On September 30, Dragan Skrbic, president of Serbia's gambling association AGOS, was elected as the inaugural president of the Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF) during a conference held in Bucharest.
Servicing as vice presidents are Filip Jelavić, secretary general of Croatia’s HUPIS, and Sorin Georgescu, president of Romania’s ROMSLOT and vice president of FEDBET.
This new leadership team will lead BGF's initial campaigns aimed at supporting the legal gaming sector throughout the Balkans. A key component of this initiative is fostering closer cooperation with EUROMAT, the land-based trade association that participated in the two-day conference and leadership election in Romania.
Since its establishment in Serbia in March, BGF has been working to strengthen its ties with EUROMAT. According to a press release issued after the meeting, the federation aims to position itself as a regional entity within the European trade association.
“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 BGF explained.
The federation unifies seven trade associations from the western Balkans, representing countries such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. In response to increasing strain on the legal gambling industry in the region, BGF seeks to provide a unifying platform for operators and suppliers. Currently, Croatia has been designated as the federation's headquarters, and BGF has released joint statements regarding regulatory changes in Romania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
Filip Jelavić, the newly appointed vice president, highlighted the rapidly evolving challenge posed by the black market. He attributes part of this issue to excessive regulation.
“The relationship between regulation and illegal gambling cannot be ignored,” Jelavić remarked in July. “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, many jurisdictions in the Western Balkans have intensified their scrutiny of the industry. For instance, Bulgaria has continuously tightened its advertising regulations, with discussions around a potential ban on affiliates in the pipeline. Meanwhile, Romania has transferred gambling authorizations to local authorities, placing land-based operators in a precarious position.
Following their election, the new leadership team of BGF is set to outline their priorities for 2027 at the New Horizons Gaming Industry Gala Dinner in Sofia on November 24. This event will mark their first public appearance alongside representatives from the member associations of the federation.
The next day, BGF will conduct a roundtable that gathers prominent companies and industry experts from the Balkans. Aiming to become an annual fixture, these discussions will concentrate on common business interests, regulatory hurdles, collaborative projects, and the safeguarding of the legal gaming sector.
Additionally, BGF is planning to establish a larger regional B2B forum, which will include an exhibition to reinforce industry connections across the Balkans. This event is projected to alternate locations between Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia. In conversations with iGB in July, Jelavić expressed his aspirations for the federation to emerge as a "credible regional voice" and a significant participant in dialogues with governments, regulatory bodies, and European institutions.
“If, after the first year, the federation is recognized as a serious regional partner, actively engaged in the fight against illegal gambling and capable of uniting operators, suppliers, and industry stakeholders around common objectives, that would be a very successful start,” he remarked.
