GAMING1 deputy CEO and chief product vision officer Jean-Christophe Choffray has suggested that “frequently changing regulatory frameworks” is stifling product innovation among licensed operators.
In October, CEO Emmanual Mewissen spoke to EGR regarding the changes to Belgian market regulation which the operator had to navigate. GAMING1 is one of the largest operators in the Western European market.
A Royal Decree, which came into effect in July 2023, introduced a countrywide ban on gambling advertising, outlawing any promotion across TV, radio, cinema, magazines and newspapers.
Lawmakers also raised the legal gambling age from 18 to 21 in September 2024, as well as introducing a €200 (£175) weekly deposit limit for players.
In addition, regulators introduced a stipulation that customers must open separate online accounts per vertical.
Speaking to EGR, Choffray claimed the regulations licensed operators are subject to is giving an advantage to the black market.
He said: “The global online gambling market continues to expand, yet the gap between regulated and unlicensed operators is widening.
“Across jurisdictions, licensed operators navigate increasingly complex and frequently changing regulatory frameworks, while unlicensed platforms benefit from structural advantages linked to regulatory gaps, limited enforcement and seamless cross-border accessibility.
“This imbalance has direct implications for competitiveness, investment capacity and long-term innovation.”
Choffray added that the imbalance has the extra effect of stifling product innovation within the sector.
He continued: “Regulatory fragmentation remains a defining feature of the sector. Each jurisdiction maintains its own framework, often with material differences in licensing conditions, player-protection requirements, advertising restrictions, KYC obligations or taxation models.
“In several markets, regulatory updates now occur every few months, generating uncertainty that challenges multi-year product development and technology planning.”
In contrast, unlicensed operators are given the freedom to roll out a more consistent product that may be of greater appeal to customers, the deputy CEO argued.
“For licensed operators, this environment results in constant resource allocation trade-offs,” Choffray noted.
“They must carefully select the markets in which they can realistically invest. The time and capacity required to repeatedly adapt products, compliance processes, regulatory implementations and marketing communications absorb resources that are no longer available for what should remain a core priority: innovation.
“At a time when AI-based personalisation, advanced gamification and social features are becoming industry standards, reduced availability for R&D represents a growing competitive constraint.
“Unlicensed operators, by contrast, operate outside national regulatory frameworks. They deploy uniform products across markets, roll out global marketing strategies and leverage influencer networks without domestic restrictions.
“Their agility, reduced overhead and cross-border reach allow them to iterate rapidly and engage audiences at a pace that regulated operators, bound by diverging national rules, struggle to match.”
Moving forward, Choffray called for greater regulatory stability to give licensed operators a fighting chance against their black market counterparts.
He concluded: “Greater regulatory stability, more predictable modification cycles and stronger international coordination on enforcement appear essential to re-establish competitive balance.
“Without progress in these areas, the long-term sustainability of a regulated ecosystem designed to protect players, ensure market integrity and support responsible innovation may be increasingly challenged.”
Last month, GAMING1 reached an agreement to acquire the remaining 50% stake in Circus.nl parent company Betca, securing its foothold in the Netherlands market.
The post GAMING1 deputy CEO: overregulation “generating uncertainty” that stifles innovation first appeared on EGR Intel.
Jean-Christophe Choffray says constant regulatory updates are harming product development, giving a leg up to black market operators
The post GAMING1 deputy CEO: overregulation “generating uncertainty” that stifles innovation first appeared on EGR Intel.