Bede Gaming CTO Dan Whiteley on AI, Cybersecurity and the Future of iGaming Technology

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the iGaming industry, Bede Gaming's Chief Technology Officer, Dan Whiteley, believes the sector is entering one of the most transformational periods in technology history.

From accelerating software development and improving player personalisation to addressing emerging cybersecurity threats and responsible gambling challenges, AI is creating new opportunities and responsibilities for operators and technology providers alike.

Speaking to Abigail Welch, Editor and Founder of iGaming News, at SBC Summit Lisbon 2026, Whiteley discussed how Bede Gaming is embracing AI across its operations, the importance of balancing innovation with security, and why the next phase of technological development could fundamentally change how the industry operates.

He also shared insights into the company's internal AI hackathons, the growing role of machine learning in player engagement and what the future holds for Bede Gaming's technology strategy.

Firstly, could you introduce yourself and explain your role at Bede Gaming?

Dan Whiteley: My background is in technology, and I'm the Chief Technology Officer at Bede Gaming.

My key responsibilities are centred around our platform, including how we continue to evolve it, operate it securely and maintain the levels of reliability our customers expect.

We're always working towards concepts such as zero downtime and zero failure, ensuring our technology remains secure, stable and operational.

Ultimately, the responsibility for the technology side of the business sits with me and my team. In many ways, no news is good news because it means everything is working exactly as it should.

You've recently said we're entering the most transformational period in technology. What makes you believe that?

Dan Whiteley: I started my career as a software engineer towards the end of the dot-com boom.

When you look at how technology has evolved, from massive mainframe computers to desktop computing, followed by the birth of the internet, each stage has fundamentally changed how we work and live.

We're here at SBC Summit, for example, and without the internet, this industry and events like this would look very different.

The internet created unprecedented access to knowledge and digital capabilities. We then saw the emergence of cloud computing, which allowed businesses to deploy infrastructure, access services and scale their technology in line with their growth ambitions.

Now we have artificial intelligence.

AI models have advanced substantially over the past couple of years, with particularly significant improvements in the last 12 months.

I believe the next stage will be about transforming how we undertake knowledge-based work.

We're still discovering the full implications of that transformation, both positive and negative. However, I believe it will fundamentally change businesses and society.

It will be fascinating to see how that develops.

Looking at iGaming specifically, how do you think the industry is responding to the rapid growth of AI?

Dan Whiteley: I think there are three core areas to consider.

The first is software development. How can we use AI to produce software more quickly and efficiently? Can we innovate faster and build better products?

The economics of software development are changing. The cost of producing software is decreasing, and the speed at which we can develop products is increasing.

That creates a more competitive environment, which should ultimately drive greater innovation across the industry.

The second area is player experience.

If you look at everyday consumer experiences, such as Netflix or e-commerce platforms, we're already accustomed to highly personalised services.

I think iGaming has been slightly behind in this area, but personalisation is becoming increasingly prominent.

Players want content that's relevant to them. They want bonuses and promotions that are appropriate to their preferences at a particular moment.

Context and timing are critical.

The third area is information security and cybersecurity.

AI is changing the playing field in terms of the threats businesses face. It's still an emerging picture, but it's something we need to be prepared for.

AI is accelerating developments across all three areas, and that brings both opportunities and risks.

We're here at SBC Summit, where there's plenty of AI innovation on display. What has particularly caught your attention?

Dan Whiteley: Whenever I attend these events, I see the familiar major brands, which is great, but I'm particularly interested in the start-up areas.

I enjoy looking at early-stage ideas and seeing how smaller companies identify gaps in the market or problems that need solving.

These businesses are often more agile and can experiment with new products and approaches relatively quickly.

One innovation that caught my attention was AI-driven gamification.

For example, businesses are developing daily retention games that can be customised using AI.

You could provide a simple natural language prompt requesting a Halloween-themed spin-the-wheel game, and the technology could create that experience very quickly.

The ability to develop and integrate those kinds of products at speed is interesting.

It's encouraging to see how smaller businesses are using AI to develop and deliver innovative new products.

AI also brings security risks. How can businesses mitigate those threats?

Dan Whiteley: A few years ago, someone attempting to attack a system needed a reasonable level of technical knowledge.

They needed to understand networks, identity and access management, and how to exploit weaknesses in either people or technology.

AI is beginning to democratise those capabilities.

You see stories in the news about AI-powered cyberattacks, and while some of that may involve hype, the underlying implications are significant.

Someone no longer necessarily needs the same technical understanding to attempt to infiltrate a system. They can potentially use AI tools to assist them.

The speed at which attacks can be executed is also increasing.

That means sophisticated capabilities are becoming more accessible, creating an entirely new threat landscape.

Another area I'm particularly conscious of is autonomous AI agents operating within production environments.

Without appropriate guardrails, there are risks around data leakage and how systems int