Betora CEO Hamed Rahimi: Why Adaptability is Critical in the iGaming Landscape

The days when online gambling operators could simply buy an off-the-shelf platform and succeed with it for years across multiple countries are effectively over. The industry is facing a turning point, primarily characterized by increasingly strict and sometimes erratic state regulations. Hamed Rahimi, CEO of technology provider Betora, sees this development as a massive challenge to business predictability. When the rules of the game are changed in the middle of operations, even large investments in licenses and infrastructure begin to waver. In this environment, flexibility is no longer a luxury but the only survival strategy.

The complexity is particularly evident in the example of Brazil. Enormous sums are flowing into marketing and local licenses there, while social concerns are simultaneously increasing. The government estimates household losses from gambling at around 62.5 billion Real. Such figures often lead to political pressure and rapid legislative changes, which in the worst case can result in a complete ban. For Rahimi, however, such a ban is not a solution, as it merely pushes demand into the unregulated black market where transparency and player protection are lacking. Instead, he advocates for a controllable framework in which player behavior can be monitored.

Numbers and facts

A central point in the current debate is the economic impact of regulation. In Brazil, it involves massive household losses that are now fueling a debate over gambling advertising and sponsorship restrictions. Similar trends are emerging in Europe. Italy has already implemented strict advertising bans, and the fiscal landscape in Malta is continuously changing. This dynamic forces service providers to build their technological base modularly. Betora relies on an architecture that guarantees 99.9 percent availability and bundles over 20 years of industry expertise. The goal is to keep technical hurdles during market entry or exit as low as possible.

"I think regulatory uncertainty is becoming one of the biggest challenges facing our industry, and we're seeing it across both emerging and established markets. Regulation itself isn't the problem. In fact, I believe strong regulation is essential for the industry's long-term credibility and sustainability." - Hamed Rahimi, CEO of Betora

Background

The technological side of gambling must do much more today than just provide games. Modern platforms like Betora's function as a complete ecosystem that integrates Player Account Management (PAM), compliance tools, and payment processing. A key aspect is certification by independent testing laboratories such as GLI (Gaming Laboratories International). Without such proof and automated anti-money laundering (AML) systems, providers have little chance of obtaining a license in regulated markets. The platform must be able to adapt to local payment service providers, whether they are classic currencies or crypto solutions.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, the stability of regulation is a double-edged sword. Since the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021) came into force, there have been clear rules in Germany, but these are extremely strict by international standards. The Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) meticulously monitors compliance with the whitelist. For the user, this specifically means: deposit limits of 1,000 euros per month across all providers and a stake limit of 1 euro per game round for slots. Systems like LUGAS for monitoring these limits and the OASIS lock file are mandatory for German players. Those who play at a casino licensed in Germany enjoy the highest level of legal protection but must accept these restrictions. Platform operators like Betora would have to adapt their technology precisely to these German specificities to operate legally here. The predictability that Rahimi calls for is provided in Germany by the state treaty, but it severely restricts the flexibility of the players.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

Casinos with a GGL license are under constant pressure to keep their systems up to date. The technical connection to LUGAS is complex and leaves little room for error. For operators, this means they rely on technology partners who can not only guarantee high uptime but also implement regulatory changes in real-time. A rigid tech stack can quickly become an obstacle here. If the German authority sets new requirements for reporting or identity verification (KYC), the platform must be modular enough to implement these without months of development time. In the long run, only those casinos that design their technological infrastructure flexibly enough to respond to high German standards without completely ruining the player experience will prevail.