Sponsoring industry events in gambling – successful cases

Current restrictions in Ukrainian legislation create an illogical segmentation: gambling companies are allowed to sponsor sporting events, yet prohibited from sponsoring industry-specific events — exhibitions, conferences, and round tables. While mass advertising indeed requires safeguards to protect players from excessive exposure, B2B forums serve as platforms for professional networking, technology showcases, and constructive dialogue with regulators. In this space, legal businesses demonstrate expertise and innovation, competing with illegal operators through quality standards rather than aggressive promotion.

The Ukrainian exhibition “GAMING INDUSTRY” in November 2021 became a promoter of this format. The Ukrainian Gambling Council (UGC) acted as a partner of the event, which attracted over 50 companies from 14 countries presenting cutting-edge equipment, software, and technical solutions for the regulated market. During the international conference, participants discussed key industry challenges — from compliance to digital transformation. The event not only united industry leaders but also positioned Ukraine among the five European hubs for global gambling events, strengthening its international image without direct engagement with a mass audience.

A global benchmark is ICE Barcelona 2026, which gathered a record-breaking 65,000 B2B delegates from 180 countries. Industry leaders created dedicated networking zones where multi-million-euro deals were signed, 25,000 products were showcased, and R&D cycles were aligned with commercialization strategies. Over three days, more than 1.25 million meetings took place — from closed-door regulator forums to startup pitch sessions with global technology partners. The program covered regulation, cybersecurity, lottery innovation, and the fight against illegal operators, which cost the EU €20 billion annually in lost tax revenue. Barcelona became the epicenter of the global gambling industry, where 750 exhibitors launched technologies that will shape the sector for years to come.

Such events prove that sponsoring industry-focused gatherings does not fuel gambling addiction but rather builds a development ecosystem. Blanket bans place legal operators at a disadvantage — illegal businesses ignore the rules, while transparent companies lose opportunities for growth, networking, and technological exchange. Expanding permissions would provide operators with competitive tools, the state with tax revenues and a reputation as an innovation hub, and the market with standards that do not increase risks for players.

Rational regulation requires smart segmentation: restrict mass advertising, but open the B2B space. The logic of total prohibitions benefits the shadow market, suppresses legal business, and slows progress. It is time to transition to a model where business can realize its potential, the state retains oversight, and the industry achieves global competitiveness.