Digital has become a core vertical for modern gambling companies when chasing a successful business strategy. Legacy brands are still making adjustments on the move. Such is the case with UK National Lottery operator Allwyn, which launched a dedicated Digital department as recently as 2025.
For SBC News, Kresimir Spajic, Chief Executive Officer of Allwyn Digital, outlined how the gambling multinational is addressing new trends, and what he believes the next step in the evolution of gambling will be – all glimpses of what Spajic will share in full during his attendance at SBC Summit Lisbon this September.
SBC News: You became a CEO of Allwyn Digital when the division was first established a little under a year ago. What’s the idea behind it?
Kresimir Spajic: Allwyn Digital was set up to bring together the group’s technology, data, product, iGaming and sportsbook capabilities into a more connected model. My role has been to make that more scalable: stronger leadership, clearer product ownership and a shared technology backbone that can support multiple markets over time.
Digital is now a core growth driver for Allwyn, so it’s an obvious priority. In Q1 2026, Group net revenue increased 21% year-on-year to €1.204bn and Adjusted EBITDA increased 24% to €443m. Our focus is on turning that momentum into better products, faster innovation, more personalised experiences and responsible growth across regulated markets. We’re making really great progress and, as you point out, we are just at the beginning of that journey.
How has online gambling progressed over the last 20 years since you first started engaging with the vertical?
The last 20 years have transformed online gambling from a relatively simple transactional product into a sophisticated digital entertainment ecosystem. The biggest shift is that players now expect the same quality of experience they get from other digital platforms: mobile-first access, intuitive design, personalisation, community and richer content. That’s why operators need stronger technology, better data and faster product development.
At Allwyn, we see this very clearly in the shift toward digital channels. Online NGR represented 37% of total NGR in 2025, and pro forma for PrizePicks and other interests it was 52%. So, this is no longer a side channel, it is central to how the industry is evolving.
Allwyn International makes a push into prediction markets
Purchasing a majority stake into US Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operator PrizePicks at the end of last year was another sign that Allwyn is willing to fully embrace a diversified product portfolio that caters to completely new audiences.
On top of tapping into DFS, which not many European companies have done as of yet, Allwyn also became one of the first European gambling PLCs to get a direct entry into the emerging space of prediction markets through PrizePicks’ deals with Kalshi and Polymarket not long after Allwyn’s majority stake takeover.
SBC News: What are some of the leading technologies that are driving iGaming today? How is Allwyn incorporating them?
Kresimir Spajic: The most important technologies are the ones that improve the player experience and help operators make better decisions.
Data and analytics allow us to understand behaviour more effectively and deliver more relevant content and recommendations. AI can support personalisation, churn prediction, fraud detection, customer support, efficiency and player protection.
Cloud and platform architecture make it easier to scale products across markets and introduce new features faster. For Allwyn, the focus is not technology for its own sake; it is using proprietary platforms, data and AI to create better UX, faster product development and more responsible engagement across regulated markets.
How different are your digital strategies from market to market?
The strategy is consistent, but execution has to be local. We are building a shared technology and product model, but every market has different regulation, player behaviour and product maturity. That is why the opportunity is not to force one product everywhere, but to build reusable capabilities that can be adapted market by market.
We already have strong complementary positions across Europe, including Austria, Cyprus, Czechia and Greece, and we are building in North America through PrizePicks and the Illinois Lottery. The common thread is industry expertise, regulated-market discipline, stronger digital product capability and the ability to scale what works.
Are players now distinctly online or land-based, or do they still overlap?
There is still significant overlap. Players do not usually think in terms of digital versus retail; they think about convenience, trust and the quality of the experience. Some moments suit retail because of the social interaction and physical presence. Other moments suit digital because it is immediate, personalised and available wherever the player is.
The future is therefore not about one channel replacing another. It is about creating a more connected omni-channel experience, where the strengths of retail and digital reinforce each other. That’s what we’re working towards at Allwyn.
What can a digital gambling product offer consumers that physical venues cannot?
Digital can offer convenience, immediacy and personalisation in a way physical venues cannot always replicate. It allows players to engage when and where they choose, and it allows operators to use data responsibly to make the experience more relevant, intuitive and safe. That includes better recommendations, smarter CRM, faster product iteration and stronger responsible-play tools. Physical venues still offer atmosphere and social interaction, which are important. The opportunity is to make the two experiences complementary rather than competing.
SBC News: Allwyn’s focus has been on becoming a lottery-led entertainment firm. How are you joining the dots between lottery, sports betting, iGaming and fantasy sports to achieve this?
Kresimir Spajic: Lottery remains at the centre of Allwyn’s strategy, but the way players engage with entertainment is changing. Our role is to build a broader, lottery-led digital entertainment ecosystem around that core. That means connecting lottery, iGaming, sports betting, daily fantasy and adjacent formats through shared product, data and technology capability. PrizePicks, IWG and the OPAP combination all broaden the platform and strengthen our ability to scale across Europe, the UK and North America. The point is not to build isolated products; it is to build capabilities that can travel across markets and help us deliver more engaging, responsible experiences.
Allwyn consolidates lottery domination strategy with OPAP merger
Allwyn made a significant step towards becoming one of the most dominant lottery companies in the world by merging with OPAP – a major gaming firm in Greece that is also the operator of the Greek National Lottery.
The firm is still on the hunt for a sportsbook, however, having had to abandon a majority accusing of Greek firm Novibet after concerns were raised by the competition authorities in that country.
Nonetheless, Allwyn remains committed to ironing out the fine details of its lottery-led entertainment vision, with lotteries being the primary product at the top of funnel of gaming, betting and fantasy.
First it was land-based, then it was iGaming, what’s the next biggest step in the evolution of gambling?
I think the next step will be defined by the quality and intelligence of the experience. Players will expect products that are more seamless, more personalised, more social and more immersive, while still being safe and responsible. AI, data and gamification will all play a role, but the real advantage will come from combining those tools with trusted brands, strong regulation and proprietary customer insight. The winners will be the operators that can innovate quickly without losing trust.
Is innovation moving too fast for regulators, or are regulators too slow to chase?
I don’t see innovation and regulation as opposing forces. In this sector, good regulation is what allows innovation to be sustainable. It protects players, creates trust and gives responsible operators the certainty to invest for the long term. That is particularly important as products become more personalised and data-led. Allwyn’s advantage is that we are used to operating in regulated markets, often through long-term licences and partnerships. The challenge is to keep innovating at pace while maintaining transparency, responsibility and trust.
You’ll be speaking at SBC Summit Lisbon this September. What can you say about the speaker selection on your panel?
I’m excited to be part of the Super CEO Panel because it brings together operators with different perspectives on the same fundamental question: where does growth come from next? The industry is at a fascinating point. Technology, regulation, capital allocation and consumer expectations are all changing quickly, and those shifts are creating both opportunities and pressure. I’ll be bringing Allwyn’s perspective as a lottery-led gaming entertainment group that is investing behind digital, data and responsible innovation, while staying disciplined about where and how we grow.
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SBC Summit is one of the world’s largest gatherings of betting and gaming professionals. Taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 29 September-1 October, the event will bring together 40,000 attendees from across the international industry.
The event encompasses three days of learning, networking, and discussion, alongside a major exhibition featuring leading brands from around the globe.
For more information and tickets, visit sbcevents.com/sbc-summit