Key Moments:
- Panelists at SiGMA Euro-Med summit 2025 highlighted that no iGaming system can claim perfect cybersecurity.
- Over €30 million in public and EU funding has strengthened Malta’s cybersecurity efforts over the past three years.
- Experts emphasized the critical shift from traditional perimeter defenses to zero-trust and AI-driven solutions in the sector.
Industry Leaders Examine Practical Cybersecurity at SiGMA Euro-Med 2025
On the second day of SiGMA Euro-Med 2025, a key panel titled “Breach-Proof or Bust: Reinventing Cybersecurity” took center stage, sponsored by Cloud Office. The discussion, moderated by Jenny Ortiz-Bolivar of SiGMA Group, assembled Emanuel Darmanin (MITA), James McLeod (Ilkari), Konstantinos Kalogerakis (Cloud Office), and Kristino Vella (Suprnation) to analyze current cyber threats and the ongoing necessity for cyber resilience throughout the iGaming landscape.
Embedding Resilience: A Strategy for Governments and Operators Alike
Emanuel Darmanin explained that Malta’s digital policy places cybersecurity as a core principle, supporting economic growth under its Vision 2050 blueprint. Darmanin described investments in AI-based monitoring, centralized operations, and broad training programs. He also mentioned new initiatives such as the upcoming Cyber Root Conference. He noted the importance of cooperation with EU partners and local organizations, remarking on the allocation of more than €30 million from public and EU resources over three years to safeguard the digital economy.
Zero-Trust: Moving Past the ‘Breach-Proof’ Fallacy
Konstantinos Kalogerakis directly challenged the notion that any organization can be truly breach-proof. Advocating for a focus on resilience, he explained the importance of zero-trust architecture, expandable infrastructures, and constant monitoring. “You cannot be breach-proof nowadays,” he said, “but you can be cyber resilient.” He emphasized that authentication for every access point and transaction, combined with automated surveillance and AI-powered threat prediction, now form the modern defensive standard.
Economic Stakes of Security Investment
From a business perspective, Kristino Vella highlighted that measures to counteract cybersecurity threats should be seen not merely as expenses, but as essential tools for sustainable growth. “Counteracting fraud and hacking is often seen as an extra cost,” he said. “But when your marketing budget goes down the drain because of abuse, it becomes a direct barrier to growth.” Vella pointed out the increasing capability of AI to detect fraud by flagging patterns beyond human recognition.
Data Sovereignty and Strategic Transparency
James McLeod encouraged operators to treat data management as part of organizational resilience. “Know your data, map it, and classify it,” he said. “Only then can you look your players and regulators in the eye and say you know where your data is, who has access to it, and how you’ll recover it – not if, but when something goes wrong.” McLeod drew attention to the interplay between regulatory compliance, system architecture, and brand integrity, suggesting that Alternative Dispute Resolution is becoming more relevant as the sector manages regulatory and reputational risks.
Charting a Course Toward Industry-Wide Collaboration
The panelists agreed that effective cybersecurity is now a collective responsibility and integral to business success. Darmanin advocated for a mindset shift toward zero-trust, collaboration, and resilience, moving beyond siloed or purely defensive strategies. McLeod emphasized the importance of ongoing staff education, stating, “Education is key. Security shouldn’t be a poster on the wall; it must become muscle memory.”
Upcoming Events
SiGMA Central Europe in Rome is scheduled for 3–6 November, where further panels and interviews will continue the conversation around digital security and business innovation.
- Author
Daniel Williams
