Where sport runs deep, betting follows. In the Balkans the two are tightly linked. Fans track domestic leagues as closely as European competition, and that intensity shapes what a good sportsbook has to deliver.
The online market is growing in licensed sportsbook and iGaming, with more customers on mobile. At the same time rules are tightening around licensing, advertising, KYC and AML, payment monitoring and safer gambling. This is less a land grab and more a test of execution.
Entain CEE’s Ivan Gojic argues for scale in the core and local feel at the edge. Keep trading, risk and payments on a shared backbone, he says, and yet local teams shape the front end so markets, language and tone land with fans. Then there is the matter of cross selling, which only really works when it fits the journey from the live match to the next moment of play.
Meanwhile, partnerships with clubs and leagues are moving from badging to shared products that supporters actually use. And the region is not one market. Croatia is not Serbia is not Romania, and local operators are strong.
Ahead of SBC Summit Lisbon, we spoke to Gojic about what works, what does not and where the Balkans betting market is heading.
Read the full interview below
The Balkans are often described as one of Europe’s most dynamic growth regions. From a sportsbook perspective, what makes this market particularly attractive right now?
The Balkans combine a few rare ingredients: passionate sports culture, fast digital adoption, and still-untapped online penetration. Football, basketball, and handball are part of daily life here, and that creates a natural ecosystem for betting engagement. At the same time, regulation is maturing, payments are catching up, and mobile-first behaviour is accelerating. It’s a market where you can build sustainable growth if you get localisation right, but it punishes those who think a one-size-fits-all approach will work.
When entering new territories, how do you balance the need for localisation in product and brand experience with the efficiencies of operating at scale?
That’s the art of it. At scale, you want consistency in technology, trading, and risk management, as the backbone has to be industrial. But the customer experience layer, markets offered, UX design, language, even tone of voice just has to feel hyper-local. In practice, this means building on shared platforms but leaving room for local teams to shape front-end delivery. We’ve learned that giving autonomy on the last mile of the customer journey is what drives differentiation without losing efficiency.
Cross-selling across sports, casino, and other verticals is a big theme in emerging markets. From your experience, what strategies genuinely resonate with customers, and which fall flat?
What resonates are experiences that feel natural. Sports fans don’t like being “pushed” into casino; they engage when the journey feels like part of the entertainment ecosystem. For example, leveraging live sports moments to connect into instant games or jackpots can work if it’s contextual. What falls flat are generic promotions, as customers are too savvy, and it breaks trust if cross-sell feels forced. Relevance and timing are everything (like for everything in life).
Sport is deeply cultural in the Balkans. How do local sporting traditions and fan behaviours influence the way Entain approaches product design and engagement?
You can’t separate betting from the cultural meaning of sport here. Fans in the Balkans follow local leagues with the same passion as Champions League football. That means you need depth of coverage in domestic competitions, personalised content, and strong live betting experiences.
It also means community features matter more: whether that’s bet sharing, localised commentary, or partnerships with clubs that fans truly identify with. If you ignore the cultural layer, you’ll never connect authentically. It’s probably similar around the globe, especially in South America.
Partnerships — whether with leagues, clubs, or media — are central to sportsbook growth. How do you see the role of these collaborations evolving in Central and Eastern Europe?
Historically, partnerships here were about visibility, logos on shirts or boards. Today, they’re shifting into deeper integration. Clubs and leagues want data, fan engagement tools, and new revenue streams, while operators want credibility and access to communities.
In CEE, we’ll see more dedicated partnerships that look like co-creation: betting brands as part of the fan journey, not just sponsors. The value is in authenticity and creating shared products, not just exposure.
For international operators looking at the region, what’s the biggest misconception about doing business in the Balkans?
That it’s one market. It’s not. Each country has its own regulatory framework, cultural nuances, and economic realities. What works in Croatia won’t necessarily work in Serbia or Romania. Another misconception is underestimating the sophistication of local operators, as many are highly innovative, with strong retail networks and loyal customer bases. To succeed, you need respect for that reality and a long-term approach, not just “entry by playbook.”
You’ll be speaking at SBC Summit later this year — what’s the one lesson from Entain’s approach in CEE that you think the wider sports business community should take note of?
That sustainable growth comes from combining global capability with local authenticity. This is the strategy we believe in Entain CEE. This approach works well in the Balkans, in Croatia, as well as in Poland – a completely different part of Europe. You can’t just copy-paste product or marketing and expect success; equally, you can’t reinvent the wheel in every market.
The balance is to leverage the power of scale while empowering local teams to shape experiences that resonate culturally. It sounds simple, but it’s the difference between being present and being truly relevant. Our aim, as leader in Croatia and Poland, is to create the market situation in both countries, not only follow the local trends.
SBC Summit will take place from 16–18 September at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa and MEO Arena, bringing together 30,000 industry stakeholders for an unmissable three-day experience.
Looking to attend? Here’s how:
- Secure your place with a VIP Event Pass – Enjoy full access to all conference sessions, the exhibition floor, exclusive networking events, and complimentary food and drink throughout the summit.
- Bringing the team? Take advantage of our Group Pass Discount — purchase three or more VIP Event Passes and pay just €400 per ticket (saving €200 off the standard price).
- Operator or affiliate? You may be eligible for a complimentary VIP Event Pass, which includes full access to the exhibition, conference, and exclusive networking events. Apply now to reserve your spot.
- Expo+ Pass: Gain access to the full exhibition floor and all conference sessions across the three days. This does not include access to our exclusive VIP evening networking events.
Source: https://insidersport.com/2025/09/05/qa-entains-ivan-gojic-on-the-operating-model-for-cee-sportsbooks/
