Bet on Ceuta 2025: a turning point for regulated crypto payments
ElenPAY had the privilege of returning to Ceuta for the Bet on Ceuta 2025 conference as a main sponsor for the second consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to innovation and support of regulated companies in high-risk payments and its close relationship with one of Europe’s most dynamic jurisdictions for the iGaming industry.
Held on June 17–18, 2025, this year’s edition brought together experts, regulators, and business leaders from across Europe and beyond to explore the future of gaming, finance, and digital infrastructure. Taking place once again at the Revellín Auditorium, this year’s conference gathered more than 280 professionals, signaling the growing momentum around the Ceuta ecosystem.
Discussions were rich and forward-looking, and showcased the economic and social impact brought by the city’s dedication to the high-risk regulated industry. In addition, this year, there was a clear shift from previous conversations: regulated crypto companies, a new horizon to bring value to the region. It occupied a prominent place in conversations, reflecting both increased institutional interest and a maturing regulatory environment. The event even incorporated several blockchain experts into the agenda.
A bigger stage for crypto and high-risk fintech
In a clear sign of the times, discussions around blockchain technology and digital assets received significantly more visibility at Bet on Ceuta 2025. This reflects both a maturing industry and a more receptive regulatory climate, with growing interest from both private operators and public institutions.
What also became clear is that this shift opens real opportunities, not only for blockchain-focused companies seeking compliant pathways to scale, but also for the broader social and economic value that this strategic bet is expected to generate in Ceuta.
Notably, the President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Vivas, highlighted the government’s intention to diversify its economic strategy beyond gaming, specifically mentioning cryptocurrencies as a potential next frontier. For a jurisdiction so tightly focused on iGaming to explore crypto as a complementary vertical is a telling sign that the industry is approaching a strategic inflection point.
Main insights: Regulation, fraud, and the crypto tipping point
The strength of Bet on Ceuta 2025 lay not just in attendance, but in the depth and relevance of its panels and conversations. This year reflected the industry’s most pressing issues, from regulatory compliance and fraud prevention to the transformative potential of crypto payments and security. Across the board, there was a shared urgency to bridge innovation with risk management and to do so without slowing down growth.
Several talks and thoughts stood out for ElenPAY and our partners, offering critical takeaways for the future of both iGaming and high-risk fintech:
Crypto and iGaming in Spain and the EU
Presented by ElenPAY’s General Manager, Josep Leon, and Marina Villalonga, Corporate Lawyer at Asensi Abogados, this session made the case for why now is the time to integrate Bitcoin and crypto payments into regulated iGaming operations.
The discussion tackled the challenge of an uneven playing field, where offshore operators already thrive on crypto rails while licensed operators remain constrained by traditional systems. A compliant crypto payment solution like ElenPAY can close that gap, remove chargebacks, and offer real-time settlement without regulatory compromise.
The current legal landscape
In the panel “Current legal landscape of online gaming in Spain”, some of the sector ‘s most respected legal voices gathered to unpack the current regulatory framework and its future direction. The session featured Marina Villalonga, Víctor del Águila, and Fernando Tesón—all from Asensi Abogados—alongside Jorge Hinojosa, Director General of JDigital, with Santiago Asensi himself moderating.
Together, they explored how recent legal developments in Spain are shaping operator obligations and how jurisdictions like Ceuta can stay competitive while maintaining strict compliance. The panel reaffirmed Asensi Abogados’ role as a cornerstone of legal clarity and strategic insight in the Spanish-speaking iGaming world.
Identity theft and gaming fraud
“Your identity as a master key: Playing has never been easier—or more secure” was another thought-provoking session, led by Óscar Flor Lozano and Javier San Juan, both from the Blockchain Technology Business Unit at VARGROUP. They tackled one of the most sensitive and often overlooked risks in iGaming: identity fraud.
The panel exposed a troubling trend in Spain, where stolen identities are being used to create online gaming accounts, leaving innocent individuals to deal with the legal and tax consequences when the Spanish tax agency pursues undeclared earnings under their names. As the speakers emphasized, blockchain-based identity verification can serve as a secure, tamper-proof solution that protects both operators and players from fraud, while also easing onboarding and compliance.
Ceuta, the perfect hub for investment, technology, and taxation
Looking at the broader economic picture, Joaquín Mollinedo Gómez-Zorrilla, Secretary General of the Ceuta Chamber of Commerce, presented hard data on how iGaming has reshaped the local economy.
Online gaming now accounts for 8.3% of Ceuta’s GDP and 9.3% of total employment, a remarkable impact for a city that only recently positioned itself as a regulatory and fiscal haven for the industry.
This panel underscored how targeted policy, tech-forward infrastructure, and a pro-business environment have turned Ceuta into a model for sustainable, high-growth industry development. Still, the need to attract and retain qualified talent was highlighted as a critical next step to maintain this upward trajectory.
Chargebacks: The silent killer of operational efficiency
Throughout the conference, chargebacks emerged once again as one of the most pressing pain points for iGaming operators. Despite advances in compliance and fraud monitoring, the industry continues to face revenue losses, operational disruptions, and reputational risk due to disputed transactions, especially in high-risk verticals.
This is precisely the challenge ElenPAY was designed to address. By removing this costly layer of friction, our platform enables operators to focus on what truly matters: growth, player experience, and operational efficiency. It was encouraging to see how strongly this message resonated with attendees who are dealing with these issues on a daily basis.
Ceuta and ElenPAY: Building the future of high-risk innovation
Beyond the panels and presentations, what truly stood out at Bet on Ceuta 2025 was the evolution of Ceuta itself. No longer just an emerging jurisdiction, the city is becoming a mature, strategic ecosystem for high-risk and high-growth industries, rooted in regulatory clarity, fiscal competitiveness, and institutional vision.
This year’s expanded focus on crypto, the presence of top-tier legal and tech experts, and the government’s stated interest in diversifying beyond iGaming all point to one conclusion: Ceuta is thinking long-term. And the industry is listening.
In that same spirit, ElenPAY remains committed to supporting operators navigating this next chapter. From solving chargebacks and onboarding crypto payments to helping licensed platforms compete with offshore giants, ElenPAY delivers secure, fast, and regulation-ready infrastructure, built for today’s demands and tomorrow’s opportunities.
