Prague once again became the center of the European gaming industry. The юбilee 10th edition of the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit brought leading experts in regulation, technology, and the gambling market to the Czech capital. This year, the Institute for Gambling Regulation (IPRH) took on not only the role of a strategic partner but also curated the entire Responsible Gaming & Player Safety Day, further reinforcing its position as a leader in the field of responsible gambling.
From discussion to solutions: new threats on the market
The very first day of the summit delivered an important “reality check” of the Czech gambling market. Discussions showed that illegal gambling is evolving dynamically and bringing new, more sophisticated forms of risk.
One of the key topics was the phenomenon of so-called brand spoofing, highlighted by Jan Holub. This is no longer just about traditional illegal websites, but about fraudulent imitation of licensed operators’ brands, which can lead to the misuse of players’ login credentials.
This trend was further expanded by Jan Urbanec, who pointed to another dimension of the problem—illegal cloning of games. This not only misleads players but also harms legitimate suppliers and the entire ecosystem.
Petr Kozák from IPRH emphasized that the key to addressing these challenges lies in close cooperation between regulators, public authorities, and the market itself. According to him, a coordinated approach is essential for effectively protecting both players and the legal environment.
Smart regulation: data as the foundation of effective oversight
The second day of the summit, whose expert programme was curated by IPRH, focused on data, research, and the tangible impacts of regulation in practice.
During the panel discussions, IPRH representatives joined leading international experts to demonstrate that modern regulation cannot rely solely on rules, but must be built on measurable outcomes.
The presented data clearly showed:
- the legal market accounts for approximately 77%, while the illegal segment still represents a significant 23%,
- illegal gambling costs the state and municipalities more than €160 million annually,
- while 100% of licensed operators implement player protection tools, such mechanisms are completely absent on the illegal market.
A key moment was also the presentation of the methodology behind an economic study by the Centre for Economic and Market Analyses (CETA), delivered by Jakub Žofčák. This analysis forms the foundation of the Black Book of Illegal Gambling, which provides a detailed mapping of the impacts and trends of the illegal market in the Czech Republic.
IRIS and a new perspective on player protection
One of the central topics was also the IRIS project, presented by Petr Rybák. This innovative tool aims to fundamentally change the approach to player protection. Instead of assessing behaviour within a single operator, it tracks risk patterns across multiple operators. Currently, four of the largest online operators in the Czech Republic are involved in the project.
Such an approach has the potential to significantly improve early detection of problem gambling and strengthen the effectiveness of preventive measures.
International cooperation and the “Czech way”
The summit also confirmed the growing international relevance of the Czech approach to gambling regulation. Strong interest was generated not only by the Black Book of Illegal Gambling—whose English copies were in exceptionally high demand—but also by the IPRH model itself.
Alongside ongoing cooperation with the Slovak institute, there is now potential to expand this model to Poland. Under the leadership of Justyna Grusza-Grusza-Głębicka, a new platform inspired by Czech know-how is currently being developed there.
Fourth award in a row
One of the highlights of the summit was the GamingTECH CEE Awards ceremony. IPRH successfully defended its position, receiving for the fourth consecutive time the award for the greatest contribution to responsible gambling in Central and Eastern Europe.
This achievement confirms that the approach based on a combination of data, technology, and cooperation—the so-called “Czech way”—delivers tangible results and has strong international recognition.
Networking and exchange of experience
As in previous years, the summit also served as an important platform for informal networking, sharing experiences, and building new partnerships across Europe.
Special thanks go to the organizers led by Zoltán Tűndik and the entire HIPTHER team for delivering an excellent 10-year anniversary edition of the event.
The direction: a safer and more sustainable market
The Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2026 clearly demonstrated that the future of gambling regulation lies in data, technology, and international cooperation. IPRH played a key role not only as a participant in discussions but as an active agenda-setter.
It is already clear that pressure to combat the illegal market and strengthen player protection will continue to grow in the coming years and that the Czech approach will play an increasingly important role in this debate.
