240 million Bulgarian leva is the revenue generated by the gaming sector in the state budget until 30th of September 2022. This became clear from Angel Iribozov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Association of the Gaming Industry in Bulgaria’s speech at the opening ceremony of the international gaming exhibition BEGE 2022, which took place from Nov. 23 to Nov. 24 at the Inter Expo Center in Sofia. Over 85 exhibiting companies from three continents participated in the event, showcasing innovations and technological solutions on an area of 7,800 square meters. BEGE 2022 was held under the patronage of the gaming industry regulatory body, the National Revenue Agency.

"In 2021, the revenue from the gaming industry amounted to BGN 241 million, which is 25% more than in 2020 (BGN 192 million). There was a sustained trend of significant growth in the online segment with an upswing in the first 4 months of 2021. The industry is also transforming due to the accelerated development of technology, and it is precisely at BEGE 2022 that you could feel the pulse of this dynamic" Angel Iribozov also stated. The Association of the Gaming Industry in Bulgaria is the initiator of the exhibition.

BEGE 2022 was officially opened by the executive director of the National Revenue Agency - Boris Mihailov. "The gambling industry is the most dynamically developing sector in Bulgaria. We work with the companies in the field extremely well," he said. "It is important to note that we are of the same mind regarding the importance of responsible gambling," Mihailov added.

The opening BEGE 2022 official press conference was attended by industry experts including Alex Haberl, Regulatory Development Manager, GLI Europe B.V., as well as Pieter Remmers, Co-chair of the gambling section of ICAA (International Council on Alcohol and other Addictions) and Board member of EASG (European Association for the Study of Gambling). Among the speakers was Dr. Joerg Hofmann, Senior Partner at Melchers Law Firm. "We monitor regulations worldwide. When online gambling first appeared, it was like a Wild West territory. But technology drives the industry. Today, viewed from the outside, Bulgaria is a center, a kind of digital hub for online gambling. And you can be proud of that,” shared Dr. Hofmann.

For the 13th time, BEGE provided solid opportunities for creating new strategic partnerships and real prospects for entering new markets for companies from the entertainment and gaming industry. A key part of the exhibition was the Eastern European Gaming Industry Summit (EEGS), which also took place on November 23rd and 24th at Inter Expo Center, Sofia. It offered a rich program of presentations and discussions. Among the topics on the first day of the forum were the future of games: metaverse, crypto, blockchain, etc.; marketing in gambling; trends in gaming industry companies listed on the stock exchange; new markets, regulations and responsible gaming in perspective. Highlights during the second day of the conference were regulations and prevention against money laundering, as well as responsible gaming. (2022/12/15)