This week marks a new era for UK gambling with 40% taxes on online casino GGR coming into play. Despite this difficult new environment, Digitain enters with confidence and excitement.
Alexander Jones, Regional Sales Director, UK and Western Europe at Digitain, chats to SBC News about the supplier’s landmark entry into the UK market after it received a UKGC licence this year.
Jones outlines that the UK not only presents an exciting opportunity for Digitain to penetrate a prominent, global and competitive market, but that it also helps to make a global statement. With stringent regulations and the new tax regime now live, Digitain’s UK sales lead notes that if operators and suppliers can find success in this difficult environment, they can succeed just about anywhere.
Tell us about Digitain’s plans for the UK market and why certification from the UKGC is such an important milestone?
For Digitain, securing UKGC certification is a strategic milestone that reflects both our readiness and ambition. The UK is among the world’s most lucrative iGaming markets, while also being one of the most demanding in terms of regulation. Achieving compliance here is not just about ticking boxes – it’s about proving that your technology, processes, and mindset meet one of the highest benchmarks globally.
In terms of plans, we’re approaching the UK with a long-term mindset. This isn’t a quick market entry, it’s about building sustainable partnerships, offering customised solutions, and becoming a trusted technology provider for operators. As I’ve said elsewhere; I’m challenging operators to bring us their wishlists and let us prove ourselves as the go-to leading problem solver and solutions provider.
What is your strategy for the UK market and how will it differ from other regulated markets in terms of product and solutions?
The UK requires a different thought process – what works elsewhere doesn’t always translate here, tone of voice is key. Our strategy is built around three main pillars: localisation, compliance-first development and retention based on product innovation.
From a product perspective, UK players have very specific expectations. That means a strong focus on popular sports like football and horse racing, highly competitive odds, and seamless in-play betting experiences are key. We are fine-tuning our offerings to meet these expectations while ensuring that every feature aligns with UKGC requirements. From our bore-draw feature, to our sports tournaments that engage first time users, to our AI sportsbook segmentation tool that provides a personalised player experience for every site user, every feature is well thought out from a B2C perspective.
UK operators are increasingly seeking modern, flexible, and scalable alternatives to traditional platform providers, without compromising on regulatory standards. With our Centrivo iGaming platform and over 25 years of sportsbook expertise, we offer a next-generation solution designed to elevate operators across the UK, Ireland and wider European markets. The UK also demands a deeper integration of responsible gaming tools. This isn’t just about compliance – it’s about building trust with both operators and end users.
As part of our UK strategy, we are also investing in the growth of our local team, with plans of building a dedicated hub to support various functions. This ensures that operators benefit from close, on-the-ground collaboration and ongoing support.
In short, while our core technology remains consistent, the way it’s packaged, presented, and optimised for the UK is highly tailored.
The UK is also one of Europe’s most tightly regulated markets. Why did you want to enter this market and what does this tell us about your compliance capabilities?
If you can make it in the UK, you can make it just about anywhere. That’s the simple truth.
Entering such a tightly regulated market is both a challenge and a statement. For Digitain, it’s a way of demonstrating that compliance is not an obstacle, but a core competency. We are here to let the iGaming world know that we are a key player across all regulated markets. Successfully delivering a full turnkey platform in this environment is a clear indicator of both our product maturity and organisational readiness.
We’ve dedicated significant effort to building a compliance-first culture across our teams. This includes everything from internal processes to the architecture of our platforms. The UKGC certification is essentially external validation of that effort.
What are your targets and objectives for the UK market and where do you hope to be in the next 12–24 months?
Over the next 12–24 months, we aim to strengthen Digitain’s presence in the UK and Western Europe by establishing ourselves as a trusted, long-term technology partner, for both the online and retail marketplaces. Our focus will be on delivering scalable solutions, advanced risk management, and personalised player engagement, all while maintaining full compliance and providing innovative, end user-centric services.
We also plan to expand the current UK office into a full headquarters, incorporating commercial, trading, product, and account management teams. This local presence will enable closer collaboration with UK and Irish operators, ensuring hands-on support and continuous dialogue.
Ultimately, our goal is for Digitain to be recognised as a premium, reliable and innovative provider, trusted by operators across any and all regulated markets
