What makes the Eastern European gaming market different to others?
Eastern Europe is unique because it’s a mosaic of markets that share borders but not necessarily the same logic in how they operate. Each country is very localized, with its own standards, regulations, and player preferences. Unlike some other regions where one approach can fit several countries, here you really need to adapt to every single market individually.
Another key point is that retail betting still plays a very big role in this part of the world. Self-service betting terminals and physical shops are still part of people’s daily lives. Players don’t just bet online — they like to visit betting shops, meet friends, and enjoy the social experience. Understanding this culture is essential if you want to create the right solutions and build long-term trust.
And of course, the business culture is also quite unique. In many cases, deals start with mutual trust and a handshake, long before anything is written in a contract. People are very direct — if they like something, they’ll tell you; if they don’t, they’ll tell you that too. This honesty and transparency are what make business in Eastern Europe so interesting and rewarding.
Which markets in Eastern Europe is Digitain in, and how do you adapt to each market?
We’re currently active across several Eastern European markets, including Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, and Serbia. We also plan to expand into a few more territories by the end of this year or in the first quarter of next year.
Our approach is fully based on localization. Every market has its own regulations, cultural specifics, and player behavior. We adjust our sportsbook and iGaming platform for each market — integrating local payment methods, ensuring full compliance, and tailoring the user experience to local habits and expectations.
Localization is especially important here because retail betting still has a strong presence. People like to visit betting shops not only to place bets but also to socialize and spend time together. Without understanding this side of the culture, it’s impossible to offer the right solutions.
That’s why at Digitain we follow what we call a “glocal” approach — combining global experience with local adaptation. Each partnership is adjusted to reflect local culture, regulations, and player behavior. The goal is for every client to feel understood, supported, and confident in growing with us in their market.
Romania has been rapidly developing as of late. How has Digitain kept up with this?
Romania is one of the most dynamic and strategic markets for us in the region. We have built a strong local presence, including an office with more than 300 employees who are fully dedicated to supporting our partners and maintaining high operational standards.
As the market continues to grow, we have partnered with leading operators such as Winmasters and 888. Through these partnerships, we’ve integrated Digitain’s multi-award-winning Sportsbook and our next-generation Centrivo platform — both developed to meet the fast-changing needs of today’s operators.
We are very committed to Romania. Our plan is to keep investing, expanding our local team, and introducing new technologies and products to help our partners stay competitive in this highly active market.
The Romanian gaming regulator has been facing challenges recently. How does Digitain keep up with this changing regulatory backdrop to stay compliant?
Compliance is one of our top priorities. We have a compliance monitoring team that carefully follows all updates and changes from the local authorities for every regulated market where we operate.
We react quickly whenever something changes — updating our systems or platform if needed — so that our partners stay fully compliant and can operate without interruption. Whether the changes are technical, commercial, or product-related, Digitain stands behind its partners every step of the way.
Also, our Responsible Gaming tools are built to be highly flexible. They can be easily adjusted to fit any local requirement, and in most cases, we don’t even need new development. This makes compliance smoother and faster, while also keeping the highest standards of player protection and transparency.
Which Eastern European markets are you watching ahead of 2026?
First of all, our focus remains on strengthening our presence in the markets where we already operate — especially Serbia, Romania, Poland, and Greece. All of them continue to show great potential, and we plan to welcome several new partners in the near future.
At the same time, we are keeping an eye on new opportunities in markets like the Czech Republic, Croatia. Each of these has its own specific regulatory and commercial landscape, and we see strong opportunities for growth there.
Overall, our strategy is simple — build on our existing strengths and enter new, promising markets with the same localized approach and strong partnerships that define how we work today.