming still a sure bet?” before the day’s land‑based focus will culminate in a panel on the future of slot machines, from design and content to evolving player expectations.
Attention will shift to high‑growth geos, with a playbook for Brazil and India amid ad curbs and Google volatility, followed by “Affiliate Makeover” on converting low‑CPC markets through local language SEO, Telegram Mini Apps and hyper‑local pushes. Panellists will compare first‑mover lessons from the Netherlands and Ontario, while “CMO Roulette: Truth or Dare” will put marketing leaders on the spot. SiGMA will introduce “SiGMA Nexus,” a new leadership initiative, before sessions on influencer economies and creator conversions will show how micro‑creators with trackable bundles will outperform traditional setups. The track will close with “LinkedIn Unplugged,” a live, no‑filter session on B2B brand building.
Day three: licences, integrity and practical AI
Thursday will close the conference with a strong focus on affiliate infrastructure, Italian market dynamics, AI in business, and ESG‑driven performance. The programme will be designed to move from practical toolkits and governance masterclasses in the morning to data‑led growth, integrity and investment in the afternoon, ensuring a tight finish to the week’s debates.
On the Affiliate Leaders stage, the day will open with a hands‑on look at affiliate tech in action, covering real‑time tracking, fraud detection and payout automation, with platform leaders from Affiliate Alliance, ReferOn, Routy and MediaTroopers spelling out what will truly move the needle.
A mid‑morning panel on “Traffic Truths” will map bot trends, black‑hat tactics and how AI‑enabled attribution will restore funnel integrity, followed by a keynote on building a healthy affiliate ecosystem across sports media, livescore, casino and social. After lunch, a fast-paced, TED-meets-pitch-competition, “So You Think You Can SEO?”, will stage a rapid‑fire showdown of unconventional SEO plays with live audience voting, setting up a deeper dive into operator–affiliate synergy and the tech tools that will turbocharge ROI.
The Regulatory Briefing track will begin with an IMGL Masterclass offering practical tools for responsible gambling and player protection, bringing together senior lawyers and advisors to frame what a more standardised, outcomes‑based regime will require. A panel on Italy’s “tipster economy” will explore how community‑led betting influencers have reshaped behaviour, ethics and bookmaker strategy in the local market, before “The New AAMS Licences” will scrutinise the €7m entry fee, nine‑year term and 3 per cent levy—asking who will truly be able to compete and how rules will affect innovation and marketing.
The last day of SiGMA Central Europe 2025 will close with a panel on stopping bonus abuse and fraud through AI + KYC partnerships without killing onboarding or LTV.
From beginning to end, SiGMA Central Europe 2025 will provide a broad view of Europe’s gaming landscape. Attendees can expect an insightful combination of political, operational, and technical perspectives, providing both strategic and practical insights into growth, compliance, and innovation in the market.
