Dario Jurcic, Digitain‘s Chief Commercial Officer for Europe and Africa, chats with SBC News about the size of the opportunity on both continents for iGaming growth.

Newly appointed to the role, Jurcic explains why Digitain is a go-to partner for European operators feeling the regulatory and tax squeeze and for African operators looking to take advantages of new digital opportunities.

Congratulations on your new role. What made you want to take on this role at Digitain and what will be your core responsibilities?

Over the past two decades, Digitain has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality technology and has established itself as a trusted partner for operators around the world. What really attracted me was the opportunity to help shape the next phase of growth across two regions with enormous potential. Equally important was the company’s culture. From my first conversations with the team, it was clear that Digitain values collaboration, innovation, and long-term partnerships, which aligned perfectly with my own professional approach. 

As Chief Commercial Officer for Europe and Africa, my focus is on advancing our commercial strategy, strengthening existing partnerships, and building new ones. Digitain already has a strong presence across Europe, and our ambition is not only to strengthen that position but to become the leading sportsbook and platform provider in Europe’s regulated markets. At the same time, we see enormous growth opportunities across Africa and are committed to supporting operators with localised solutions that help them succeed.

What is your career background and what experiences have led you into this new role as Digitain’s CCO?

I’ve been in the iGaming industry for more than 10 years, holding executive leadership roles across commercial leadership, business development, and strategic partnerships, including CEO of a leading B2B company and SVP of one of the industry’s leading data suppliers. 

During that time, I’ve collaborated with operators and suppliers in both regulated and emerging markets, led teams that have received multiple industry awards, and been recognised individually for my contributions. These experiences have given me a broad understanding of the industry’s opportunities, challenges, and what it takes to build long-term success.

One of your main focus regions is Europe. What is Digitain’s European expansion strategy as you look to enter regulated markets and establish the business as a leader?

Europe is already one of Digitain’s strongest regions, and we have built a solid foundation through our technology, local expertise, and presence in key markets such as Malta, Romania, and the UK, especially after receiving our UKGC betting licence and sportsbook and platform certification in February. Our ambition now is not simply to expand our footprint but to become the dominant technology provider across Europe’s regulated markets.

To achieve that, we will continue investing in product innovation, regulatory compliance, and localisation while expanding our strategic partnerships. With established hubs across Europe and plans to further expand into Central Europe, we are well positioned to support operators in both mature and emerging regulated markets. 

We believe operators are looking for more than standalone products, they want a complete, scalable ecosystem that helps them grow sustainably. That’s exactly what Digitain delivers, and we’ll continue building on that to strengthen our leadership across the region.

Digitain has offices in Malta, Romania, and the UK. How important is it to have local expertise and a physical presence, and how does that create a competitive advantage?

Local presence makes a real difference. Every regulated market has its own rules, customer expectations, and way of doing business. Being physically present allows us to better understand those differences and respond much faster to our partners’ needs. It also shows commitment. Operators want to know they’re working with a partner that understands their market and is invested in their success. Our local teams help us build stronger relationships, provide better support, and adapt our products more effectively.

Technology can connect people across continents, but sometimes nothing replaces sitting around the same table. And thankfully, coffee still works just as well in Malta, Romania, and the UK.

Across Europe, regulation is becoming more stringent and taxes are increasing. How is Digitain helping operators navigate this changing environment?

The regulatory landscape continues to evolve, but that’s simply part of the industry’s evolution. Operators need partners that can adapt quickly and help them stay compliant without slowing down their business. At Digitain, compliance is built into our technology and product development. We continuously invest in certifications, responsible gaming tools, reporting capabilities, and platform flexibility to help operators meet regulatory requirements efficiently.

Our goal is to reduce complexity for our partners so they can focus on growing their business while we help provide the technology that supports compliance and operational efficiency.

Africa is also a key growth region for Digitain. Which markets are you focusing on, and how are your products tailored to the region?

Africa is one of the industry’s most exciting growth markets. Every country has different levels of maturity, regulation, and player behavior, so localisation is just as important there as it is in Europe. Our focus is on building strong partnerships in key regulated and developing markets across the continent while adapting our products to local preferences. That includes localised payment solutions, mobile-first experiences, flexible content, and scalable technology that supports operators at different stages of growth.

At the same time, we’re continuing to invest in our people and strengthen our partnerships across Africa. We’ve recently expanded our commercial team to support our growth ambitions in the region. We see Africa not only as a growth opportunity but also as a hub for innovation. 

By working closely with local operators, we can develop solutions tailored to the market and, through the Centrivo iGaming platform, bring those innovations to operators in other regions.

With mobile and internet adoption continuing to grow across Africa, how significant is the opportunity for operators?

The opportunity is substantial. Mobile connectivity is expanding rapidly, creating access to digital entertainment for millions of players across the continent. For operators, that creates exciting growth potential, but success depends on choosing the right technology partner. Speed, reliability, localised payments, engaging content, and scalable infrastructure all play a critical role. Africa is developing quickly, and operators that invest in long-term partnerships and localised experiences today will be well positioned for the future.

As you settle into your new role, what does success look like over the next two years?

Success isn’t measured by one milestone or one deal. It’s about building sustainable growth for both Digitain and our partners. Over the next two years, I’d like to see us become the dominant true one-stop-shop technology partner across Europe’s regulated markets while significantly expanding our presence across Africa. By continuing to strengthen our complete ecosystem, from Sportsbook and the Centrivo iGaming Platform to payments, Virtual Sports, and player engagement solutions, we can provide operators with everything they need to grow from a single, trusted partner.

I also want Digitain to continue being recognised not only for its technology but for the quality of its partnerships and the value we create together with operators. My ambition is that, in two years’ time, the first company operators think of when discussing a new platform is Digitain. That’s the future we’re building towards, and I’m excited to be part of making it a reality.