The industry enters the year under heavy pressure. Several forces hit the market at the same time: regulation, payments, competition, rising traffic costs, search engine changes, and the growing influence of LATAM. This isn’t a crisis or a downturn — it’s a moment when every company has to rebuild its processes instead of simply reacting to outside changes.
The years 2024–2025 showed that old playbooks no longer deliver stable results. SEO became unpredictable, PPC turned expensive, payments became complicated, and regulators became more attentive. In 2026, these trends don’t fade — they become the new normal. Because of this, operators, affiliates, studios, and suppliers start working differently: more analytics, more compliance, more focus on traffic quality and product value.
Source: iGaming.com
European markets continue to tighten control. Finland is moving to a licensing model, Germany keeps pressure on operators, and the Netherlands and the United Kingdom strengthen reporting and verification requirements. Regulators act precisely: they don’t just introduce new rules — they actively monitor how companies follow them.
For operators, this means higher compliance costs, the need for transparent processes, and a complete rejection of grey practices. For affiliates, it means stricter requirements for traffic quality, content, and promotional materials. For suppliers, it means meeting standards that previously applied only to operators.
Europe remains an important region, but entering the market becomes expensive and time‑consuming. Because of this, many companies start reallocating resources.
LATAM continues to gain momentum. Brazil remains the main focus, but operators are actively exploring Mexico, Peru, and Chile. The region grows thanks to its mobile‑first audience, high engagement, and familiarity with alternative payment methods.
The key advantage of LATAM is low saturation. There’s still room for new brands, affiliates, and studios. That’s why in 2026, LATAM stops being a “promising” direction and becomes a required part of the strategy.
Interest in smaller GEOs is rising. The reason is simple: competition in major regions intensifies, and traffic costs increase. Small markets offer predictability, stable LTV, and the chance to take leading positions quickly.
For smaller operators, this is an opportunity to secure their place. For affiliates, it’s a way to get quality traffic without fighting giants. For studios, it’s a testing ground for new mechanics.
Search results are shifting. Algorithms increasingly prioritize websites with real expertise, strong branding, and deep content. Mass‑produced content loses ground. Sites built on template texts can’t compete.
In 2026, the projects that succeed are those that:
Google continues updating its algorithms, and the market expects a major cleanup. Because of this, affiliates move from mass content production to precise work with quality.
Click prices rise, and rules become stricter. Platforms cooperate more closely with regulators, and tools like Humbl.ai make grey schemes harder to run. Black‑hat PPC loses efficiency, while white‑hat campaigns require strong expertise and clean funnels.
PPC remains a working tool, but only for those who can:
Streamers, communities, and influencers continue to grow, but regulatory pressure increases. Platforms introduce new rules, and brands demand transparency. In 2026, this channel remains effective but requires careful work and an understanding of local restrictions.
Source: Cidaderve
The year 2025 showed that the market grew tired of endless similar releases. Studios were launching dozens of games every month, but most titles disappeared from players’ attention within days. In 2026, the situation shifts: operators and aggregators choose content more carefully, and studios reduce volume while raising quality.
Games that attract attention share several traits: original mechanics, recognizable visual style, thoughtful game economy, and a clear understanding of the audience. Studios that focus on uniqueness gain an advantage. This applies not only to large brands — smaller teams also find their place when they offer something fresh.
Players have become more selective. They quickly notice copies of popular mechanics and don’t stay long in games that don’t offer a new experience. Because of this, studios in 2026 move from mass production to targeted releases, where each game is treated as a standalone product rather than part of a conveyor.
The segment grows thanks to micro‑betting, personalization, and models that use AI to calculate odds and suggest options. Users want to place bets in real time, get fast markets, and see recommendations that match their behavior.
The line between sports betting and prediction‑based models becomes thinner. Users want to bet not only on sports but also on events that were not previously considered part of betting. This expands the market and creates new ways to interact with players.
Operators invest in infrastructure that can process large amounts of data and deliver odds with minimal delay. This becomes a standard expectation rather than a competitive edge.
Payment infrastructure remains one of the most challenging areas. Banks increase control, introduce additional checks, and limit cross‑border transactions. This affects payout speed, transaction costs, and the availability of payment methods.
Operators increasingly rely on alternative PSPs that work faster and more flexibly. Cryptocurrencies return as a tool that helps bypass restrictions and reduce pressure on banking channels. However, crypto requires strict compliance, so operators implement additional tools to verify transactions.
The difference between EU‑regulated brands and offshore companies becomes more noticeable. The first group gets access to more stable payment solutions, while the second faces growing friction. This affects conversion, retention, and the overall product economy.
The affiliate market enters 2026 with high competition. Operators choose partners more carefully, and affiliates choose programs that offer stability and transparency. Traffic quality becomes more important than traffic volume.
Content‑driven projects gain an advantage. Websites with strong expertise, analytics, reviews, and news become more valuable than projects built on mass‑produced texts. This is connected to SEO changes and the rising expectations operators have for traffic quality.
Deals involving small assets remain active. Large M&A slowed down, but local deals continue: operators and affiliates buy websites that deliver a steady flow of users. This helps strengthen positions in specific regions quickly.
Partner programs start working like ecosystems: they offer analytics, creatives, support, personalized terms, and tools for scaling. This approach helps affiliates test ideas faster and reach stable results.
The event calendar remains overloaded. In 2025, the industry saw a record number of conferences, and in 2026 the situation stays almost the same. However, the attitude of participants changes: companies choose events that bring real value.
Niche and local conferences become more popular. They offer access to the right contacts, allow for focused conversations, and don’t require large budgets. Major events remain important, but companies start distributing budgets differently: one or two large events and several targeted ones.
Organizers have to rethink formats to keep their audience. Participants want less show and more practical value: closed meetings, analytics, real cases, and access to experts.
The year 2026 creates a set of conditions where companies with a steady, well‑built approach feel more confident. There is no universal recipe, but several directions give a clear advantage.
Compliance becomes essential. Regulators increase control, and operators who build transparent processes gain access to stable payment solutions, partnerships, and markets. Compliance stops being a formality and becomes part of everyday operations.
Payment infrastructure plays a major role. Speed and reliability of transactions directly affect retention. Operators who invest in alternative PSPs, crypto solutions, and automated verification tools achieve higher conversion and face fewer obstacles.
Original content matters. Players choose products that offer a fresh experience. Studios that create unique mechanics and visual styles receive more attention from operators and aggregators.
Work with LATAM becomes a strategic requirement. Companies that enter the region early gain recognition, partnerships, and local integrations that help them grow faster.
A system‑based marketing approach brings results. SEO, PPC, streamers, and communities all work well when they are part of one coordinated strategy. In 2026, the strongest projects are those that combine channels, analyze data, and adjust their actions quickly.
Market conditions become tougher, and companies need partners who offer stability, clarity, and support. MyBid helps with all of these tasks.
For publishers, MyBid makes it easier to monetize traffic without unnecessary risks. The platform works with trusted advertisers, responds quickly, and provides analytics that helps increase revenue. The support team helps choose formats that match each traffic source.
For advertisers, MyBid offers access to clean traffic, fast moderation, and tools that help scale campaigns. The platform works with different verticals, supports flexible settings, and helps find combinations that deliver steady results.
As the market raises its standards, MyBid becomes a comfortable entry point for those who want predictable and scalable growth. If you are a publisher or an advertiser, you can join MyBid and use the platform’s opportunities to grow in 2026.
The year 2026 doesn’t look like previous seasons. The industry isn’t falling or booming — it is rebuilding itself. Regulators increase control, payments become more complex, competition grows, and marketing requires precision. At the same time, new opportunities appear: LATAM, small markets, original content, and personalized products.
Companies that work consistently gain an advantage. Those who invest in analytics, compliance, payment solutions, and traffic quality enter 2027 in a stronger position. The industry becomes more mature, and this opens space for those who are ready to work deeper rather than wider.
