A new cross-border industry platform is taking shape in Southeast Europe after gaming associations from seven Balkan markets signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Belgrade and formally launched the process of establishing the Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF). The initiative is being presented as the first platform of its kind for coordination, cooperation and joint positioning among gaming industry organizations in the Balkans.
The meeting was organized on the joint initiative of AGOS from Serbia and AOGGAB from Bulgaria, with the Serbian association hosting the event. The founding group brings together seven associations: AGOS (Serbia), AOGGAB (Bulgaria), HUPIS (Croatia), ROMSLOT (Romania), GPIS (Montenegro), UPIS RS (Bosnia and Herzegovina / Republic of Srpska) and MAK Gaming (North Macedonia). According to the federation’s backers, these organizations represent a significant share of the legal gaming sector in the region, spanning both online and land-based operators, casinos, manufacturers and technology suppliers.
The stated agenda is broader than symbolism. Organizers said the federation will focus on fighting illegal gambling, countering unfair competition, sharing regulatory expertise, coordinating on legislative and market issues, and promoting the Balkans more actively as a shared industrial zone. The group also discussed how BGF could evolve as a Balkan structure linked to the wider European framework, including a future relationship with EUROMAT.
The next milestone is already scheduled. The associations agreed to meet again on May 26, 2026, during the Belgrade Future Gaming exhibition, where the federation is expected to discuss its draft statute and continue building its internal framework before moving toward a more formal structure later in the year.
