The Prague duo of Fortuna Entertainment and Endorphina sound the alarm on 'Brand Spoofing', the replica of regulated brands and innovations that is spreading in CEE markets without any premises for intervention.

In comparison to its neighbouring states, the Czech Republic has actually experienced little drama in the governance of its betting sector and licences.

The home market panel of the HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 even praised the oversight of the Czech Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Celní Správa, the Customs Authority, in applying much-needed gamer protection measures presented since 2024.

In the subsequent years, Czech gaming licences (online and retail) have adjusted to heightened demands on civic defense, as authorities and licensees collaborate to exclude up to 700,000 people from gambling through the RVO register.

Yet not all is peaceful on the banks of the Vltava, as Czech leaders sound the alarm on a brand-new and rising threat of 'brand name spoofing'.

No amusing service

The term might evoke the sale of phony bags or inexpensive fake products on beach resorts, but as criminal networks target online environments with AI-driven mechanics, brand spoofing is no insignificant matter, according to Jan Holub, Compliance Lead and Member of the Supervisory Board of Fortuna Entertainment.

Holub supplied a breakdown of "bad actors reproducing the digital identity of a gambling brand" copying web possessions, domains, UX environments and even customer communications to trick users into "revealing delicate info or downloading harmful software."

Enhanced by AI, Holub has experienced the advancement of 'spoofed environments' that not just resemble front-end brands, however likewise replicate backend systems.

Piggybacking on the brand recognition and marketing activity of managed operators, these spoofed platforms can create high engagement with unsuspecting audiences and make millions in illicit funds.

"We have actually advanced in Czech. But I should raise this issue of brand spoofing as a new risk. In my role at Fortuna, I witness phony brands promoted online through Google, Facebook and app stores," Holub specified.

"We immediately ask the platforms to take them down, but the response is slow. These phony websites or apps can be live for a duration of 2 or three weeks."

Though cooperation with Czech authorities is strong, Holub questioned the lack of accountability for safeguarding the IP of online gaming brands among huge tech and media platforms - where enforcement is clearly lagging.

A double jeopardy

These issues are shared by Jan Urbanec, CEO of Prague-based Endorphina, who kept in mind that spoofing is spreading throughout markets and rapidly expanding into "the B2B architecture of online gambling."

"This is a double jeopardy for our industry, as the dangers are not B2C alone. These actors can replicate the UX of payment entrances, affiliate sites, CRM flows, and even supplier innovations," Urbanec described.

As a digital threat, brand spoofing produces a multi-layered risk for the balance of regulated markets. Reputational damage becomes immediate and to contain, as customers often can not differentiate between a genuine site and a cloned interface.

Handling such a nuanced threat, Urbanec told delegates that Endorphina has actually tripled its resources to safeguard IP - highlighting what he views as the restricted capacity of regulators to intervene efficiently.

"For video games developers, there is no genuine IP protection. We need to monitor every environment, and it is very pricey to track who is copying our brand, engines and algorithms," he stated.

Regulators soft on IP protection

Gambling regimes across Europe, including the Czech Republic, have mainly been developed to recognize and obstruct unlicensed operators as standalone entities. They are less geared up to take on stars camouflaging themselves as licensed B2C or B2B incumbents, making use of brand name trust as their main entry point.