Financial Discipline Over Powering Growth: Evoplay CFO Calls for a Strategic Shift

The gold rush atmosphere in the international online gambling industry is giving way to a new era of economic reason. While companies invested enormous resources into market entry just a few years ago to increase user numbers at any cost, the balance sheet now dictates action. This shift marks a maturation process in a sector increasingly struggling with strict laws and volatile conditions. Those who do not operate efficiently risk going under in an environment of rising costs and shrinking margins.

Vasilena Mantsiou, who oversees the numbers as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at game developer Evoplay, observes this development closely. She emphasizes that financial prudence is now just as important as actual growth. It is no longer just about getting bigger, but getting better. Planning is by no means getting easier, as regulation in various countries becomes increasingly complex. Every decision must now be weighed to precisely determine the ratio between return and effort.

Numbers and facts

A central aspect of the new strategy is the diversification of revenue. Mantsiou highlights that stable cash flow and healthy margins must form the foundation. The industry is looking at a time horizon of 12-18 months in which operational complexity will continue to increase. In particular, differences in currencies, tax structures, and reporting requirements tie up enormous capacities in finance departments. This is where modern technology comes into play. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already being used incrementally at Evoplay to simplify daily tasks and conserve resources where they are most urgently needed.

"In my view the financial discipline now matters as much as the growth within the industry. A few years ago, most companies put their energy into entering new markets and growing revenue. The importance of it is still significant, but now we are paying much more attention to the P&L, to be running efficiently, and to achieve growth without serious cost increases." - Vasilena Mantsiou, CFO at Evoplay

Background

The market is more dynamic than ever. A market that opens today can become unattractive or close completely within a year due to regulatory changes. Evoplay therefore relies on a strategy that weighs short-term results against long-term investments. Mantsiou warns against relying solely on expansion plans. Instead, the focus must be on efficiency, transparency, and responsible gaming. This creates the necessary trust with partners and authorities, which is essential for a permanent existence in the market.

Technology serves as a tool, but not as a replacement for human expertise. Strategic thinking and economic instinct remain core competencies for responding to market shifts. The combination of technological automation and human judgment is, according to Mantsiou, the key to creating real economic value instead of just artificially inflating company size.

Why it matters for German players

For players in Germany, this new financial rigor of providers has direct consequences. When companies like Evoplay or their partners, the operators, must work more efficiently, they focus more on regulated and secure markets like Germany. For users, this means a higher degree of reliability. Since German licenses from the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) involve high costs and strict requirements, only financially healthy companies will be able to survive in the German market in the long term. Players here benefit from the security that their provider not only exists today but can also guarantee payouts tomorrow through solid financial planning. Compliance with the State Treaty on Gambling 2021, including the deposit limit of 1,000 euros per month and connection to the LUGAS system, becomes a mandatory exercise for these firms to secure their profitability in Germany.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

Casinos with a GGL license are under particular cost pressure. The tax burden and technical requirements for player protection are very high in Germany compared to international standards. Mantsiou points out that providers must be more selective in which markets they invest. For GGL-licensed casinos, this means they need partners like Evoplay who are technologically capable of efficiently implementing special German rules, such as the 1-euro stake limit per spin or the five-second wait time between spins. Only providers that master this complexity without exploding administrative costs can remain competitive in Germany while working profitably.