EL Industry Days 2026: Bridging Continents to Address Common Challenges and Shape the Future of Lotteries
With more than 300 participants – lottery leaders, experts and stakeholders from across Europe and Africa - gathered in Marrakech, the EL Industry Days once again confirmed its place as the flagship lottery event of the year.
Hosted by Société de Gestion de la Loterie Nationale (SGLN), and organised with EL Level I Partners Brightstar & Scientific Games and Level II Partner Aristocrat Interactive, and the support of African Lotteries Association (ALA), this year's theme - ''Lotteries Bridging Continents'' - highlighted the value of bringing together different perspectives to address common priorities and shape the future of the sector.
Collaboration as a driving force
The Industry Days provided a unique platform to exchange best practices, strengthen partnerships and discuss the future of the lottery sector. From advancing positive societal impact and leveraging new technologies to confronting irresponsible and illegal practices, this year's edition connected European and African perspectives to address shared priorities and common challenges.
Opening the event, Romana Girandon EL President, together with Hatim Seffar, Chairman & CEO, SGLN and Omar Skalli, Secretary General, ALA, highlighted the importance of collaboration and dialogue in a rapidly evolving environment.
Keynote speaker Jim Steele, Founder of The Holistic Performance Lab, reflected on leadership, accountability and the importance of collective effort, setting the tone for the discussions that followed. His message was clear: organisations achieve lasting results when strategic intent is translated into coordinated action and shared purpose.
Throughout the programme, a recurring theme emerged: while lotteries operate in different markets and regulatory environments, many of the challenges and ambitions they face are shared. Cooperation across borders and continents remains essential to strengthening the sector's collective impact and responding to an evolving environment.
Digital transformation with the player at the centre
A session dedicated to the digitalisation of retail demonstrated how lotteries are adapting to changing consumer expectations while recognising that each market is deeply embedded in its own societal and cultural context—resulting in different approaches across countries.
Examples from Europe and Africa showed that digital transformation is not about replacing retail, but about creating seamless omnichannel experiences that place the player at the centre. Discussions highlighted the importance of trust, accessibility and customer-centricity in supporting sustainable growth. A dedicated panel moderated by EL Honorary President Ray Bates explored further the strategies for growth.
Participants agreed that the future lies not in choosing between retail and digital channels, but in creating seamless player experiences across both. Successful transformation starts with understanding customers, embracing diverse perspectives and creating value that makes every player feel valued.
Panel discussion with Roger SOLEIM (Norsk Tipping), Majda RABAH (SGLN), Cian MURPHY (Premier Lottery Ireland), & Richard DAWKINS (Allwyn UK), moderated by Ray BATES, EL Honorary President
Combatting illegal gambling together
As a strategic priority for EL, tackling illegal and irresponsible gambling practices featured prominently in the programme. Discussions highlighted the growing scale and sophistication of illegal operators and the risks they pose to consumers, regulated operators and society. Particular attention was given to EL's Task Force on Illegal Gambling and the pilot project launched with White Bullet (presentation by its CEO and Founder Peter SZYSZKO), which aims to strengthen monitoring, enforcement cooperation and the sharing of best practices across Europe.
Interim findings from the project were shared, reinforcing the message that effective action requires stronger cooperation between lotteries, regulators, law enforcement authorities and digital platforms. The final results of the project are expected later this year and will help guide future actions to empower EL members in tackling illegal and irresponsible online gambling activities.
Panel on Illegal Gaming with Olli SAREKOSKI, CEO, Veikkaus Oy, Beata STELMACH, CEO, Totalizator Sportowy & Philippe VLAEMMINCK, EL Legal Advisor, moderated by Iva ZORKO, EL Senior Policy Officer
Key takeaway: illegal operators often target vulnerable consumers and create unfair competition for regulated operators. Protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the regulated lottery sector requires a true coalition of the willing — bringing together lotteries, regulators, law enforcement authorities and digital platforms to take coordinated action.
Innovating with purpose
Keynote speaker Geoff Mulgan CBE and Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at UCL, challenged participants to consider how lotteries can continue to innovate and adapt in an increasingly uncertain world, while remaining anchored in their societal mission.
Discussions on artificial intelligence, responsible innovation and future-focused business models demonstrated how lotteries can embrace technological change while maintaining public trust and delivering societal value. A clear message emerged throughout the session: innovation and impact must go hand in hand. Trust remains one of the lottery sector's most valuable assets and will be critical as lotteries continue to evolve and respond to changing player expectations.
The programme also recognised the 300th anniversary of Nederlandse Loterij, a remarkable milestone demonstrating how lotteries can successfully balance tradition and innovation across generations.
Strengthening the European lottery model
Responsible gaming remains a core priority for EL and was an important focus during the event. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the key developments and enhancements introduced through the new EL Responsible Gaming Standards.
Developed through extensive collaboration with EL members and external experts, the updated Standards and Certification Framework provide an even more robust, effective and trusted benchmark for the sector in Europe.
Panel discussion with Romana GIRANDON, EL President, Alessandro PACIUCCI, CEO, BrightstarLotterySpA & Sarah RAMANAUSKAS, Senior Partner, Audit & Research, Gambling Integrity, moderated by EL's Mélissa Jacquérioz
The event also explored the evolving lottery ecosystem. Christian Kalb examined the growing debate around prediction markets and their regulatory implications, highlighting the importance of engaging with regulators as this fast-moving area continues to evolve. The programme concluded with an inspiring keynote by Raymon Blondel, President of the European Paralympic Committee, who demonstrated how inclusion, innovation and sport can drive positive societal change.
Looking ahead
The three-day programme concluded with the EL General Assembly on 10 June, where members adopted the updated Responsible Gaming Standards, marking an important milestone in EL's continued commitment to player protection, responsibility and public trust.
The Association also welcomed four new members: Regular Member Turkish National Lottery Administration (Milli Piyango), Observer Member Singapore Pools (Private) Limited, and Associate Members Gaming Innovation Ltd – 7777 Gaming (Bulgaria) and Genlot Game Technology Co., Ltd (China).
Across all sessions - from digital transformation and responsible gaming to innovation and the fight against illegal gambling - one message remained clear: lotteries are strongest when they work together, share knowledge and address common priorities and challenges collectively.
EL would like to thank Société de Gestion de la Loterie Nationale (SGLN), the African Lotteries Association (ALA), EL Level I Partners Brightstar and Scientific Games, Level II Partner Aristocrat Interactive, all speakers, participants and organising teams, and a special thank you to Asha Sumputh for expertly moderating the event and guiding discussions throughout the programme.
We look forward to welcoming the lottery community to the 13th EL Congress, hosted by The National Lottery Belgium in Brussels from 18–21 May 2027.
