{"id":2407,"date":"2026-06-24T23:09:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T22:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/komljenovic.si\/?p=2407"},"modified":"2026-06-24T23:09:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T22:09:47","slug":"slovenian-gambling-in-transformation-contraction-of-the-physical-market-digital-expansion-and-the-absence-of-a-national-strategy-analysis-of-structural-trends-and-systemic-gaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/komljenovic.si\/en\/slovenian-gambling-in-transformation-contraction-of-the-physical-market-digital-expansion-and-the-absence-of-a-national-strategy-analysis-of-structural-trends-and-systemic-gaps\/","title":{"rendered":"Slovenian Gambling in Transformation: contraction of the physical market, digital expansion and the absence of a national strategy \u2014 Analysis of structural trends and systemic gaps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aljo\u0161a Komljenovi\u0107[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

ABSTRACT<\/strong><\/p>\n

This paper analyses the seventh developmental phase of the Slovenian gambling industry (2020\u20132025), drawing on twenty years of data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia and a comparative analysis of European and global trends.<\/p>\n

The central finding is a heterogeneous transformation of the sector: traditional lottery-type games are the only segment to have exceeded their historical maximum (index 170 relative to 2005), while land-based special games of chance are in structural decline. Visitor numbers at physical venues in 2025 stand at 52% of 2008 levels, the number of gaming machines at 71% of 2009 levels, and levies from special games of chance at 85% of 2008 levels.<\/p>\n

This pattern is not a Slovenian peculiarity but part of a European structural transformation, in which online gambling in the EU already accounts for 39% of the total market. A further burden is the expansion of illegal operators, which according to ECA\/Yield Sec estimates controlled 71% of the EU online market in 2024.<\/p>\n

The paper identifies three systemic gaps: (1) the absence of consolidated data on the online market in Slovenia, (2) the inactivity of industry associations, and (3) the structural disparity between the corporate diplomacy of individual operators \u2014 which is surprisingly well-developed \u2014 and the absence of state economic and commercial diplomacy in the gambling sector.<\/p>\n

Keywords:<\/strong> Slovenian gambling, seventh developmental phase, digitalisation, corporate diplomacy, illegal online gambling, fiscal erosion<\/p>\n

If online gambling represented 13%[2]<\/a> of the total global market in 2019, by 2023 it had already reached just over 24%[3]<\/a>. This must also be considered alongside the illegal online gambling market, which by estimates in 2024 captured as much as 71% of the EU online market \u2014 more than twice the size of the regulated market.[4]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Explanations:<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the Gambling Act, classic games of chance include numerical lotteries, instant win lotteries, quiz lotteries, bingo, lotto, sports predictions, sports betting, raffles, and other similar games.[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

Special games of chance are “games played by players against the casino or against each other on special gaming tables with balls, dice, cards, on gaming boards or on gaming machines, as well as betting and other similar games in accordance with international standards.”[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

Under Slovenian legislation, online gambling[7]<\/a> is not a separate type of gambling, but merely a method of organizing certain games of chance[8]<\/a>. Organizing certain special games of chance via the internet or other telecommunications means (online gambling) can only be done by companies that have a concession for permanent organization of classic games of chance or a concession for organizing special games of chance in casinos.[9]<\/a> Online games of chance are not permitted to be organized by companies that have a concession for organizing special games of chance in gaming halls.<\/p>\n

<\/a>INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the doctoral dissertation “The Slovenian Gambling Model in International Context: A Proposal for Reform,” we identified six developmental waves in the periodisation of the Slovenian gambling sector from 1964 onwards and outlined the contours of a so-called seventh phase, anticipated to emerge after 2020. The more significant question we posed \u2014 how the trends of this seventh phase are developing and whether there is cause for optimism \u2014 remains open and requires further empirical examination. This paper represents a synthetic continuation of that research thread, made possible by the subsequent collection and analysis of data for the period 2023\u20132025.<\/p>\n

The analysis draws on publicly available consolidated data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia, the author’s own historical analysis of gross gaming revenue, recorded visitor numbers at physical venues (casinos and gaming halls), trends in the number of gaming machines, and levies charged over the period 2005\u20132025, including independently prepared comparative index calculations. The Slovenian perspective is situated within a European and global context that, in the seventh phase, shows an unambiguous structural transformation of the industry.<\/p>\n

<\/a>1 <\/strong>A brief periodisation of the Slovenian gambling sector as an analytical framework<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the dissertation[1]<\/a> we graphically illustrated the waves of development of the Slovenian gambling sector from 1964 to 2020 and beyond. The periodisation derives from a combination of regulatory turning points, tourism and development policies, macroeconomic shocks, and structural shifts within the sector. The first six phases can be relatively clearly dated and defined in terms of content, while the seventh phase \u2014 which emerged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 is still taking its final shape. A key finding of the dissertation was that the Slovenian gambling sector has been steadily moving away from its primacy in tourism and that regulation is not optimally calibrated to market conditions. The absence of a comprehensive development strategy incorporating all stakeholders remains a systemic shortcoming. In this context, the analysis of the seventh phase is particularly relevant: is this a cyclical recovery from COVID-19 or a more lasting transformation of the sector? As the following sections will show, a comparison with European and global trends clearly indicates the latter.<\/p>\n

<\/a>2 Gross gaming revenue for the period 2005\u20132025: trend analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia for the entire gambling sector reveal a complex and heterogeneous picture that cannot be reduced to a simple assessment of recovery or decline.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>2.1 Comparison with historical peaks<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

When comparing 2025 values against the best year in the entire analysed period 2005\u20132025, the following index overview emerges: the overall sector reaches 90% of its historical peak; traditional lottery-type games exceed it with an index of 102; special games of chance lag behind at 80%; casinos record only 76% of their former high; and gaming halls 75%. The only segment to have surpassed its own historical maximum in 2025 is therefore traditional lottery-type games.<\/p>\n

By comparison: in 2024, the overall sector reached 89% of its peak, traditional lottery-type games 113%, special games of chance 79%, casinos 74%, and gaming halls 77%. In 2023, the overall sector reached only 85% of historical highs.[3]<\/a> The trend is thus gradual, but far from a full recovery in the special games of chance segment.<\/p>\n

<\/a>2.2 Long-term comparison: 2025 versus 2005<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In the long-term comparison (2025\/2005 index), the differences between segments are even more pronounced. Traditional lottery-type games have grown to an index of 170 over two decades, while the overall sector has barely crossed the baseline with an index of 102. Special games of chance stand at 90, below their 2005 level. Within this segment, casinos are at an index of 76, while gaming halls are at 135.<\/p>\n

The share of traditional lottery-type games in total gross revenue has risen from 14.5% in 2005 to 24.25% in 2025. Notably, this share was as high as 32% in 2020 and 2021, a direct consequence of pandemic-related closures of physical venues. The structural shift in favour of traditional lottery-type games is therefore not merely a product of the pandemic but reflects a deeper long-term shift that, as the following chapter will demonstrate, is consistent with European and global trends.<\/p>\n

<\/a>2.3 Post-pandemic recovery<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

When compared against 2019 (the pre-pandemic reference point), all segments show solid recovery: the overall sector stands at an index of 116, traditional lottery-type games at 134, special games of chance at 112, casinos at 114, and gaming halls at 107. This is a positive signal on one hand, yet it must be interpreted with caution: recovery relative to pre-pandemic levels does not imply that the sector has reached a structural peak or that it is on a sustained upward development path.<\/p>\n

<\/a>3 Slovenian gambling in the European and global context<\/strong><\/p>\n

Understanding the seventh phase of the Slovenian gambling sector is not possible without contextualising it within European and global development trends. The comparative perspective reveals that Slovenia faces some of the same structural challenges as the majority of European jurisdictions, while at the same time certain specificities arise from the particularities of the Slovenian regulatory environment and market.<\/p>\n

<\/a>3.0 Methodological note on international comparison<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In interpreting the comparative analysis between Slovenia and selected European jurisdictions, the following methodological caution is necessary.<\/p>\n

National regulators and international analytical firms do not follow a uniform standard when recording gambling data. Differences arise on multiple levels simultaneously.<\/p>\n

Regarding the definition of gross revenue: some sources cite GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue – stakes minus winnings), others GGY (Gross Gambling Yield, the British equivalent), and still others total turnover or the tax base. These are therefore concepts that are not interchangeable. Regarding market segmentation: the United Kingdom distinguishes between the “remote” (online) and “non-remote” (physical) sectors; Italy disaggregates by product (AWP, VLT, betting, online casino); Germany by the regulatory categories of individual federal states; and Slovenia by concession type (traditional and special games of chance), without separately recording physical stakes from traditional lottery-type games (lottery tickets, retail betting) from online ones. Regarding market coverage: EGBA covers EU-27 and the United Kingdom, ECA\/Yield Sec covers EU-27 excluding the United Kingdom, and H2 Gambling Capital covers the global regulated and partially regulated market. These coverages are not identical and cannot be directly aggregated.<\/p>\n

The Slovenian analysis in this paper is based exclusively on consolidated publicly available data from the Ministry of Finance, which does not record data on gambling conducted via the internet.<\/p>\n

This means that a direct numerical comparison between Slovenia and individual European jurisdictions is methodologically not feasible. The international comparison in this paper therefore does not seek quantitative equivalence but rather a qualitative juxtaposition of developmental directions and structural patterns. Its purpose is to demonstrate that the trends observed in Slovenian gambling \u2014 contraction of the physical market, growth of digital channels, fiscal erosion \u2014 are not isolated phenomena but part of a broader European and global transformation of the industry. In this sense, the comparison provides a basic yet analytically grounded insight into industry dynamics, rather than a basis for direct quantitative comparison between individual markets.<\/p>\n

<\/a>3.1 European market growth and the digital shift<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The European gambling market is estimated to have reached total gross revenue of EUR 123.4 billion in 2024, representing 5% annual growth compared to 2023, according to the report European Gambling Market \u2013 Key Figures 2025 Edition.<\/em> The forecast for 2025 projects further growth to 127.7 billion EUR.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n

The fundamental structural shift observed in Europe is digitalisation: in 2024, online gambling is projected to reach 39% of the total European market (compared to 37% in 2023), with an estimated 58% of online revenues generated from mobile devices and 42% from desktop computers within that 39% online share. Forecasts suggest that by 2029, online gambling will account for 45% of the European market (67% of which via mobile devices).[5]<\/a> This means that the ratio between physical and online gambling will be almost equalised within just over five years. For comparison with the Slovenian context: if we consider only the data from \u0160portne loterije d.d., the share of online sales in 2024 represents 62.4%, of which 88% via mobile phones.<\/em>[6]<\/strong><\/em><\/a> For Loterija Slovenije d.d., sales through digital channels are increasing (up 32% compared to 2024) and in 2025 represent a 26.7% share.<\/em>[7]<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Within online products, casino games lead with a 45% share of online revenues in 2024, followed by sports betting at 29% and lottery at 15%. By contrast, lottery is the largest segment of the overall European market (physical and online combined) with revenues of EUR 38 billion. [8]<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>3.2 Contraction of the physical market: the European pattern<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Despite the physical market growing slightly in absolute terms (in Europe from EUR 74.5 to EUR 75.5 billion between 2023 and 2024), its share of the total market is consistently declining: from 63% in 2023 to 61% in 2024.[9]<\/a> This trend is clearly not a Slovenian specificity but a European pattern. The experience of individual national jurisdictions confirms this, as illustrated by several examples below.<\/p>\n

The Netherlands<\/strong> experience is instructive in this regard. The KSA authority recorded in 2024 that the total number of physical gaming halls fell from 217 to 196, and the total number of gaming machines from 24,692 to 20,997. Holland Casino additionally temporarily or permanently closed some locations. Regulatory authorities attribute the phenomenon to the impact of stricter responsible gambling measures introduced in October 2024, though a structural shift towards online channels cannot be excluded.[10]<\/a><\/p>\n

In the fiscal year April 2023 \u2013 March 2024, in the United Kingdom<\/strong> there were 8,329 physical gambling premises in total, representing a 17.8% decrease compared to the last pre-pandemic period (April 2019 \u2013 March 2020). The number of betting shops stood at 5,931, a 22.8% decrease from the pre-pandemic level. The total GGY of physical sectors (arcades, betting shops, bingo, casino) reached GBP 4.6 billion, while the remote sector (Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo) reached GBP 6.9 billion \u2014 meaning the online sector, with 20.3% growth compared to the pre-pandemic physical level, has far outpaced it. The ratio is telling: the online sector (GBP 6.9 billion) is already considerably larger than the entire physical sector (GBP 4.6 billion).[11]<\/a><\/p>\n

For Germany<\/strong> official data show that the regulated German sector generated total GGR of EUR 13.7 billion in 2023, of which EUR 3 billion online and EUR 10.7 billion from physical venues[12]<\/a> and grew by 5% in 2024[13]<\/a>. Nevertheless, tax revenues from \u201cvirtual slots\u201d are declining, consistent with the growth of illegal online sites.[14]<\/a> The analytical firm H2 Gambling Capital estimates that in 2024 only 40% of the German gambling market came from the lawful sector, with this share projected to fall to 36% by 2025. This means the physical sector faces a dual erosion: (1) declining visitor numbers and (2) outflow to unlicensed online operators. The Hessian Tax Court, in a ruling from 2024, found that taxes and restrictions render licensed operators uncompetitive relative to offshore operators who avoid all such costs.[15]<\/a><\/p>\n

Italy<\/strong>, which holds the largest European gambling market and detailed data from the ADM regulator, vividly illustrates the key shifts in the sector. Between 2019 and 2024, online categories (casino games, card games and sports betting) together generated 95% of all online growth, with casino games contributing just over half. After a brief slowdown in 2022, the online segment regained momentum, with double-digit growth in 2023 (+13%) and 2024 (+16%). Concurrently, physical gaming machines (AWP and VLT) lost nearly a third of revenues compared to 2019, indicating a structural shift of consumers towards digital channels.[16]<\/a> The Italian gambling market shows a clear developmental direction: the online segment generated approximately EUR 5 billion in revenues in 2024 and covers roughly one quarter of the total market, while physical venues \u2014 despite still accounting for the dominant value of around EUR 16.5 billion \u2014 are recording structural decline. The balance between the two channels is thus gradually but consistently shifting in favour of digital gambling.[17]<\/a><\/p>\n

Slovenia, with its indices tied to visitor numbers (52% of 2008 levels) and the reduction in gaming machines (71% of 2009 levels), is therefore not an exception but part of the broader European pattern of physical gambling market contraction. The difference is that Slovenia is not compensating for this process with commensurate growth in a regulated online channel, as is observable in Northern Europe \u2014 Scandinavia (Sweden, Finland, Denmark) achieves an online penetration rate above 68%[18]<\/a>, while Slovenia does not even publish data on this segment in consolidated form.<\/p>\n

<\/a>3.3 Illegal online gambling as a systemic challenge for licensed operators<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

One of the key contextual factors of the seventh developmental phase is the expansion of illegal online gambling across the entire European space. Commissioned by the European Casino Association (ECA), the Yield Sec platform conducted the most comprehensive analysis to date of the EU online gambling market: in 2024, unlicensed operators captured as much as 71% of the EU online market, with gross revenue of EUR 80.6 billion \u2014 more than twice the EUR 33.6 billion of the regulated market. The total EU online market thus reached an estimated EUR 114.3 billion.[19]<\/a><\/p>\n

The consequences for public finances are significant: EU governments are estimated to have lost EUR 20 billion in tax revenues in 2024[20]<\/a>. 92% of all online gambling content to which European consumers were exposed originated from unlicensed operators; in 2024, illegal platforms were used by a total of 81 million Europeans \u2014 almost one in five adults in the EU.[21]<\/a><\/p>\n

For Slovenia, this context represents a dual risk. Firstly, illegal online operators divert a portion of potential revenues from possible online gambling that does not appear in official statistics. Secondly, the absence of consolidated data on the Slovenian online market makes it impossible to assess the scale of this phenomenon in the domestic context.<\/p>\n

<\/a>3.4 Global context: Slovenia as a small, vulnerable market<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

On a global scale, the gambling industry generated approximately USD 536 billion in total gross revenues in 2023 (physical and online channels combined), with the online channel contributing approximately USD 132 billion, or 24.6% of the total market. A 7% growth was forecast for 2024.[22]<\/a><\/p>\n

The global online gambling market was worth approximately USD 95.5 billion in 2024 and is growing at a CAGR of approximately 10.5%, with a projected value of USD 257 billion by 2034.[23]<\/a> Europe, despite global competition, remains the leading region with approximately 41% of the global online market.[24]<\/a><\/p>\n

In this global context, Slovenia is a distinctly small market. The total gross revenue of the Slovenian gambling sector of approximately EUR 136 million[25]<\/a> is incomparably smaller than, for example, the Italian market at EUR 21 billion or the British market at approximately EUR 20 billion[26]<\/a>. Slovenia lacks the economies of scale that would enable it to occupy the same strategic position as large markets, which means its vulnerability in the event of misguided regulatory decisions is proportionally greater.<\/p>\n

<\/a>4 Visitor numbers, gaming machines and taxes: structural indicators of physical market contraction<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>4.1 A dramatic decline in visitor numbers<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Visitor numbers at casinos and gaming halls reached their historical peak in 2008: a combined total of 5.13 million visits were recorded (casinos 2.384 million, gaming halls 2.745 million). In 2025, total visitor numbers have fallen to just 52% of that level. More tellingly: every second visitor from 2008 no longer comes. Individually, casinos stand at 55% and gaming halls at 49% of their historical peak.[27]<\/a><\/p>\n

The trend of a prolonged decline in visitor numbers was already evident before the pandemic: from 2008 to 2019, visits to physical venues were gradually falling. The pandemic merely dramatically accelerated this process. The seventh phase therefore unfolds in the context of a permanent erosion of the physical gambling market, which stands in contrast to the fiscal indicators of recovery. This paradoxical relationship \u2014 revenue recovery alongside a simultaneous decline in visitor numbers \u2014 is, we assume, partially explained by higher spend per visit and by increased digital revenues within the framework of existing concessions.<\/p>\n

<\/a>4.2 Capacity consolidation and reduction in gaming machines<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The number of gaming machines peaked in 2009 at a total of 8,917 units (casinos 4,066, gaming halls 4,851). By 2025, the number has decreased to 6,373 units, representing 71% of 2009 levels (casinos 72%, gaming halls 71%). The reduction of almost one third of machines across both segments is consistent.<\/p>\n

We conclude that this represents an economic rationalisation of capacity relative to actual demand. Concession holders have adapted to declining visitor numbers by reducing their offering. This is an entirely understandable business decision, yet it is simultaneously an unambiguous signal of the contraction of the physical special games of chance market in Slovenia. The parallel phenomenon of declining physical capacity \u2014 for instance in the Netherlands (a drop from 24,692 to 20,997 gaming machines in a single year) \u2014 suggests this may be a systemic rather than merely local dynamic.[28]<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>4.3 Fiscal impact on the state budget<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Total gambling levies in 2025 reach 91% of the 2008 level, when levies were at their historical peak. However, the differences between segments are material: levies from traditional lottery-type games exceed the 2008 record with an index of 110 (in absolute terms: EUR 37.5 million in 2025 versus EUR 34 million in 2008), while special games of chance remain at 85% of their former level (EUR 98.4 million in 2025 versus EUR 115.4 million in 2008). This means that the state budget is, in nominal terms, collecting substantially less from physical casinos and gaming halls than seventeen years ago.<\/p>\n

The European comparison of the fiscal impact of illegal gambling is particularly alarming: according to ECA\/Yield Sec estimates, EU governments lost EUR 20 billion in tax revenues in 2024 because 71% of the online market flowed to unlicensed operators. Although precise estimates of this effect are not available for Slovenia, it is logical to conclude that the structural erosion of tax revenues from special games of chance is not solely a consequence of lower visitor numbers, but also partly of substitution towards unregulated online channels.<\/p>\n

<\/a>5 Structural explanation of the seventh phase: heterogeneous transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the basis of the data presented, it is possible to formulate a conclusion that we regard as one of the fundamental findings of the seventh developmental phase: the Slovenian gambling sector is not experiencing a uniform recovery, but rather exhibiting a heterogeneous transformation already underway on a broader global scale, in which different segments follow different developmental logics.<\/p>\n

Traditional lottery-type games \u2014 lotteries, sports betting, scratch cards and similar games under the Games of Chance Act (ZIS, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 14\/11 and subsequent amendments) \u2014 are recording sustained and consistent growth. The causes are in all likelihood multiple: a structural shift in consumer preferences towards accessible digital games (online betting, mobile applications), demographic changes, and pandemic-driven behavioural adjustments.<\/p>\n

Special games of chance, and within this segment particularly casinos, tell a different story. Despite a post-pandemic recovery in gross revenues, they remain far below historical achievements and \u2014 perhaps more significantly \u2014 far below 2005 levels. This is a systemic problem that transcends individual business cycles and cannot be explained solely by demographic or cyclical factors.<\/strong> The consistency of this trend with what is observed elsewhere in Europe suggests this is a global phenomenon of industrial transformation, not merely a local deficiency.[29]<\/a><\/p>\n

In the dissertation, we established that the key cause of the structural non-competitiveness of the Slovenian gambling sector at the international level is the absence of a comprehensive national strategy that would align the interests of all stakeholders. The seventh phase does not refute this finding but confirms it with empirical data: without strategic transformation, the physical market for special games of chance is not on a development path, but on a path of gradual contraction.<\/p>\n

The ECA Manifesto for the EU mandate 2024\u20132029 adds that a reversal requires active public policy action resting on three pillars: support, protection, and promotion of the regulated sector.[30]<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>6 The analytical gap: data on online gambling in Slovenia<\/strong><\/p>\n

In interpreting the data, it is worth highlighting a systemic analytical gap: data on gambling conducted via the internet and other telecommunications means are not publicly available in consolidated form. Slovenian legislation does not treat online gambling as a separate category \u2014 it is merely a mode of organising certain games of chance (ZIS, Article 5) \u2014 but this does not diminish the analytical significance of this gap.<\/p>\n

International comparison particularly highlights this gap. While EGBA publishes detailed data on online shares by country \u2014 for example, the online penetration rate in Spain is 14.2%, and in Scandinavia above 68%[31]<\/a> \u2014 no such data are available for Slovenia, either from national authorities or from international institutions. The Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia conducted 503 supervisory inspections in the gambling sector in 2024, identifying 188 irregularities.[32]<\/a> This indicates an active supervisory function, but not the existence of systematic data on the online market.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the inclusion of a regional component in publicly available gambling data would represent an important supplement to the existing reporting system. The introduction of such analysis would enable more precise monitoring of territorial specificities and development trends, providing a more robust basis for formulating tailored policies. This remains an open systemic requirement.<\/p>\n

7 Economic and so-called “gambling” diplomacy: a systemic gap of the seventh phase<\/strong><\/p>\n

Economic diplomacy \u2014 as a set of instruments through which states and their actors advance economic interests in the international environment and create conditions for the international competitiveness of domestic sectors \u2014 remains a systematically unexploited opportunity in the case of Slovenian gambling.[33]<\/a> The seventh developmental phase has not changed this situation; on the contrary, the structural transformation of the sector, which we document in the preceding chapters, has merely rendered it more visible.<\/p>\n

The dissertation presents a conceptual framework distinguishing between four levels of diplomacy relevant to the gambling industry: economic (state-level, systemic), commercial (operational, focused on business and investment), corporate-regulatory (management of the company\u2019s relationship with the regulatory environment), and entrepreneurial (the international activity of companies as diplomatic actors).[34]<\/a> The finding of the dissertation was that Slovenia does not act consistently or deliberately at the level of economic and commercial diplomacy. The empirical review of the international engagement of Slovenian operators, conducted for the purposes of this paper (June 2026), confirms this finding \u2014 with one important qualification: at the level of corporate diplomacy, the picture is considerably more encouraging than could be ascertained in 2023.<\/p>\n

<\/a>7.1 Corporate diplomacy: present, but without state-level follow-through<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

HIT d.d. Nova Gorica is an active member of the European Casino Association (ECA). In November 2024, it hosted the ECA Casino Industry Forum in Nova Gorica, the exclusive gathering of senior representatives of the European gambling industry.[35]<\/a> In June 2026, HIT assumed organisation of the European Dealer Championship 2027 in Baden-Baden, which will take place in Nova Gorica and is regarded as the most prestigious dealers’ competition in Europe, organised by the ECA.[36]<\/a><\/p>\n

Loterija Slovenije d.d. held the position of President of European Lotteries (EL), an association of 39 countries and 70 members, during the mandate period 2023\u20132025. Re-election to the presidency took place in 2025, which “confirms not only the quality of previous work and trust in the shared social vision of lotteries at the European level, but is also an important recognition of the standing of Loterija Slovenije in the international lottery community.”[37]<\/a> In this role, Loterija Slovenije led the formulation of the EL 2023\u20132025 strategy. We assess that this engagement, in terms of scope and influence, transcends classical corporate diplomacy and at points touches on what the dissertation framework would term sectoral commercial diplomacy \u2014 with the distinction that it is led by a company rather than the state.<\/p>\n

\u0160portna Loterija d.d. is an active member of three international organisations: The European Lotteries (EL)[38]<\/a> and the World Lottery Association (WLA)[39]<\/a> and United Lotteries for Integrity in Sport (ULIS)[40]<\/a>. The latter is a global mechanism for safeguarding the integrity of sports betting. This represents functional, technical-integrity engagement, rather than strategic political-influence diplomacy.<\/p>\n

In publicly available sources, no systematic international organisational engagement is apparent for Casino Portoro\u017e d.d.[41]<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>7.2 Industry associations: nominal presence without a visible systemic role<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

At the level of sector-wide association in Slovenia, the Gambling Association operates within the Tourism and Hospitality Chamber of Slovenia (TGZS). Among the association’s declared tasks are participation in preparing amendments to the Games of Chance Act, the Gambling Taxes Act, and the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act. Nevertheless, the association’s website to this day retains a notice from 2019: “We anticipate the reconstitution of the committee in 2019, as a strong need has been identified for the revival and re-establishment of this committee.”[42]<\/a> The fact that this notice remains unchanged seven years after its posting is an empirical indicator that the association has not functioned visibly and systematically during this period. In publicly available sources, no published positions of the association, public consultations in which it has participated, or documents evidencing its active role in shaping legislative proposals can be found.<\/p>\n

Comparison with the European context clearly illustrates this gap. The ECA, with 29 members from 22 countries, publishes strategic manifestos, lobbies the European Commission, and organises forums at the level of decision-makers (ECA, 2024). EGBA in parallel serves as an organised voice for the harmonisation of online regulation. At this level, Slovenia has no comparable mechanism to articulate sector interests upwards to legislators or outwards into the European arena.<\/p>\n

<\/a>7.3 The absence of state-level engagement as a systemic weakness<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The corporate diplomacy described above \u2014 HIT as host of the ECA Casino Industry Forum and the forthcoming European Dealer Championship 2027, Loterija Slovenije as President of European Lotteries \u2014 operates in an institutional vacuum. State mechanisms of economic and commercial diplomacy neither recognise, coordinate, nor exploit these facts.<\/p>\n

The structural gap between what companies actually achieve at the international level and what the state does \u2014 or does not do \u2014 in this regard is not new. It is illustrated by the “current interactions” model (see Figure 1), which shows that coordination between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Financial Administration, and concession holders proceeds on an ad hoc and piecemeal basis. A coordination mechanism that would systematically integrate the regulatory, developmental, and external economic dimensions does not exist. The seventh developmental phase has not changed this state of affairs. The empirical review of engagement in June 2026 confirms that the model of ad hoc coordination has not materially changed.<\/p>\n

Figure 1: Current interactions between Slovenian actors\/elements in the (non-)creation of domestic gambling policy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Translation of Slovenian terms;<\/strong> Civilna zdru\u017eenja: Civil Society Organizations, Politika oz. dr\u017eava: Politics\/The State, Prireditelji oz. izvajalci: Organizers\/Activity Providers, Igralni\u0161tvo:Gambling, Nestabilna in nejsana notranja politika igralni\u0161tva:Unstable and Unclear Domestic Gambling Policy, \u0160ibak mednarodni interes:Limited international interest and range<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source: Komljenovi\u0107, 2023.<\/p>\n

The scale of this gap becomes more apparent when set alongside the regulatory and fiscal context of the seventh phase. The physical market for special games of chance is structurally contracting: visitor numbers are at 52% of 2008 levels, and levies from special games of chance at 85% of the same year’s level. Simultaneously, unlicensed online operators, according to ECA\/Yield Sec estimates, captured as much as 71% of the EU online market in 2024, resulting in an annual loss of EUR 20 billion in tax revenues for EU governments combined. Without consolidated data on its online market, Slovenia cannot even estimate what proportion of this is occurring within its borders.<\/p>\n

In this context, a passive state position is not neutral. Every unresolved coordination gap has its price, and that price is measured in tax revenues flowing away, missed promotional opportunities, and unexploited international influence that companies have won for themselves. When Loterija Slovenije presides over 70 European lotteries, this is not merely a corporate success \u2014 it is an opportunity to shape regulatory standards that directly affect Slovenian legislation. When HIT hosts the ECA Casino Industry Forum, this is not merely a marketing opportunity for Nova Gorica; it is a ticket into the network of decision-makers who co-shape the future of land-based casinos in Europe. Without state-level follow-through, both opportunities remain under the auspices of individual companies and are not translated into systemic influence.<\/p>\n

Comparison with the European context further highlights this weakness. The ECA, with 29 members from 22 countries, functions as an organised voice for the European gambling industry vis-\u00e0-vis the European Commission and national legislators, publishing strategic manifestos with clear demands for the 2024\u20132029 mandate (support, protection and promotion of the regulated sector). EGBA in parallel lobbies for the harmonisation of online regulation and for measures against unlicensed operators. Slovenia has no comparable mechanism in this space to articulate sector interests upwards to legislators or outwards into the European regulatory arena. As regards sectoral association at the domestic level, the website of the Gambling Association at TGZS to this day carries the unchanged 2019 notice about the \u201canticipated reconstitution of the committee\u201d \u2014 which speaks for itself.<\/p>\n

A strengthened model for Slovenian gambling should rest on three diplomatic-developmental pillars: (1) the establishment of permanent inter-ministerial coordination between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; (2) the formalisation and substantive reinforcement of presence in the ECA and EGBA, where Slovenian companies are present but without visible state coordination; and (3) the systematic incorporation of Slovenian gambling into tourism and economic negotiations with neighbouring countries, particularly Italy, Austria and Croatia, where international competition directly affects the Slovenian consumer catchment area. Without these three pillars, corporate diplomacy \u2014 however visible and successful \u2014 remains a tree without roots in the state system.<\/p>\n

<\/a>8 Concluding remarks and recommendations for further research<\/strong><\/p>\n

The seventh phase of the Slovenian gambling sector, which emerged after 2020, is not simply a chapter about pandemic recovery. It is a period of heterogeneous transformation that lays bare long-standing structural weaknesses while simultaneously opening space for reflection on the future of the sector. The collected and analysed data for the period 2023\u20132025, situated within a European and global context, permit the following synthesising conclusions:<\/p>\n

(1) Traditional lottery-type games are the only segment to have surpassed the historical maximum and to be showing sustained structural growth. This trend is consistent with the European pattern of lottery and online betting growth and reflects a global shift towards accessible, digital gambling.<\/p>\n

(2) Special games of chance, and land-based casinos in particular, are in structural decline. The decline in visitor numbers (52% of 2008 levels), capacity contraction (71% of 2009 machine counts), and fiscal erosion (85% of 2008 levies) are mutually consistent and aligned with the European pattern of declining market share for physical gambling.<\/p>\n

(3) Illegal online operators captured 71% of the EU online market in 2024, resulting in EUR 20 billion in fiscal losses for EU governments. Slovenia has no consolidated data on the scale of this phenomenon in the domestic market, which is one of the key analytical shortcomings of the seventh phase.<\/p>\n

(4) The overall sector remains below its historical peak (index 90 in 2025), which is not acceptable for a sector that should be one of the pillars of Slovenian tourism and the economy.<\/p>\n

(5) The absence of a comprehensive national strategy for the development of the Slovenian gambling sector remains current and in the seventh phase presents itself as the key obstacle to the sector’s development.<\/p>\n

For future academic and policy-analytical work, we identify the following areas worthy of systematic attention:<\/p>\n

(1) The establishment of consolidated data on online gambling in Slovenia and comparison with EU trends; this gap is today perhaps the greatest obstacle to quality analysis.<\/p>\n

(2) Regional analysis of the Slovenian gambling sector: the distribution of visitor numbers, revenues, and taxes by statistical regions, with particular emphasis on border areas where international competition has a direct impact.<\/p>\n

(3) Comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks and tax burdens in selected European countries (particularly neighbouring ones \u2014 Austria, Croatia, Italy) to determine whether the Slovenian gambling sector is over- or under-optimally calibrated from a regulatory perspective.<\/p>\n

(4) Analysis of the economic-diplomatic mechanisms that Slovenia actually employs (or does not employ) in promoting and internationalising its gambling operators on foreign markets, with a comparison to more active jurisdictions.<\/p>\n

(5) Assessment of the scale and effects of illegal online gambling in the Slovenian context and comparison with European ECA\/Yield Sec data.<\/p>\n

(6) Extended analysis of the seventh or eighth phase, which will likely emerge by the end of this decade. The question of whether it will be defined by digitalisation, regulatory reform, or a new demographic shift remains open.<\/p>\n

<\/a>9 References and bibliography<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>9.1 Author’s own sources<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(1) Komljenovi\u0107, A. (2023). The Slovenian Gambling Model in International Context: A Proposal for Reform (doctoral dissertation). Kranj: Faculty of State and European Studies.<\/p>\n

(2) Komljenovi\u0107, A. (2025). Slovenian Gambling \u2013 Analytical Reviews. Author’s own work based on data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia. https:\/\/komljenovic.si\/blog\/igre-na-sreco\/<\/p>\n

(3) Komljenovi\u0107, A. (2026). Slovenian Gambling \u2013 Analytical Reviews. Author’s own work based on data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia. https:\/\/komljenovic.si\/blog\/igre-na-sreco\/<\/p>\n

<\/a>9.2 Slovenian official and primary sources<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(4) Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia \/ Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia. (2020, 2020, 2023, 2025, 2025, 2026). Consolidated data on gambling in Slovenia for the periods 2005\u20132016, 2012\u20132018, 2012\u20132020, 2013\u20132023, 2014\u20132024, 2015\u20132025. Accessed: 3 January 2020; 18 September 2020; 25 August 2023; 3 February 2025; 15 May 2025; 10 May 2026. https:\/\/www.fu.gov.si\/drugo\/posebna_podrocja\/igre_na_sreco\/<\/p>\n

(5) Loterija Slovenije d.d. (2025). Annual Report 2025 (p. 40). Ljubljana: Loterija Slovenije. https:\/\/www.loterija.si\/files\/loterija\/za-delnicarje\/skupscina\/letno-porocilo-2025-koncno.pdf<\/p>\n

(6) Loterija Slovenije d.d. (n.d.). Press release: Romana Girandon again at the helm of the European Lotteries association (18 September 2025). Ljubljana: Loterija Slovenije. https:\/\/www.loterija.si\/files\/za-medije\/dokumenti\/na-celu-zdruzenja-evropskih-loterij-ponovno-romana-girandon-180925.pdf<\/p>\n

(7) \u0160portna Loterija d.d. (2024). Annual Report 2024 (p. 23). Ljubljana: \u0160portna Loterija. https:\/\/www.sportna-loterija.si\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sl-letno-porocilo-2024.pdf<\/p>\n

(8) Tourism and Hospitality Chamber of Slovenia (TGZS). (n.d.). Gambling Association. Accessed June 2026. https:\/\/tgzs.si\/zdruzenje-igralnistva\/<\/p>\n

<\/a>9.3 International organisations and associations<\/strong><\/p>\n

(9) European Casino Association (ECA). (2024). ECA Casino Industry Forum 2024 \u2013 Highlights: AI, Regulation and the Evolution of Land-Based Casinos. https:\/\/www.europeancasinoassociation.org\/news\/press-releases\/eca-forum-2024-highlights-ai-regulation-and-the-evolution-of-land-based-casinos<\/p>\n

(10) European Casino Association (ECA). (2024). ECA Manifesto 2024\u20132029: Support, Protect, Promote. Brussels: ECA. https:\/\/www.europeancasinoassociation.org\/advocacy\/manifesto<\/p>\n

(11) European Casino Association (ECA). (2024). Double celebration as ECA names Nova Gorica as stage for its Casino Industry Forum 2024. https:\/\/www.europeancasinoassociation.org\/news\/press-releases\/double-celebration-as-eca-names-nova-gorica-as-stage-for-its-casino-industry-forum-2024<\/p>\n

(12) European Casino Association (ECA) \/ Yield Sec. (2025). Illegal Gambling in the EU: EU 27 Europe \u2013 Online Gambling Marketplace 2024. Brussels: ECA. https:\/\/www.europeancasinoassociation.org\/news\/press-releases\/the-european-casino-association-releases-a-yield-sec-report-on-illegal-online-gambling-uncovering-annual-loss-of-eur20-billion-of-eu-tax-money<\/p>\n

(13) European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) \/ H2 Gambling Capital. (2025).<\/p>\n

(14) European Gambling Market \u2013 Key Figures 2025 Edition. Brussels: EGBA. https:\/\/www.egba.eu\/uploads\/2025\/04\/250325-EGBA-European-Gambling-Market-Key-Figures-2025-Edition.pdf<\/p>\n

(15) The European Lotteries (EL). (2024). Annual Report 2023. Brussels: EL. https:\/\/www.european-lotteries.org\/system\/files\/2024-09\/EL%20Annual%20Report%202023_FINAL%20(1).pdf<\/p>\n

(16) The European Lotteries (EL). (2026). Regular Members. Accessed June 2026. https:\/\/www.european-lotteries.org\/members\/regular-members<\/p>\n

(17) International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG). (2025). Gambling Laws and Regulations \u2013 Slovenia. https:\/\/iclg.com\/practice-areas\/gambling-laws-and-regulations\/slovenia<\/p>\n

(18) United Lotteries for Integrity in Sport (ULIS). (n.d.). Our Members. Accessed 2026. https:\/\/ulis.org\/network\/our-members<\/p>\n

(19) World Lottery Association (WLA). (2026). Lottery Members. Accessed June 2026. https:\/\/world-lotteries.org\/stakeholders\/membership\/lottery-members?q=loterija<\/p>\n

(20) Yield Sec. (2025). Illegal Gambling in the EU 2024 (PR Version, 19. 11. 2025, p. 8). Published as part of the ECA\/Yield Sec report. https:\/\/www.europeancasinoassociation.org\/images\/News-content\/20251120-Yield-Sec\/GYS_YS_Illegal_Gambling_in_the_EU_2024_PR_VERSION_11.19.2025.pdf<\/p>\n

<\/a>9.4 Market research firms and specialised media<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(21) Casino Guardian. (2025, 1 December). Germany’s online gambling sector faces soaring black market activity. https:\/\/www.casinoguardian.co.uk\/2025\/12\/01\/germanys-online-gambling-sector-faces-soaring-black-market-activitygermanys-online-gambling-sector-faces-soaring-black-market-activity\/<\/p>\n

(22) Casino International. (2026, 11 June). Hit Group to host the European Dealer Championship 2027 in Nova Gorica. https:\/\/casinointernational-online.com\/hit-group-to-host-the-european-dealer-championship-2027-in-nova-gorica\/<\/p>\n

(23) Gambling Commission (UK). (2025). Industry Statistics \u2013 July 2025 (Correction, Official Statistics). https:\/\/www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk\/statistics-and-research\/publication\/industry-statistics-july-2025-correction-official-statistics<\/p>\n

(24) Gambling News \/ Velikov. (2025). Netherlands land-based casinos continue to struggle \u2013 KSA data shows. https:\/\/www.gamblingnews.com\/news\/netherlands-land-based-casinos-continue-to-struggle-ksa-data-shows\/<\/p>\n

(25) Global Market Insights. (2025). Online Gambling Market Size & Share, Growth Forecasts 2034. https:\/\/www.gminsights.com\/industry-analysis\/online-gambling-market<\/p>\n

(26) Grand View Research. (2025). Online Gambling Market Size & Share Report, 2025\u20132030. https:\/\/www.grandviewresearch.com\/industry-analysis\/online-gambling-market<\/p>\n

(27) H2 Gambling Capital. (2024). Global Gambling Industry Generates $536bn in 2023 with 7% Growth Expected in 2024. https:\/\/h2gc.com\/news\/general\/global-gambling-industry-generates-536bn-in-2023-with-7-growth-expected-in-2024<\/p>\n

(28) Public Gaming Research Institute (PGRI). (2024, December). Romana Girandon, EL President and CEO of Loterija Slovenije (interview). https:\/\/www.publicgaming.com.publicgamingresearchinstitute.com\/news-categories\/lottery\/13675-pgri-interviews-romana-girandon-el-president-and-ceo-of-loterija-slovenije<\/p>\n

(29) Sigma World. (2025). Legal Gambling in Italy 2024 \u2013 CGIA\/ASTRO Report. https:\/\/sigma.world\/news\/legal-gambling-italy-2024-cgia-astro-report\/<\/p>\n

(30) Yogonet International. (2023, 7 June). EL members elect new Executive Committee for 2023\u20132025 period, appoint Romana Girandon as President. https:\/\/www.yogonet.com\/international\/news\/2023\/06\/07\/67434-el-members-elect-new-executive-committee-for-20232025-period-appoint-romana-girandon-as-president<\/p>\n

(31) Yogonet International. (2025, 30 June). Germany’s legal gambling market grows to 14.4 billion, but industry disputes regulator’s offshore estimates. https:\/\/www.yogonet.com\/international\/news\/2025\/06\/30\/109897-germanys-legal-gambling-market-grows-to-144-billion-but-industry-disputes-regulators-offshore-estimates<\/p>\n

(32) Yogonet International. (2025, 7 July). A deeper look at Italy’s gambling market in 2025. https:\/\/www.yogonet.com\/international\/news\/2025\/07\/07\/110657-a-deeper-look-at-italys-gambling-market-in-2025<\/p>\n

Note: access to all online sources verified on 21 June 2026<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2023.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia \/ Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia. (2020, 2020, 2023, 2025, 2025, 2026).<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2026, online source.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> EGBA, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> EGBA, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> \u0160portna Loterija d.d., 2024, p. 23. online source.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Loterija Slovenije d.d., 2025, p. 40, online source.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> EGBA, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> EGBA, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> Gambling News \/Velikov, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> Gambling Commission, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[12]<\/a> Casino Guardian, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[13]<\/a> Yogonet, 2025a, online source.<\/p>\n

[14]<\/a> Casino Guardian, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[15]<\/a> Casino Guardian, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[16]<\/a> Sigma World, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[17]<\/a> Yogonet, 2025b, online source.<\/p>\n

[18]<\/a> EGBA, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[19]<\/a> European Casino Association (ECA) \/ Yield Sec., 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[20]<\/a> YIELD SEC, 2025, p. 8, online source.<\/p>\n

[21]<\/a> Yield Sec., 2025, p. 8, online source.<\/p>\n

[22]<\/a> H2 Gambling Capital, 2024, online source.<\/p>\n

[23]<\/a> Global Market Insights, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[24]<\/a> Grand View Research, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[25]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2026, online source.<\/p>\n

[26]<\/a> European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) \/ H2 Gambling Capital, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[27]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[28]<\/a> Gambling News \/ Velikov, 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[29]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2025; EGBA, 2025; ECA\/Yield Sec, 2025, online sources.<\/p>\n

[30]<\/a> European Casino Association (ECA), 2024b, online source.<\/p>\n

[31]<\/a> European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) \/ H2 Gambling Capital, online source.<\/p>\n

[32]<\/a> International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG), 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[33]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2023, p. 79-95.<\/p>\n

[34]<\/a> Udovi\u010d in: Komljenovi\u0107, 2023, p. 48.<\/p>\n

[35]<\/a> European Casino Association (ECA), 2024a, online source.<\/p>\n

[36]<\/a> Casino International, 2026, online source.<\/p>\n

[37]<\/a> Loterija Slovenije, 2025, Press release, online source.<\/p>\n

[38]<\/a> The European Lotteries, 2026, online source.<\/p>\n

[39]<\/a> World Lottery Association, 2026, online source.<\/p>\n

[40]<\/a> United Lotteries for Integrity in Sport (ULIS), online source.<\/p>\n

[41]<\/a> Operates the Portoro\u017e, Lipica, and Mons Ljubljana casinos, the Emona gaming hall, and the online gambling platform casino.si.<\/p>\n

[42]<\/a> Turisti\u010dno-gostinska zbornica Slovenije (TGZS), online source.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> About the author: Aljo\u0161a Komljenovi\u0107 holds a doctorate in international and diplomatic studies. He has been professionally involved in gambling for more than two decades and in recent years has, among other things, been researching the Slovenian gambling sector in international frameworks and economic diplomacy. Email: aljosa.komljenovic@gmail.com.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Komljenovi\u0107, 2023.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> H2 Gambling Capital, 2024, online source.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> European Casino Association (ECA) \/ Yield Sec., 2025, online source.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Gambling Act, Article 10.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Gambling Act, Article 53.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Games of chance via the internet or other telecommunications means. Gambling Act, Article 3a.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> All types of special games of chance except betting. Gambling Act, Article 53.<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Gambling Act, Article 53.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Note: This text has been translated from Slovenian language with the help of artificial intelligence Claude.ai<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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