Evangelista: Balanced regulation is the key to a sustainable market

Betsson Group Deputy General Counsel Dario Evangelista said the European iGaming sector must balance player protection, market competition and innovation under growing regulatory complexity. Evangelista noted that legal departments are now involved in business processes earlier, and that operators must deal with different licensing, advertising, responsible gaming, anti-money laundering and taxation rules in each country.

Speaking about Italy's new licensing framework, Evangelista said the new concessions last nine years and bring far higher financial and regulatory requirements than the previous system. Noting that these conditions could accelerate consolidation in the sector, Evangelista stressed that competition should not be assessed only among licensed operators, as the regulated market also competes with the unlicensed market. He warned that if the legal market becomes too costly or restrictive, consumers may turn to options outside it.

Addressing the role of artificial intelligence in responsible gaming, Evangelista said the technology can help identify risks earlier by analysing behavioural patterns, but these signals do not always fully reflect an individual's situation. He therefore said human oversight is indispensable and that a robust governance structure must be established on data bias and transparency. Evangelista stated that regulatory stability, stronger oversight and close cooperation between regulators and the industry are necessary for a sustainable market.