Consumer engagement with gambling businesses can differ drastically when it comes down to the individual customer. This is mostly visible when we evaluate how different national cultures are as we go from border to border, and continent to continent.

For Superbet Group, however, uncovering and then adapting to the intricacies of these various cultures has become a second nature. This rings especially true for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), where the company boasts vast expertise of transgressing cultural boundaries. 

Adam Lamentowicz, CCO of Superbet CEE, tells us more about what makes a great business strategy when it comes to replicating success across different markets.

SBC News: Thanks for joining us, Adam. The first half of 2025 has quickly gone behind us. What were some of the more interesting trends for you that emerged from the European markets?

Adam Lamentowicz: We operate in a fast-paced industry, where product offerings are dynamically impacted by ever-changing customer expectations. In turn, this has translated into the fact that only nimble and resourceful operators are set for success, in an environment where adaptability and resilience are essential.

In my perspective, one of the main trends of this year has been the major increase in cross-vertical entertainment experiences. We see leading industry brands merging sports, gaming, urban culture and entertainment. Collaborations with sports competitions, music festivals, streaming platforms and influencers have shaped new forms of cultural engagement strategies, focused on community building and delivering unique social experiences.

At the same time, when it comes to business strategies, there is consistent M&A activity, which, in turn, is shaping a more consolidated industry landscape. Major operators continue to pursue mergers and acquisitions to scale operations, seeking cross-border deals that will grant them access to innovative technologies or to local licenses in various markets.

Finally, it’s important also to highlight a concerning trend in the CEE region. We are observing the growing presence of illegal and unlicensed operators. While regulators are tightening responsible gambling measures and restricting advertising, these efforts are being undermined and even exploited by illegal operators who are raising their acquisition budgets and using increasingly aggressive tactics to target players.

Why are we seeing more CEE governments increasing their scrutiny of the sector, and what are the effects of that?

Regulators must understand, and they often do, that a strong compliance framework must focus on reducing black-market activity, ensuring consumer protection, and increasing tax revenues. Legitimate and compliant operators serve as viable dialogue partners for European authorities, given that they have developed strong corporate governance structures. 

We are seeing results through our transparent awareness initiatives across our main European markets. In Romania, we are active members of the Federation of Gambling Operators (FedBet), while in Poland we are longstanding members of the Polish Chamber of Commerce for the Entertainment and Bookmaking Industry (PIGBRiB). Through these industry associations, we are engaging in an open dialogue with regulators, sharing best practices, and identifying optimum ways to tackle the negative impact of black-market operators.

Furthermore, this year brought an important landmark for our company, as we took part for the first time in our company’s existence, in the Annual Sustainability Report published by the European Betting & Gaming Association (EGBA). We joined the EGBA at the end of 2024 with a firm belief that a common industry voice across the entire European Union is necessary, in order to align common objectives and develop viable proposals for regulators, always keeping player protection and operational compliance in mind.

Superbet is a major powerhouse in Central and Eastern Europe. What potential does the region hold to compete with its Western counterparts?

First, we clearly see that customers in CEE are now just as sophisticated as those in Western Europe. And meeting the high standards of our CEE users is what drives our business to grow, given that we are always pushed to innovate and diversify our product offering.

At the same time, we attribute the success of CEE to the economic growth of the countries in this region. This also demonstrates that our industry has a path to sustainable growth in thriving and predictable economies.

Another important aspect is that sports entertainment has gained popularity from a business perspective across CEE. 

This is a region that already had a passion and legacy of talent in various sports, but in the last decade, we have seen sports clubs and sport-related entertainment start to be seen as businesses, opening themselves up to innovative partnerships, creating various forms of content outside official competitions, and investing more in branding and merchandising.

What’s your assessment of the level of saturation and competitiveness in CEE markets?

I firmly believe that market saturation only happens when operators stop innovating, failing to adapt their product portfolios to consumer feedback and global trends. Therefore, where some people might see saturation, we see an opportunity to be creative and expand our user base, even beyond traditional sports betting and gaming. This includes expanding into areas like sports statistics, social networks, and curated content.

In this context, competitiveness can only become a driver for growth, not an obstacle. Any ambitious operator seeking growth must embrace competition and constantly work to create a better and more dynamic product portfolio for the modern customer.

With major multinationals becoming increasingly interested in CEE markets, how can local firms weather the storm and stand out against big-budget newcomers?

Superbet’s story started in CEE. In Romania, to be exact. Our success is a mature one, as we gradually became retail and then online leaders in Romania, followed by regional expansion into markets like Poland and Belgium, where we hold strong podium positions, and more recently, Serbia. As such, we don’t see a storm on the horizon, but rather an opportunity to test our product portfolio, operational excellence and creativity against any newcomer in this region.

Furthermore, we strongly believe in our business model, which is built around empowered local operations teams that consistently make decisions with a customer-first mindset. Our ambition is to be recognised as a local operator in every market we enter, rather than as a multinational simply serving different countries. I’m confident that this approach has been a key driver of Superbet’s success.

One of our greatest advantages is that we understand cultures and consumer behavior across CEE. We know what our customers want, and we know how to engage with them based on long-standing trust and brand loyalty. Therefore, it’s more likely that newcomers will have to do their best to stand out in a region where we are already at the heart of sports and entertainment.

What goes behind Superbet’s successful localisation strategy when transgressing cultural boundaries?

I am proud to say that Superbet is a genuinely customer-centric company, powered by cutting-edge technology, strongly connected with passionate communities of sports fans and trusted for our commitment to data protection and compliance. 

First of all, “always doing the right thing” for our customers is a core part of our company’s DNA. Our entire operating model is built around understanding and exceeding the expectations of our users, which means that every geography and every culture receives the same careful assessment, as well as tailored strategies. 

Furthermore, as a technology-driven enterprise, we leverage our proprietary tech to continuously innovate and diversify our product offering. We consistently invest in next-generation solutions to ensure we deliver outstanding digital experiences across our sports and entertainment ecosystem, being able to adapt to different consumer trends. 

From a brand perspective, as a passionate supporter of iconic sports clubs, Superbet has also created strong connections with local communities of sports fans. Through integrated campaigns and strategic partnerships, we’ve positioned Superbet as a brand closely connected to the local sports culture in each market, celebrating the teams and fans that inspire us every day.

Lastly, we have gained the trust of our customers across each market by ensuring the highest standards of data protection and compliance. Having this type of relationship with clients is essential for any operator which aims to build a durable and sustainable market. 

You’ll also share a leadership perspective on Eurasia at the SBC Summit in Lisbon. What makes it a good stage for such discussions?

Globalisation has organically extended consumer trends and growth strategies from Europe to the wider Eurasian region. That is why it makes perfect sense to have a stage dedicated to this emerging regional market at SBC Summit Lisbon.

Even more, as the Eurasia region experiences economic stability and prosperity, we will surely witness a growing interest in developing sustainable sports betting and gaming businesses.

In my perspective, Eurasia, with its increasing spending power and the emergence of transparent regulatory frameworks, is well positioned for strong growth in legal betting and gaming. This progress will benefit operators and have a positive impact on sports and the broader ecosystem that surrounds the sports betting industry.

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