GLI focuses on emerging markets at International Gaming Summit 2026
Gaming Laboratories International chose the 2026 edition of the International Gaming Summit to reinforce one of the messages that the certification firm has been advocating in recent cycles: emerging markets are no longer a medium-term promise, they are a strategic piece of the present of the global gaming industry. The summit, organized by the International Association of Gaming Advisors, took place from June 2 to 4 at The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Sarasota, Florida, and once again brought together executives, regulators, consultants, and specialists around the most relevant trends in the sector.
GLI attended the event as a sponsor and participated in the most anticipated debate of Thursday, June 4, the panel "New and Emerging Markets to Watch." James Maida, president and CEO of the company, was one of the protagonists of that discussion, where the focus was on how emerging markets are structuring their regulatory frameworks, what player protection measures they are deploying, what responsible gambling initiatives they are putting on the table, and what best practices are beginning to consolidate to sustain the growth of the sector in different jurisdictions.
An agenda shaped by new territories
The conversation about emerging markets played a particularly prominent role in the summit's program. The International Gaming Summit is one of the forums where the sector reviews how the global gaming map is being reordered, and the active presence of a certifier like GLI on that panel underscores the technical weight of jurisdictions that are currently building their regulatory frameworks. The ability of a new jurisdiction to attract serious, transparent, and sustainable operators depends precisely on the certification, oversight, and player protection standards it adopts from the outset.
Over the three days, the agenda included panels dedicated to the expansion of sports betting, regulatory updates in different regions of the world, the growth of the illegal market, and other matters considered strategic for the global industry. This combination made it clear that the fight for regulation is not limited to a legal debate, but rather enters fully into the operational, commercial, and market competition arena, with direct consequences for operators evaluating where and how to enter each market.
The role of regulators
Maida's intervention served as an invitation to closely observe how regulators in emerging markets are building their toolkit. The discussion added comparative perspectives and left the impression that the coexistence between the maturation of regulatory frameworks and the demands of international operators has become a key variable for the sustainable growth of the sector. The GLI CEO's statement aligned with an idea common to much of the panel: transparency in certification processes and cooperation between regulators are necessary conditions for emerging markets to capitalize on their potential without falling into the mistakes of more mature jurisdictions.
The firm's participation also intertwines with a trend that has been shaping the industry. Large independent laboratories are increasingly frequent interlocutors for developing regulators, as they provide technical standards, comparative precedents, and support for building reliable schemes from day one. This interaction reduces the learning curve and allows operators to access a market with clear rules more quickly.
Direct message for Latin America
GLI's message resonates particularly strongly in Latin America. Brazil has consolidated its federal framework, Peru is advancing with its scheme, Argentina is adding regulated jurisdictions, Colombia is fine-tuning details, and Chile is fighting to unblock its project in the Senate. In this scenario, the region becomes one of the hottest areas on the global map of emerging markets that the summit scrutinized. For operators and providers already working in LatAm, the Sarasota panel reinforces the idea that investing time and resources in regulatory, technical, and responsible gambling frameworks is the best way to capture sustained value in markets that are ready to grow in the coming years.
Tags: Gaming Laboratories International, International Gaming Summit 2026, IAGA, James Maida, emerging iGaming markets, global gaming regulation, GLI Gaming Laboratories International, Certification, Laboratories