FEG CEO Dieter John: Group Positions Itself as Natural Consolidator in CEE Gambling Markets

Dieter John, Chief Executive Officer of Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG), says the Central and Eastern Europe gambling sector is heading for a wave of consolidation and that his company is well placed to lead it. Speaking in Lisbon around the SBC Summit, he described FEG as "the natural consolidator" in the eastern and southeastern part of the region.

John pointed to the group's expansion history: it began in Czechia in 1990, moved into Slovakia in 1991, entered Poland in 2005, Romania in 2015 and Croatia in 2017. An eight-year pause followed, during which the company said it had to fix its foundations, build its technology stack and invest in product. FEG's entry into Lithuania through the acquisition of TOPsport in 2026 was backed by its long-term strategic partner Penta Investments, which has owned Fortuna for 21 years.

According to John, many CEE businesses are owner-led and still heavily retail-driven, and some are unsure how to scale. He argued that tightening regulation and taxation, along with stricter responsible gaming expectations, will push out smaller players. "The long tail will disappear because they cannot afford higher taxation or a more responsible gaming environment," he said. FEG says it only invests in premium brands ranked first, second or third in their markets.

John also discussed his leadership approach under the FEG 2.0 strategy, a five-year plan, and the Fortuna Fit for Future employment programme adopted almost two years ago. He said he has replaced almost 80% of the leadership team and built a group of mixed nationalities and backgrounds. His own career includes senior roles at Airbus, Bombardier in CEE and CIS operations, and Planet Home Group. He said the aim is for FEG to become the best international employer of choice, adding that a vision needs "a strong engine" behind it.

On the region's appeal, John cited EU accession, which he said tripled GDP and doubled consumer spending in most CEE markets, along with EU investment funds and a strong affinity for sport and betting. His comments come as Entain prepares to withdraw from its Entain CEE joint venture, set up in 2023, while Flutter continues to expand in the region.