Balkan Gaming Federation Launches With Seven National Associations

Seven gaming associations from the Western Balkans have joined forces to create the Balkan Gaming Federation, a new regional body aimed at closer cooperation on regulation, enforcement, and industry development. The agreement was signed in Belgrade during a meeting hosted by the Association of Gaming Operators of Serbia, with support from the Association of Online Gaming and Gambling Operators in Bulgaria.

Good to Know

• The new federation brings together associations from Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
• The group plans to focus on illegal gambling enforcement, compliance, and legislative coordination.
• A follow-up meeting is set for May 26 during the Belgrade Future Gaming exhibition.

A Regional Group Built Around Enforcement and Coordination

The new federation is meant to give the regional gaming sector a more unified voice without replacing national trade bodies. Instead, it will sit above them as a shared platform for operators, suppliers, and technology providers across the Balkans.

Its early priorities are practical. The group said it wants to combine expertise and resources to strengthen action against illegal gambling, push back on unfair competition, and share regulatory know-how across borders. It also plans to work on joint lobbying around legislation, along with regional events, business partnerships, and marketing efforts aimed at raising the profile of the Western Balkans within the wider European gaming market.

At the Belgrade meeting, members also reviewed market data, discussed first contributions, and agreed on a provisional brand identity. They also put internal communication channels in place so upcoming projects can be coordinated more smoothly.

Different Markets One Shared Platform

The countries involved come from markets that look quite different from each other. Serbia and Romania already have sizeable online gambling sectors that attract major international brands. Croatia and Bulgaria combine strong land-based casino sectors with growing online activity. Bosnia and Herzegovina remains more fragmented on the regulatory side, which is one of the gaps the federation hopes to help bridge.

Another issue discussed in Belgrade was how the new body should sit alongside EUROMAT, the broader European amusement and gaming association. Some BGF members already belong to EUROMAT, but the view from the meeting was that the Balkan group should stand as its own regional cluster while still keeping links to wider European structures.

The next stage is already mapped out. Another meeting is scheduled for May 26, and the goal is to finalize the federation governance structure and elect a president by autumn 2026.

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