Global Reach or Local Depth: What Will Define iGaming’s Future?

Itai Zak, Executive Director of iGaming at Digicode and former CEO of SBTech, the tier-one sportsbook and technology provider acquired by DraftKings in 2019, also serves as CEO of Gemstone Interactive, a boutique solutions partner for iGaming operators. A veteran executive and long-time advocate of player-first innovation, he offers a sharp look into the future of iGaming. With a history of guiding major brands through expansion and transformation, Zak is not someone who follows trends for the sake of activity. In his view, the real battleground for long-term growth is not how many markets an operator enters but how deeply they engage in the ones they already serve. His question to operators is direct and strategic: Where are you truly winning, and why? Below, he explores the deep-market strategy shaping the next decade of growth, blending financial discipline, adaptive technology, and real-time personalization into a model that favors precision over presence.

Why Global-First Is Losing Ground

Not long ago, an operator’s success was often measured by the size of their geographic footprint. Being “live in many markets” created an impression of rapid growth. Today, saturated regions, fragmented regulation, and rising player expectations are exposing the weaknesses of this approach.

“Europe was once a centralized opportunity. Today, it’s ten different countries with ten different frameworks,” Zak notes. This shift has created a new operational reality: every jurisdiction now demands bespoke workflows, local reporting, responsible gaming oversight, and even market-specific UX.

Players have changed, too. A universal interface no longer works across emerging markets. In countries like Brazil and India, performance hinges on cultural relevance, local payment rails, and content tuned to regional tastes.

The Rise of Deep-Market Strategy

A clear industry shift is underway, from volume-based expansion to depth-driven dominance. Four key forces are driving it:

1. Fragmented Regulation Demands Local Focus

The “one license fits all” era is gone. Compliance is now both a legal and infrastructural challenge. Operators must maintain localized compliance engines to keep pace with evolving rules.

2. Player Experience Has Become Hyperlocal

Localization is no longer optional—it’s the default expectation.

• Nordic players favor richer desktop experiences and advanced casino features.
  
  
• Indian players expect mobile-first simplicity and payment flows like UPI.
  
  
• LATAM users increasingly gravitate toward platforms with PIX integrations and content tailored to Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking audiences.
  
  

Uniformity no longer scales. It alienates.

3. Efficiency Outperforms Vanity Expansion

Operators are recognizing that being exceptional in one market beats being average in many. Deep-market strategies drive:

• Higher LTV
  
  
• Stronger retention
  
  
• Lower CAC
  
  
• Better regulatory predictability
  
  

4. Retention Is the Real Growth Engine

Global expansion may deliver initial traffic, but sustained growth comes from trust, cultural alignment, and relevance. Operators who know their markets intimately retain more and churn less.

Is Global Expansion Dead?

Not at all. What’s emerging is a hybrid model: global infrastructure with hyperlocal execution.

Think of it as a shared chassis with localized controls. Operators need scalable core platforms—RGS, risk, CRM, KYC—while enabling local teams to customize payment flows, UX, marketing, and content.

In practice, this looks like:

• Consistent platform backbone
  
  
• Market-specific UI/UX and payment methods
  
  
• Local KPI dashboards
  
  
• Flexible brand architecture (including sub-brands)
  
  

Knowing When to Deepen vs. Expand

Operators can evaluate their strategy with a simple decision lens.

Expand when:

• LTV is fully optimized in current markets
  
  
• Infrastructure can support added regulatory complexity
  
  
• You have trusted local partners in the new region
  
  

Deepen when:

• Retention or conversion is below benchmarks
  
  
• Localized features or payments are not yet optimized
  
  
• Smaller competitors outperform via market knowledge
  
  

This framework helps avoid reactive expansion and encourages meaningful investment.

The Digicode Perspective: Local Autonomy, Central Control

At Digicode, we’re seeing the shift firsthand. Operators no longer ask for “just another multilingual skin.” They want:

• Modular platforms for multiple brands with unique rules
  
  
• Market-specific compliance configuration
  
  
• Localized bonus engines
  
  
• Lifecycle tools aligned with cultural buying behavior
  
  

The key advantage? A flexible architecture that separates scalable back-end systems from highly customizable front-end experiences, allowing operators to go deeper in the markets that truly matter.

Final Thought: Strategy Is Local

The iGaming industry is evolving. The future won’t favor operators who try to be everywhere; it will reward those who become essential in the markets where they compete. The brands that win will be the ones that invest in cultural fluency, understand local behavior better than anyone else, and build infrastructure that adapts intelligently.

 Itai Zak summarizes: “Don’t ask how many countries you’re in. Ask where you’re winning and why.”

If local precision is your next competitive advantage, Digicode’s experts can help you deliver it without losing the strength of a global framework.