As Southeast Europe’s gaming industry undergoes significant transformation, operators are facing a mix of commercial growth, regulatory challenges, and rapid technological advancements. Product performance, payment infrastructures, and compliance frameworks are becoming integral components for success. In response to this evolving environment, Eventus International has revealed the enhanced format for SPARK (Software, Payments, Affiliates, Revenue Kickoff) 2026, scheduled for October 19-20, 2026, in Sofia, Bulgaria, which will now feature a dedicated iGaming 3Tech conference stream.
The integration of SPARK and iGaming 3Tech represents a strategic move, combining two complementary event concepts into one. Attendees will benefit from a wealth of expertise, in-depth industry insights, and expanded networking opportunities across the entire gaming sector. While SPARK remains a pivotal gathering for the gaming, software, payments, affiliates, and revenue growth communities, the addition of iGaming 3Tech will focus specifically on MarTech, FinTech, and RegTech.
This merger is timely, reflecting the contemporary realities of the gaming industry, where commercial success, regulatory adherence, and technological advancements are increasingly intertwined. The unified event will provide a platform for operators, affiliates, payment providers, compliance professionals, marketers, regulators, and technology leaders to exchange insights, forge partnerships, and explore strategies for sustainable progress.
SPARK 2026 promises greater value through a diverse program aimed at a broader audience of sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and delegates, thereby fostering essential cross-sector collaboration in a complex industry.
On Day One, scheduled for October 19, 2026, the focus will be on the fundamental factors driving gaming growth in Southeast Europe, examining aspects such as product innovation and payment strategies in light of regulation and technology. Key discussions will include topics like:
– Retention Over Acquisition: Are We Rethinking Growth Strategies Fast Enough?
– Payments as a Conversion Lever, Not a Back-End Utility
– Retail Gaming in a Digital-First World
– Modernizing the Retail Gaming Floor
– Balancing Compliance and UX in Multi-Jurisdiction Markets
Day Two, on October 20, 2026, will center on sustainable scaling amidst the challenges posed by AI, evolving affiliate networks, regulatory demands, and new marketing models. Highlights include a keynote speech by Nikolas Monti-Potsolakis, CEO & Co-Founder of Black Lantern Media, on the shift from website ranking to being the direct answer in AI search. Additional discussions will cover:
– The Affiliate Power Shift: From Traffic Brokers to Strategic Partners
– Responsible AI in Marketing: Navigating the EU AI Act Without Killing Performance
– Channelization, Competition and Tax Yield: Lessons from CEE Licensing Models by Olga Polishchuk, an iGaming Regulatory Compliance Consultant.
The iGaming 3Tech stream will dive into the convergence of data, regulation, and performance, highlighting how these elements are transforming growth strategies in regulated gaming markets. Topics will include:
– The New Reality of iGaming Growth: Where Data, Regulation & Performance Collide by Arjan Korstjens, Principal at Casino Marketing Academy.
– Technology as the Enforcer: Embedding Regulation into Systems and Workflows
– Responsible Growth Channels: Turning First-Party Data, Affiliate Partnerships & Personalization into Revenue
– The New Growth Playbook: Balancing Compliance, Personalization and Profitability in Europe.
SPARK 2026 will feature prominent voices from various sectors, including:
– Antony Jordan, Head of Payments & KYC, ODDSET Sportwetten GmbH;
– Andrei Frimescu, PR & Marketing Director, Game World Romania;
– Nikolas Monti-Potsolakis, CEO & Founder, Black Lantern Marketing;
– Olga Polishchuk, iGaming Regulatory Compliance Consultant;
– Radoslav Georgiev, SEO Consultant, Gambling SEO Services LTD; and many more.
This expanded format presents a valuable opportunity for sponsors and exhibitors to connect with key decision-makers across both conference streams. The diverse focus on software, payments, affiliates, revenue growth, MarTech, FinTech, and RegTech enables sponsors to showcase their solutions to a wider range of operators, affiliates, compliance experts, marketers, technology buyers, and regulators.
