Leading national associations across the Balkans gathered in Belgrade, where they officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and launched the process of establishing the Balkan Gaming Federation (Bgf).
Leading national associations from the gaming industry across the Balkans gathered in Belgrade, where they officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and launched the process of establishing the Balkan Gaming Federation (Bgf) – the first platform of its kind for coordination, cooperation and joint positioning of industry organizations in the Balkans.
The meeting was organized on the joint initiative of AGOS from Serbia and AOGGAB from Bulgaria, with the Serbian association hosting the event.
The Federation brings together seven national associations:
Serbia – AGOS
Bulgaria – AOGGAB
Croatia – HUPIS
Romania – ROMSLOT
Montenegro – GPIS
Bosnia and Herzegovina – UPIS RS
North Macedonia – MAK GEJMING
Together, these organizations represent a significant part of the legal gaming sector in the Balkans, bringing together online and land-based operators, casinos, manufacturers, technology suppliers and other key companies from the industry.
Regional Cooperation in a Dynamic Industry Environment
The gaming industry in the Balkan countries is developing dynamically and faces similar challenges – regulatory changes, a growing illegal segment, the need for more sustainable policies to protect the legal sector, and the need for better coordination among national industry organizations.
At the same time, the region is becoming increasingly established as an important industrial zone in Europe – with a high concentration of local companies with international presence, strong human capital, technological capacity and growing participation of global brands operating in the Balkans and building key teams and functions here.
Located at the crossroads of Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Asia, the Balkans have a natural potential to develop not only as a market, but also as a connected industrial region with a clearer common voice and a stronger international presence.
Main Areas of Cooperation
During the meeting in Belgrade, the participating associations outlined the main directions for future joint work within the Federation:
mutual support in the fight against illegal gambling;
countering unfair competition in the sector;
exchange of good regulatory practices and expertise among countries;
coordination on legislative and market-related issues;
encouraging business partnerships and the development of companies in the region;
creating common regional industry events and business formats;
more active international positioning of the Balkans as a shared industrial zone.
As part of the working agenda, each association presented its profile, market, key challenges, communication channels and potential contribution to the future Federation. The participants also developed a joint concept for the promotion and positioning of BGF, aimed at ensuring that from the very beginning the Federation presents itself as a real regional project with a clear communication logic, rather than merely a symbolic initiative.
The brand concept of the Balkan Gaming Federation was also presented during the meeting, and in parallel a shared communication channel among the associations was created to coordinate the next steps, ideas and future initiatives. This lays the first practical foundation of the Federation’s internal communication framework.
BGF as a Balkan Structure with a European Perspective
One of the important topics in the discussions was the future positioning of the Federation in relation to EUROMAT and the wider European industry framework. Some of the participating associations are already members of the European federation, and the common understanding is that the Balkan Gaming Federation should develop as a Balkan structure naturally linked to the European level and shaped as a regional cluster within EUROMAT, while at the same time preserving its own role, identity, initiatives and voice as an independent Balkan format.
This logic positions BGF as a bridge between regional industry coordination and broader European representation.
Next Steps
The signing of the Memorandum represents the first official step toward building the Balkan Gaming Federation.
As the next phase, the associations agreed to meet again on May 26, 2026, in Belgrade, during the Belgrade Future Gaming exhibition, where the Federation will also have a joint stand. During that meeting, the participants are expected to discuss and vote on the foundation of the future statute, while the initial framework of the document will be prepared in the meantime.
At the same time, work will continue on the Federation’s communication positioning, the building of its common infrastructure and the preparation of its first joint initiatives. Among the longer-term goals are the creation of official communication channels, a shared regional presence, future industry formats and a clearer internal organizational framework.
It is expected that by autumn the process will enter its next phase, including a clearer definition of the Federation’s official structure and the election of its first President.
With this meeting in Belgrade and the signing of the Memorandum, the Balkan Gaming Federation is already taking a real step from idea to structure – with a common direction, a shared communication framework and a clear ambition to position the Balkans more visibly, more coherently and more strongly within the European and international gaming industry.
