On September 30, Dragan Skrbic, president of the Serbian gambling association AGOS, was elected as the inaugural president of the Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF) during a conference held in Bucharest. The newly formed federation will also have Filip Jelavić, secretary general of Croatia’s HUPIS, and Sorin Georgescu, president of Romania’s ROMSLOT and vice president of FEDBET, serving as vice presidents.
The leadership team is set to initiate BGF's first campaigns advocating for the legal gambling sector in the Balkans. This effort includes fostering closer relations with EUROMAT, the land-based trade association that participated in the two-day conference and election in Romania. Since its establishment in Serbia in March, the BGF has aimed to strengthen its collaboration with EUROMAT, with the objective of positioning itself as a regional cluster within the EU-wide trade body. In a press release after the meeting, BGF stated, "This will allow the federation to consolidate the challenges, expertise and positions of Balkan markets and connect them more directly with the European policy debate, while giving EUROMAT a more structured link to a region that includes both EU member states and western Balkan markets."
The Balkan Gaming Federation unites seven trade associations from the western Balkans, including those from Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. In light of increasing pressures on the legal gambling industry in the area, BGF aims to provide operators and suppliers with a unified platform. To date, it has designated Croatia as its headquarters and has released joint statements regarding regulatory changes in Romania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
Jelavić, who now serves as vice president, has pointed out that the black market poses a rapidly evolving challenge in the region, exacerbated by overly strict regulation. He stated, "The relationship between regulation and illegal gambling cannot be ignored. Experience across Europe increasingly shows that overregulation, particularly when not supported by evidence or impact assessments, can unintentionally drive consumers towards the black market."
In recent years, several jurisdictions in the Western Balkans have intensified their scrutiny of the gaming industry. Bulgaria has consistently tightened its advertising laws, with a possible ban on affiliates on the horizon. Meanwhile, Romania has transferred gambling authorizations to local authorities, leaving land-based operators uncertain about their future.
Following the election, the new leadership will present its priorities for 2027 at the New Horizons Gaming Industry Gala Dinner in Sofia on November 24, marking their first public appearance with federated member association representatives. The next day, BGF will hold a roundtable featuring prominent companies and industry experts from the Balkans, designed to become an annual event. Discussions will center on collaborative business interests, regulatory hurdles, joint initiatives, and the safeguarding of the legal gaming industry.
BGF is also working on creating a larger regional B2B forum which will include an exhibition, aimed at bolstering industry connections throughout the Balkans and expected to rotate among Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia.
In a prior conversation, Jelavić expressed hope that BGF might establish itself as a credible regional voice and a pertinent participant in dialogues with government officials, regulators, and European institutions. He remarked, "If, after the first year, the federation is recognised as a serious regional partner, actively engaged in the fight against illegal gambling and capable of bringing together operators, suppliers and industry stakeholders around common goals, that would be a very successful start."
