Alessio Crisantemi is Founder of the Italian Gaming Expo & Conference (IGE), a forum for Italy's gaming sector that brings regulators, institutions, operators, academia, media, and technology stakeholders into closer dialogue. As Italy prepares for new concessions and regulatory updates in 2026, IGE reflects a market where compliance, innovation, and institutional engagement are central to how competitive dynamics are shaped.
How Italy's Gaming Expo Is Redefining the Industry's Global Influence
In this CasinoRank interview, Crisantemi examines how regulation, technology, and ecosystem thinking are redefining growth in Italian gaming. From AI and digital payments to player protection and market access, the discussion considers whether regulatory complexity can become a strategic advantage - and what risks emerge when reform raises the bar for operators across the supply chain.
IGE has evolved alongside a major shift in the Italian market in 2026. To what extent is IGE reflecting these changes versus actively influencing how the market restructures itself?
Alessio Crisantemi: IGE operates at the intersection of reflection and influence. On one hand, it accompanies and reflects the structural evolution of the Italian market, especially during such a significant phase as the introduction of new concessions and regulatory updates in 2026. On the other hand, it actively contributes to shaping this transformation by creating a high-level platform for dialogue between institutions, regulators, and operators.
In a market like Italy, where regulation plays a central role in defining competitive dynamics, dialogue is fundamental to the proper functioning of the industry and its ecosystem. Facilitating structured discussion means contributing, in a very concrete way, to the design of the market itself.
What specific capabilities or characteristics allow the Italian gaming ecosystem to play a more influential international role today?
Alessio Crisantemi: Absolutely. Italy's strength lies in its ability to operate within complexity. It is one of the most regulated markets globally, yet at the same time it is highly dynamic and competitive. This has led the entire ecosystem - operators, regulators, and technology providers - to develop advanced compliance capabilities, risk management, and responsible innovation.
Today, these capabilities represent a true competitive asset at an international level. Italy is no longer just a reference market, but an advanced laboratory where sustainable development models for regulated ecosystems are being tested and refined.
How can the industry continue to evolve technologically while maintaining strong player protection standards?
Alessio Crisantemi: Innovation and responsibility are not opposing forces. In mature markets, responsibility becomes the framework within which innovation can develop sustainably.
With ongoing technological evolution - particularly in artificial intelligence and data-driven systems - it is essential to integrate player protection directly into the design of products and services. It can no longer be treated as an additional layer, but must become an integral part of the technological architecture.
Companies that are able to combine technology, ethics, and compliance from the outset will be those best positioned to lead the next phase of industry development.
IGE unites regulators, institutions, academia, and operators in one rare setting. How does this integration change conversations and decisions versus traditional industry events?
Alessio Crisantemi: This level of integration fundamentally changes the quality of dialogue. Conversations shift from a purely commercial and short-term perspective to a broader, more strategic, long-term vision.
When all relevant stakeholders are present within the same environment, a shared understanding of challenges and opportunities emerges. This reduces fragmentation and makes decision-making processes more effective and faster - even in highly regulated markets where complexity is inherent. IGE was created precisely with this objective: to foster real, structured dialogue aimed at creating value for the entire ecosystem.
At the same time, it must be acknowledged that discussions around highly complex markets and dynamics are never simple and cannot lead to immediate or straightforward solutions. But this is precisely the essence of democratic processes and the key to achieving true sustainability. And precisely because discussion - and often even dialogue - is neither easy nor immediate, IGE becomes an even more valuable tool, not only for the industry, but also for policymakers.
Could regulation become a competitive advantage for some operators, rather than just a compliance burden, as AI, algorithmic responsibility, and digital payments rules grow more technologically complex?
Alessio Crisantemi: Regulation is increasingly becoming a differentiating factor. Operators that are able to interpret and effectively integrate complex regulatory frameworks can turn compliance into a true competitive advantage. In a context where technology, data, and payment systems are evolving rapidly, the ability to be 'regulatory-ready' is no longer a cost, but a strategic capability. It directly impacts scalability, access to new markets, and the ability to build long-term trust.
However, we cannot ignore that this new paradigm significantly raises the bar, making the market accessible primarily to more structured operators with greater investment capacity. This creates the risk of effectively pushing out part of the current supply chain. This is precisely one of the most critical aspects of the current phase of reform in the Italian sector, as there is a real risk of a shift toward illegality by operators who may find themselves - or feel - excluded from the market in which they have always operated.
For this reason, efforts are being made to ensure that solutions remain accessible to the widest possible range of operators, as regulators must also take into account the broader impact of new rules. However, all of this inevitably increases complexity in a sector that is already highly complex to regulate.
With a visible shift from isolated business models toward more interconnected ecosystems, how is this 'ecosystem thinking' changing the way companies approach growth and positioning in the Italian market?
Alessio Crisantemi: The concept of ecosystems is redefining how value is created in the industry. Growth is no longer the result of isolated performance, but of the ability to integrate within a complex network of players - including media, platforms, affiliates, and technology providers.
Companies that are able to understand their role within this ecosystem - and build effective synergies - will be those capable of developing stronger and more sustainable competitive advantages over time.
It is no longer just about competing, but about positioning oneself correctly within an interconnected structure, also in light of the new market balances and the future industry framework resulting from the reforms mentioned earlier.
Looking ahead, as the industry is balancing multiple forces, what will separate companies that scale successfully from those that struggle in this next phase of market evolution?
Alessio Crisantemi: The companies that will succeed are those capable of managing complexity while maintaining a clear strategic vision. This means combining regulatory expertise, technological flexibility, and a deep understanding of player behavior. Another key factor will be the ability to operate internationally without losing alignment with local contexts. The future belongs to those who can think globally, while executing with precision within highly specific regulatory environments.
One final aspect, which I personally consider crucial - even though it is still largely underestimated - is the need for a more advanced form of corporate and social responsibility. I am convinced that a key strategic priority for the near future will be placing sustainability at the center of every business strategy. Before anything else, companies must consider the impact that strategic decisions may have on the market and on consumers.
While in the past the focus was on placing the player at the center by responding to their needs and preferences in terms of consumption - and therefore focusing on products and services - today the market is mature enough to guide players, rather than simply follow them. This means directing behavior and ensuring it remains within a sustainable framework.
Only in this way can a truly sustainable future be guaranteed - for companies, for the entire industry, and above all for consumers. And if, until recently, this might have seemed unrealistic, today it is entirely achievable thanks to technology. We are already seeing this clearly in this edition of IGE, where these topics are widely discussed.
