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Cyprus Safer Gambling Conference Puts Player Protection, AI And Illegal Betting In The Spotlight

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

Cyprus Sets The Agenda For Safer Gambling

Player protection, illegal gambling and the expanding use of technology to detect harmful behaviour will headline Cyprus’ 9th Safer Gambling Conference, which will bring together regulators, researchers and industry specialists in Nicosia on October 12.

Organised by the National Betting Authority for the ninth consecutive year, the conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel from 09.00 to 14.30 as part of Safer Gambling Week 2026.

Under the theme The Future of Player Protection: Shaping a More Sustainable Gambling Industry Through Innovation, the programme will explore how regulation, scientific research, technology and innovation can strengthen safeguards for players while supporting a more responsible betting environment.

From Harm Prevention To Market Integrity

The agenda will address gambling-related harm, the psychological and biological factors that influence risk-taking, developments in the European regulatory landscape and practical measures to reinforce player protection.

Illegal gambling will receive particular scrutiny, with sessions focused on current market trends, enforcement challenges and the growing role of data and other tools in identifying and disrupting unlawful activity.

Global Experts Bring Legal, Research And Technology Insights

Among the international speakers is Joerg Hofmann, head of the Betting and Gaming Group at Germany’s Melchers Law Firm and a former president of the International Masters of Gaming Law. His work centres on gambling regulation and gaming law.

He will be joined by Quirino Mancini, partner and director of WH Partners Italy and immediate past president of the International Masters of Gaming Law, whose expertise spans gaming regulation, licensing and compliance.

The research perspective will be led by Michael Auer, an independent gambling researcher known for using real-world gambling data to analyse player behaviour, markers of harm and the impact of personalised feedback.

Technology and early intervention will also feature prominently, with Mindway AI Enterprise Partnership Lead Christina Savvouri taking part in the conference. Her work focuses on applying neuroscience, psychology and artificial intelligence to identify potentially harmful gambling behaviour at an earlier stage.

The programme also includes Francesco Rodano, Group Head of Responsible Gaming at Allwyn, who leads the company’s player-protection strategy across its lottery and gaming businesses.

Rodano previously served as Italy’s Director of Remote Gaming and later worked at Playtech, where he was involved with BetBuddy, an artificial intelligence-based behavioural analytics and player-protection platform.

From the regulatory side, Malta Gaming Authority Senior Executive Graziella Caffari will contribute experience spanning regulatory supervision, compliance, anti-money laundering and responsible gambling.

Cyprus Voices And Public Policy Perspective

Cyprus will also be represented by Chara A. Demetriou, president of the Cyprus Psychologists Association and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo, whose work covers clinical psychology, mental health and prevention.

Lucy Herodotou Mouskou, Director of Financial Management of the Central Government Directorate at the Ministry of Finance, will bring a public-policy perspective shaped by her experience in gambling-related policy matters.

Other speakers include Slovenian legal and regulatory consultant Jaka Repansek, a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law, and Constantinos Daltas, Managing Director of RedWolf Ogilvy and chairman of the Cyprus Advertising Agencies Association.

A Broader Push For Responsible Gambling

The conference forms part of Safer Gambling Week 2026, which features awareness and information initiatives designed to encourage a more informed and responsible approach to betting and gambling, with a particular focus on prevention and the protection of young people and vulnerable groups.

The National Betting Authority is responsible for the licensing, regulation and supervision of betting activity in Cyprus under the Betting Law of 2019.

It also works with government services, industry stakeholders and international organisations on betting-related matters, while implementing measures aimed at preventing gambling addiction and protecting vulnerable groups.

LVMH Revenue Rises, But China Weakness Continues To Weigh On Luxury Giant

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

A Softer Quarter Exposes The Limits Of Luxury’s Recovery

LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group and parent of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine and Hennessy, reported revenue of €18.5 billion in the three months to the end of September, underscoring both the scale of its business and the pressure building across parts of the luxury market.

The company’s revenue rose 1.2% year on year in the third quarter, following a 0.1% increase in the second quarter and a 5.9% decline in the first. The trajectory points to stabilization, but not yet to a convincing rebound.

Organic Growth Misses Expectations

Organic sales growth, which strips out currency effects and portfolio changes, slowed to 1% in the third quarter from 3% in the previous quarter. That result fell short of market expectations and reinforced concerns that the luxury cycle remains uneven.

For the first nine months of the year, LVMH generated sales of €57.1 billion, with organic growth of 2%.

In its statement, the company highlighted the breadth of its portfolio, saying that diversification continues to provide resilience in an uncertain geopolitical and economic environment. That remains one of LVMH’s defining strengths: when one category weakens, another can help offset the downturn.

China Remains The Key Pressure Point

LVMH said sales performed well in the United States, Europe and Japan, but conditions in China remained less favorable. That matters because the country has long been one of the most important growth engines for global luxury brands.

The fashion and leather goods division, LVMH’s most closely watched unit, saw organic sales fall 5% as weaker demand in China weighed on performance. Deutsche Bank said the decline was steeper than the roughly 2% drop expected by analysts.

The segment had delivered its first organic sales gain in two years in the previous quarter, making the latest retreat a notable setback.

Brand Equity Faces A Test In China

The quarter also highlighted the reputational risks facing global brands in China. Louis Vuitton drew criticism after suing local tea company Molly Tea over logo copying. Although the company won the case, the dispute sparked social media backlash and boycott calls, adding another layer of pressure to an already fragile environment.

For a company built on scarcity, aspiration and brand discipline, perception is an asset as valuable as inventory. In a market as digitally connected as China, that asset can shift quickly.

Mixed Performance Across The Portfolio

Not every division weakened. LVMH’s selective retailing business, which includes Sephora, posted an 8% organic sales increase. Watches and jewellery, along with wines and spirits, both recorded 6% organic gains.

That broad mix is precisely what has historically given LVMH an advantage over rivals: it can absorb softness in one category without relying on a single growth driver.

Analysts See A Longer Recovery Ahead

Deutsche Bank analysts said the results could lead to further cuts in earnings forecasts for the second half of 2026 and 2027. They added that it is difficult to see what could improve investor sentiment in the near term.

Still, the bank framed the weakness as cyclical rather than structural. In its view, recovery is taking longer because Chinese demand remains subdued, but the problem does not appear to reflect a permanent deterioration in the brand franchise. Analysts said ongoing brand initiatives are beginning to show results, though improvements are likely to remain gradual.

Investor Pressure Continues To Mount

LVMH’s share price has fallen nearly 40% since the start of the year. In September, L’Oréal overtook the group as France’s most valuable listed company, a symbolic shift that captures how sharply sentiment has changed.

Shares in LVMH were down more than 1.6% in Paris around 10 a.m. CEST following the release.

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