This week in Belgrade, seven national associations signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and officially founded the Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF). The initiative was launched jointly by Serbia’s AGOS and Bulgaria’s AOGGOB.
Who joined the federation
🔵 Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia
🔵 The federation brings together operators, suppliers, and technology providers
🔵 BGF is designed as a coordination platform — without replacing existing national associations
Goals and objectives
🔴 Coordination of regulatory policies and exchange of best practices
🔴 Joint lobbying at the legislative level
🔴 Promotion of the Western Balkans as a region within the European gaming industry
🔴 Combating illegal gambling and unfair competition
Regulatory context
🔵 Serbia and Romania — mature online markets attracting international operators such as Bet365, Evoke, and Superbet
🔵 Croatia and Bulgaria — strong land-based casino sectors alongside growing online segments
🔵 Bulgaria has introduced a full ban on betting for football players and national team staff, and extended the self-exclusion period to one year — 54,000 individuals are already enrolled
🔵 Bosnia and Herzegovina — a fragmented regulatory environment, one of the key challenges for the federation
🔵 Montenegro — ongoing disputes around tax reform
Relations with Europe and next steps
🔴 BGF is positioned as a distinct Balkan cluster while maintaining ties with EUROMAT
🔴 Next meeting — May 26 at the Belgrade Future Gaming exhibition
🔴 Approval of governance structure and election of the federation’s president — autumn 2026
Summary
BGF is an attempt by seven fragmented markets to speak to Europe with one voice. Regulatory reforms across the region remain uneven: each country has its own agenda, challenges, and pace. The federation does not eliminate these differences, but creates a platform where they can at least be coordinated.
🔵 Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia
🔵 The federation brings together operators, suppliers, and technology providers
🔵 BGF is designed as a coordination platform — without replacing existing national associations
Goals and objectives
🔴 Coordination of regulatory policies and exchange of best practices
🔴 Joint lobbying at the legislative level
🔴 Promotion of the Western Balkans as a region within the European gaming industry
🔴 Combating illegal gambling and unfair competition
Regulatory context
🔵 Serbia and Romania — mature online markets attracting international operators such as Bet365, Evoke, and Superbet
🔵 Croatia and Bulgaria — strong land-based casino sectors alongside growing online segments
🔵 Bulgaria has introduced a full ban on betting for football players and national team staff, and extended the self-exclusion period to one year — 54,000 individuals are already enrolled
🔵 Bosnia and Herzegovina — a fragmented regulatory environment, one of the key challenges for the federation
🔵 Montenegro — ongoing disputes around tax reform
Relations with Europe and next steps
🔴 BGF is positioned as a distinct Balkan cluster while maintaining ties with EUROMAT
🔴 Next meeting — May 26 at the Belgrade Future Gaming exhibition
🔴 Approval of governance structure and election of the federation’s president — autumn 2026
Summary
BGF is an attempt by seven fragmented markets to speak to Europe with one voice. Regulatory reforms across the region remain uneven: each country has its own agenda, challenges, and pace. The federation does not eliminate these differences, but creates a platform where they can at least be coordinated.