At SiGMA Central Europe 2025, strategic leadership took a daring turn on the Affiliates Stage with the CEO Power Panel “When in Rome, What Would Caesar Bet On?”. This energetic discussion explored how today’s iGaming executives are channeling the bold vision and risk-taking spirit of ancient empires to shape the industry’s next era of expansion. The panel brought together Moderator Oliver De Bono, CEO of Quantum Gaming, Marcel Tobler, CEO of Swiss Casinos, Richard Dennys, CEO of Game Lounge, Nikolay Lobov, CEO of Nobles Gaming and Franz Gerhart, CEO of Vyking. Together, they unpacked the parallels between historical empire-building and modern market dominance, revealing how strategy, timing and calculated innovation define success in the ever-evolving world of iGaming.
Moderator Oliver De Bono set the tone with a question that echoed both ancient and modern realities. How can companies avoid losing market share by overreaching? Richard Dennys drew a vivid comparison between corporate expansion and the Roman Empire. “One of the parallels with ancient Rome and our industry, is that once a business becomes very successful and expands into new markets, it risks losing its ethos. Like Rome, winning everything until it stops winning, priorities change and alignment gets lost.” He warned that the key to sustainable success lies in maintaining balance.
For Marcel Tobler, the challenge of scaling without fragmentation is one every CEO faces. “At a certain stage, not everyone can do everything. You need to hire specialists, but alignment is the hardest thing to maintain. Without it, different teams risk going in different directions,” he explained.
Franz Gerhart, bringing an engineer’s mindset to leadership, spoke about the importance of structure. “Battles are won by logistics. You need to give teams the opportunity to build their own frameworks. A company thrives when autonomous teams can manage themselves,” he said.
However, Gerhart warned that over-specialisation can backfire. “If you rely on too many specialists, you lose flexibility,” he explained. “A solid core allows multiple teams to operate in parallel. The more open your architecture, the quicker you can grow, even better if you can open-source part of it. It’s not selfish, when others contribute to scaling, your organisation gains shared identity and resilience.”
Turning to the topic of consolidation and shifting regulation, Nikolay Lobov urged leaders to approach industry change proactively rather than reactively. “To prepare well, you must be part of the change itself. Regulation is always evolving, sometimes not ideally, but like a Roman general, every decision has its own price. You can’t just wait, you must act from experience and understanding of where the market is heading.”
As the discussion deepened, De Bono noted that one of the greatest leadership challenges is achieving consensus. “The toughest thing as a CEO, is getting people to agree with your vision.” Tobler added that systemic inertia often slows innovation. “We want to change quickly, but it takes time. Everything in a company is linked together, you can’t just change one thing without affecting the rest.”
Dennys pointed to overregulation as a universal constraint. “Overregulation is an issue in every single market,” he said. De Bono agreed, concluding with a note of balance, “We always say overregulation leads to black markets, but at the same time, we need to make players feel safe.”
For more executive insights, bold strategies, and visionary perspectives from iGaming leaders at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, stay tuned for front-row access to the leaders reshaping the global gaming landscape.
The content presented on this page is strictly informational and intended for B2B purposes only. SiGMA Group is not responsible or liable for any business decisions, commercial agreements, or activities conducted by attendees, exhibitors, or third parties during or after the event. All participants are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws and licensing requirements, including those of the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) in Italy. Our events are restricted to adults aged 18 and over.
#SiGMA2025 #iGamingLeadership #BusinessStrategy #Innovation #Regulation #GamingIndustry #Europe
Welcome to Gambling Consulting Authority (GCA) - Your Strategic Partner in Gambling Industry Advancement
