Set to welcome up to 1,000 delegates to Olympia London on September 17-20, CasinoBeats looks certain to significantly expand on its 2018 debut, and Playson is greatly looking forward to making its first appearance.

Lars Kollind (pictured), business development manager at Playson, said: “This will be our first time at the CasinoBeats Summit, and we are very excited to be a part of the event as
premium sponsor.

“With the number of key companies that attend, we see great value in the summit. Based on the success of last year, CasinoBeats provides the perfect opportunity to further develop our relationships with many of the industry’s leading companies,” continued Kollind.

The move is a natural step for Playson, which has grown rapidly recently with the signing
of a number of key new clients, including LeoVegas, Mr Green, ComeOn! and Relax
Gaming.

Kollind continued: “Playson is becoming a leader in the games supplier space and I see
SBC and CasinoBeats as hosting ‘must attend’ events. We are looking forward to taking
part and catching up with key contacts from across the gaming industry as well, of
course, as establishing important new relationships.”

CasinoBeats will offer visitors four conference tracks and unrivalled networking
opportunities with as many as 200 operators present, along with regulators, leading
suppliers, payment companies and marketers.

Operators attending and speaking at the Summit in 2019 will include Hard Rock, Lottoland, Mansion, Olympic, Paf, Rank, Royal Panda, William Hill and Wishmaker, while a number of leading suppliers are also backing the event, with BetConstruct, Red Tiger and SG Digital joining Playson as sponsors.

In addition, Summit delegates gain access to Betting on Sports Week, which takes place at Olympia at the same time, alongside the PaymentExpert Forum and the Digital Marketing Forum, delivered in conjunction with AffiliateINSIDER.

Stewart Darkin, managing director of CasinoBeats, said: “It is great news that Playson
is supporting the Summit and we are excited to welcome Lars and the Playson team to
Olympia London in September.

“Support for the CasinoBeats Summit from partners that continue to drive the online
gaming sector forward, such as Playson, is one of the reasons the event works so well.”

With two conference rooms of content across two full days, the 2019 CasinoBeats Summit will offer insight from across the online casino community with operators continuing to play a leading role.

The CasinoBeats Summit takes place at Olympia London on September 17-20, alongside  Betting on Sports Week – learn more and buy tickets for the Summit here

To find out more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities at the Summit, please
contact sales@sbcgaming.com

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CasinoBeats: Why did you sponsor and what are you hoping to achieve?

Alex Cohen: “As CasinoBeats brings together a wide range of industry leaders from tier-one operators to disruptive suppliers, it’s a great opportunity to form valuable relationships that will serve us well as we embark on a new era at Kalamba.

“We attended CasinoBeats Malta earlier this year, which proved to be an extremely insightful and successful event, and so sponsoring the London summit was a natural step. The content agenda never disappoints and will without a doubt leave delegates full of inspiration and new ideas.”

What are you looking forward to at the show?

AC: “Engaging in thought provoking conversations and making new connections. Now is a testing yet exciting time for the industry – a mood which will likely be reflected in lively panel discussions and an energetic exhibition floor.

“It’s always a pleasure to catch up with our existing partners, and we’re looking forward to meeting with key stakeholders to discuss what’s in store for Kalamba and how our products can transform operators’ online offering.”

What can we expect from Kalamba over the next year?

AC: “The last few months have been an exciting time for Kalamba Games, with the unveiling of our new branding and the releases of top-performing new titles that are demonstrating the talent we have in the company.

“We’re focused on taking that momentum into 2020 and continuing to push the boundaries of innovation in game development.”

“Operators have an absolute goldmine of data – But could they be using it more effectively?”

Tell us about the panel you’re speaking on and why you chose to join it?

AC: “The panel looks at the role operators should play in product innovation. Operators have at their fingertips an absolute goldmine of data when it comes to game performance, player trends and customer preferences. But could they be using it more effectively to help guide suppliers in creating tailored content? It’s an interesting question, and I’m looking forward to unpacking arguments for and against.

“We believe that getting to know the player and understanding different play styles is
key to creating games that appeal across a range of demographics. Suppliers should be seeking player-led innovation and having access to data and insight to inform game development – particularly in the age of localisation – is more important than ever. We’ll also be debating the value of streamers – which are playing an increasingly bigger role sat between the supplier, operator and player.

“As a controversial new way to market content, it’ll make for an interesting conversation.”

The CasinoBeats Summit and Betting on Sports, incorporating the Safer GamblingForum, take place at Olympia London on September 17-20 – learn more and buy tickets for the CasinoBeats Summit here.

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Integrated into SBC’s Betting on Sports and CasinoBeats Summit events, the forum has been developed to provide a platform for industry leaders to discuss all elements of problem gambling from the political to the practical.

Graham Weir, founder and CEO at Safer Gambling Solutions, will be acting as the chair of the Safer Gambling Forum conference track, which will incorporate sessions titled:

• Loss Limits & Stakes Reduction 
• Understanding Player Finances
• Identifying & Interacting With Problem Gamblers
• Marketing’s Role in Prevention & Education
• CSR: The Key to Sustainable Gaming

The exhibition floor at Olympia London will have a safer gambling area, with stands from EPIC, YGAM, GamCare, GAMSTOP, GamBan, BetKnowMore and Mindway AI.

Weir commented: “Betting on Sports and the CasinoBeats Summit are the perfect platform to talk about reducing gambling-related harm from a business perspective. That is why I am happy to chair the Safer Gambling Forum on 19 September, as I believe the more companies that embrace safer gambling as part of their everyday operations, the better it is for the long-term health of the industry and society at large.”

Lee Willows, founder and CEO at YGAM, added: “The challenge of making gambling safer for everyone is something with which everyone in the gambling industry and beyond should be involved.

“YGAM is delighted to be contributing to the Safer Gambling Forum at the CasinoBeats Summit as we feel this is a great opportunity to discuss operational and legal matters in order to improve protection for customers and showcase how YGAM are working with the industry to achieve this.”

Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Risk Management, said: “It’s great to be involved with the Safer Gambling Forum. This is a very important development as companies get to grips with how best to prevent problem gambling. The more the industry can get together to discuss these matters, the better informed we will all be, and the more potential solutions will present themselves.”

Speakers already confirmed for the Forum include Daniela Johansson (Deputy CEO and Chief Responsibility Officer, Paf), David Caruana (Responsible Gaming Manager, Kindred), Steven Armstrong (Group Money Laundering Reporting Officer, William Hill), Sarah Hanratty (CEO, Senet Group), Paul Buck (CEO, EPIC Risk Management), Fiona Palmer (CEO, GAMSTOP), Yakir Firestane (Director of Digital, The Health Lottery), Jon Duffy (Director of Corporate Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, Genting UK), Jesper Karrbrink (Exec Chairman, Green Jade), Alex Tomic (Founder and CEO, SlotsMillion), James Myles (Analyst, Eta Delta), Ray Wilson (Director, AMLGS), Harry Cott (CEO & Co-Founder, beBettor.com), and Américo Loureiro (Director, Solverde).

Stewart Darkin, managing director of CasinoBeats, said: “The launch of the Safer Gambling Forum is a very important step for SBC and CasinoBeats and reflects a clear shift in the industry agenda.

“Safer gambling practice has evolved from a topic of conversation to a critical business activity for leading operators, suppliers and affiliates. Through the Forum, we hope to deliver a valuable opportunity for the sector to discuss and develop the safer gambling agenda and, in doing so, help move the industry forward.”

The CasinoBeats Summit and Betting on Sports 2019 take place at Olympia London on September 17-20 

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In the second edition to a two-part miniseries, CasinoBeats sat down with Nestorovski at last month’s CasinoBeats Summit to address the role that gamification can play in allowing operators and suppliers to engage with their core demographic.

Referring to the panel on ‘Role of operators in product innovation’, Nestorovski explained that gamification has become one of the buzzwords in the iGaming industry in recent years. He commented: “What we can say about it is that gamification is a part of the entertainment world, and it brings value for both players and operators that have it embedded in their DNA.

“We have developed specific APIs to match the actual need for the operators to be able to develop the gamification parts. It is the front-and-centre of the modern iGaming world, and the more gamification there is, the more players become engaged. It helps retention, and also helps acquisition of players.

“it is going to become more granular in the future, and EveryMatrix has committed to working jointly with operators to fulfil that layer of providing the newest technology to help them with their front-end efforts in gamification.”

Speaking at the CasinoBeats Summit, Nestorovski appeared alongside Avraam ‘Akis’ Tosounidis, COO and co-founder of Campeon Gaming Partners/Campeonbet, Alex Cohen, COO and co-founder of Kalamba Games, Jan Ridenfeldt, head of business unit content at Oryx Gaming, Melvin Ritsema, managing director of Royal Panda and Tobias Svensen, CEO of CasinoGrounds, as moderator.

While discussing the role of new technologies such as AI and VR, Nestorovski added that the implementation of such features has not quite reached a point of becoming ‘seamless’ yet, but this could change as technology evolves.

He continued: “We have seen the expansion of mobile technology in the last ten years. So, if I can make a prediction, I would say that in the next five or ten years, we are going to see much more AI-assisted technology, voice technology, VR, and maybe even more Augmented Reality, which will enable more movement and interaction with the player’s surroundings.

“No one knows what the future holds, but my hope and where I see this going is that we will be able to interact in a more immersive environment, and this will help the industry as a whole.”

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Speaking at last month’s Amsterdam held iGB Live, Wes Himes, interim CEO of the Remote Gambling Association, he believes that the industry is ‘on the same page’ when it comes to implementing safer gambling measures, but that further industry collaboration is needed.

When asked about what more the industry can do to ensure that safer gambling initiatives are implemented, Himes explained: “The best thing that we can do is take action. Our work programme covers a whole gambit of areas from responsible gambling to advertising, and through all of that we’re trying to pull together a work programme that shows that we as an industry are taking forward initiatives to make it a safe and entertaining environment for our customers.

“And as long as we are able to do that and prove that we are doing that, then I think we’ll go a long way towards avoiding regulation that might have unintended consequences.”

He continued: “If you look at our industry, we created GamStop three years ago which is a self-exclusion scheme in the UK for all online licensees. So it’s not as though we haven’t had a successful collaboration, but I think that we also realise that we are generating lots of data and we’re understanding our customers more and more – and the next leap is to understand them across operators.

“And when we do that, we’re going to have a much bigger confidence level of knowing that customer, and that’s going to help us in terms of early intervention if they happen to show any particular signs of problem gambling.”

The conference takes place at Olympia London on September 17-20, alongside Betting on Sports – learn more and buy tickets for the CasinoBeats Summit here.

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Niche games can unlock new avenues of engagement

Fuelled by a desire for fast money and the significant marketing shift towards influencers, niche games can raise the ceiling in terms of player engagement when it comes to the igaming sector. 

During a panel at the event, Michael Cini, Owner of ELA Games, underlined that from their infancy he held alternative game formats in high regard as he revealed that the original office for ELA Games was an old abandoned arcade. 

Cini explained: “One game was one of those claw machines, and one of us had the brilliant idea of, ‘why don’t we turn that into an online game?’ – which is when we came up with Cash Crab. From the very start, we found niche games to be an important part of us for creativity reasons.” 

Daniel Giuffra, Brand Manager from CasinoGrounds also detailed that the growth of niche games can be elevated by the shortening of attention spans from casino players. 

It can also be a route to engagement in the Brazilian market which is garnering inevitable attention from igaming operators across the globe. 

Mariana Tostes, Head of Operations at FBMDS, estimated that the group’s Brazilian online casino offering is made up of around 40 per cent niche games, naming online bingo and crash as examples, with the rest made up by slots. 

Trust remains integral in igaming payments 

As crypto adoption continues to grow and digital finance options are increasing efficiency in the user experience for igaming players, it is clear that trust is still a vital factor. 

While the shift for alternative payment methods in the mainstream was explored, moving humans away from ingrained habits will be a challenge especially when it comes to finances. 

According to Sean Spiteri, Head of Payment Solutions at PressEnter, humans “tend to stick to what they know”. Nonetheless, he highlighted that at the heart of any potential changes will be “simplicity and speed”.

Veiko Krünberg, CEO at XGateway, emphasised that we’re still in the early days of crypto, going on to laud the impact he believes that blockchain technology will have on igaming.

Krünberg urged operators to take note of oncoming developments and payment journeys that are steadily growing into the mainstream and being adopted by a larger number of players.

“Teething problems within the sector are improving at dramatic speed” according to Krünberg, who was keen to state his belief that the benefits of Decentralised Finance (DeFi) are going to fuel the way it is embraced by igaming players and operators. 

Learning from video games for the next level of engagement 

A pioneer in the world of first person shooters, John Romero spoke of the parallels between video games and igaming when it comes to maximising engagement. 

He drew attention to the importance of the immersive experience, urging operators and suppliers not to neglect elements like audio, which ensure that a player is enriched by the game even when it isn’t paying out big wins. 

He detailed that “in order to keep a player in the game, they need to be comfortable with the experience”, he then praised the immersive tech utilised for big titles seen across casino floors including Wizard of Oz, Rocky and Game of Thrones. 

Poker needs to play its hand of innovation 

As player attention spans wilt at a dramatic rate, one element of the gaming sector that desperately needs innovation is poker. 

Off the back of a recent “renaissance” due to the COVID-19 pandemic keeping everyone indoors and on screens, a return to normality has dealt online poker a challenging hand – with player acquisition in decline. 

Speaking at the event, Telly Bartolo, Marketing and Event Manager at Casino Malta, explained the vital nature of live tournaments, which offer much more than just a gameplay experience. 

He said: “Poker players moving from online to live tournaments are looking to travel, they’re looking to meet people form different nationalities and mingle around. It’s not all about the actual game, but it becomes about all the other things in the full experience.”

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At the CasinoBeats Summit in Malta, the evolution of payments was explored in significant depth, with innovation from that side of a gambling business cited as pivotal to player engagement for gambling businesses. 

Having recently moved into the digital currency world, Veiko Krünberg, CEO at XGateway, emphasised that we are still in the early days of crypto. However, he believes that blockchain technology will be fundamental for the igaming world in the near future. 

Enrico Giancaterina, Executive Managing Director at Funtech Games, asserted that shifting from fiat currencies can provide avenues for payments in less developed markets, away from Europe and North America.

Krünberg urged operators to take note of oncoming developments and payment journeys that are steadily growing into the mainstream and being adopted by a larger number of players.

‘Teething problems within the sector are improving at dramatic speed’ according to Krünberg, who was keen to state his belief that the benefits of Decentralised Finance (DeFi) are going to fuel the way it is embraced by igaming players and operators. 

He added that as alternative payment avenues continue to grow “we have never seen Visa doing as much marketing as they are now”. This is because the payments giant is “feeling the pressure” from the evolution of the payment space and new transactional journeys. 

The panel was moderated by Sergio Muscat, Founder at Oxygia Consulting, who underlined his belief that trust continues to be crucial within the payment sector

Ian Perrygrove, Chief Risk Officer at Kwiff, outlined that smart companies must recognise that every part of an operation holds importance, and payments is very much included in this given that it is where money comes in and out. 

In terms of the adoption of new avenues, he added that consumers like what they can trust and this serves to benefit Visa and Mastercard in many markets. 

Nonetheless, he underlined his belief that in igaming it is not about if you grow, but is instead about the pace at which you grow – it simply has to be done at an exponential rate in order to keep up. 

The potential for whether we could see a more mainstream shift to alternative payment methods continued to rage on, as Sean Spiteri, Head of Payment Solutions at PressEnter, stressed that humans are habitual creatures and tend to stick to what they know.

The trust factor is no more vital than in the case of a consumer’s finances. That being said, what it will ‘boil down to is simplicity and speed’ when it comes to the adoption of new payment methods.

The panel also analysed the pivotal role that crypto could play when it comes to the future of payments, as the transparency it provides will be seen as a crucial asset for igaming players. 

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However, it was unanimously agreed across CasinoBeats Summit’s Industry Trends and Future Predictions panel that personalisation and the player must be one of, if not the most, important factors for any casino and their future innovation prospects.

Sponsored by NetBet, the Industry Trends and Future Predictions panel featured a variety of industry experts from across sectors who forecasted their unique perspectives on what casino and slots platforms might look like in the years to come. 

On the panel was Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming; Inesa Glazaite, Chief Commercial Officer of iGP; Itai Zak, Executive Director of Digicode and former CEO of SBTech; Alexander Martin, Advisor & NED at Dice GP and former CEO of SKS365; and Mark Taffler, Commercial Director of Hub88.

Moderated by SBC Media’s Project Director, Martyn Elliott, the panel was asked about casino innovation and technology, with product personalisation being the response each panel participant gave in some form or another.

Martin noted that gamification needs to be at the top of operators’ minds with something new and something interactive, while Starostenkov stated that igaming verticals need to work together to create “comprehensive entertainment” for consumers on casino platforms.

Glazaite highlighted the importance of adapting to changing player behaviour, while Zak remarked that “the player must be placed in the centre”.

Taffler doubled down on Zak’s comments that casinos must recognise players being at the forefront of any future direction for any operator.

The Hub88 Director said: “You have to put the player at the centre of everything that you do. As a B2B supplier, we have to put the B2C customer at the centre of everything we do.

“We have to look at this at a more macro-level. The industry is maturing at such a rate that players are a lot more educated now and I don’t think there’s been any real innovation for a while, I think it’s more iteration.

“That is fine, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I refer to the Henry Ford quote quite a lot where he said ‘If you ask customers what they want, they’ll say faster horses’ and then he invented cars. Customers didn’t know that they needed cars, they thought they could only have a faster horse.

“What is really important is, as the industry matures, we see growing markets that localisation is still fundamentally important. I still hear of people going into LatAm. Which part? The Portuguese-speaking part or the Spanish-speaking part? How big is the file size of your content? How good is the mobile connectivity in Venezuela vs Germany? Where are your servers?

“I think there’s a lot of really hygienic things that need to be done in the industry before everyone starts to move on to the BHAGs – big, hairy audacious goals. Ultimately, all that matters is that the player is happy if you’re a B2C, and ultimately, all that matters is that the casino is happy if you’re a B2B.”

Current trends

Elliott then asked the panel about trends that they are seeing emerge currently in the casino space and several topics were discussed.

Martin noted that he’s starting to see more social games on the market, with gameshows getting involved in various ways, as well as streaming services and the metaverse. He also pointed out the growing interest in artificial intelligence.

“Something that has been around for a long time already and something that everyone should be adapting is AI,” stated Martin.

“The key question is who is adopting the technology. We have been using it for customer service operations, we have been using it for marketing developments, graphics, videos, all kinds of promotions and CRM. These kinds of tools are very efficient and very powerful for an operator. 

“There have been some attempts to use AI to create slots, it’s not of the quality that we are used to having today, but it is something that will be continuing and something that will be coming up in the next few years.”

Zak also noted how important AI is currently for casinos, but stated it’s still in its early stages. It’s just being used as a tool for operators to achieve another goal within their operations such as creating a safer gaming environment for responsible gaming or streamlining development processes. Care with its usage needs to be a top priority.

The Digicode Director said: “AI isn’t suddenly the solution for everything. There is always going to be a need for human interaction. Players’ behaviour, especially in gambling, is very complicated, even for AI at this stage.”

He continued: “Make sure you understand that AI itself can’t solve anything, there is always going to be room and a need for professional human interaction.”

Across the rest of the panel, Glazaite re-emphasised localisation across markets for all operators down to the finest details, especially when launching in new regions. Starostenkov highlighted an interest across several gaming verticals for operators rather than just one or two.

Meanwhile, Taffler commented on live casino, going down a similar localisation point as Glazaite – bringing attention to producing a product which is in line with what the customer wants down to the fundamental elements of each game type.

Future predictions

As for what the future holds for casino and igaming operators, Taffler offered three predictions – payment processes to be improved upon; more companies to assist operators with quicker and more profit performance; and curated player casino experiences via a direct link.

Martin believes that in the next five years, there will be more gamification across all aspects of gaming operations for the metaverse and virtual reality. Glazaite believes personalisation and social gaming will become more prominent with groups gathering to play together online, while Starostenkov feels sweepstakes will be a red-hot trend in the coming months.

Zak brought the conversation back to the initial discussion on the importance of personalisation and the player, emphasising that the “player is king”, replacing the previous gaming monarch of content.

In addition, he also believes there will be more innovation, player offering personalisation and usage of AI by operators for streamlining processes and assisting in responsible gambling.

Zak commented: “If up until recently we used the slogan ‘content is king’, I believe now that the player is the king.”

He continued: “Technology is at a stage where it now enables us to do a lot of things, the limitation is not the technology. The limitation is the connectivity and how you tailor, provide and market your offering. We will see much more focus on the player.”

Other topics that were discussed on the Industry Trends and Future Predictions panel include live casino, content direction, VR and AR future in igaming as well as crypto.

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His keynote entitled “Bridging Worlds: Nostalgia, Innovation, and the Future – A Journey with John Romero” kicked off the CasinoBeats Summit in Malta by highlighting the similarities in the strategy to engagement in both video games and slots. 

He detailed that design needs to be focused on bringing gaming features and key elements of the game to the forefront of their design. 

That being said, he was eager to state that designing for the lowest common denominator is crucial when looking to produce a game that appeals to a mainstream audience is key, something highlighted by Facebook gaming designs. 

“In order to keep a player in the game, they need to be comfortable with the experience” according to the level designer, who was behind iconic classics such as ‘Doom’ and ‘Wolfenstein 3D, as he lauded immersive tech utilised for big titles seen across casino floors including Wizard of Oz, Rocky and Game of Thrones. 

Furthermore, Romero underpinned audio as a crucial asset that can ensure players enjoy an extended experience of a game. Drawing similarities to the video game sector he urged delegates to look at how engaging the myriad of radio stations that are available during a game Grand Theft Auto as an example of how audio and licensed music can enhance the overall experience. 

The music that is the backdrop to the game elevates the player journey between features as Romero underlined his bewilderment at music halting in between spins during a slots game. 

I see the future of slots incorporating the best assets from tv, music and film to enable users to immerse themselves in the game in a deeper way. 

One of the other crossovers that Romero said can be key taken from the video game sector to the slots sector was game saving. Raising the bar in terms of the potential for gamification, there is an opportunity for new themes to be unlocked through progress within a slots game according to Romero, who believes that recognition for players to have made progress is pivotal. 

When it comes to AI he identified that it is great for number crunching and could be an asset for player retention, however it simply can’t create new ideas and raise the ceiling in terms of innovation. 

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Natalie Lees and Jack Richards, Senior Conference Producers at SBC, shed light on the diligent curation of topics, the significance of cross-industry perspectives, and the innovative formats making their debut in the 2024 edition.

CasinoBeats: Technology is central to CasinoBeats Summit’s agenda. How do you choose which technologies warrant a panel discussion and assess their ongoing relevance or obsolescence?

Natalie Lees: The unique aspect of our event lies in recognising the significance of all discussions; it’s about picking the right discussions for a panel format. Many emerging technologies require the intimacy of an ‘Ask Me Anything’ or workshop setting. By incorporating these interactive formats, we ensure our discussions remain dynamic and relevant. This approach allows us to stay current, facilitating timely conversations about adapting to evolving technologies, including strategies for coping with obsolescence.

Jack Richards: It’s probably the most difficult part of agenda writing! Looking ahead now, at the time of writing we are still over 6 months out, and trying to predict tech evolutions that far out can be extremely challenging – given how fast-paced the industry is. One thing for certain is that generative AI will be at the centre of most technological developments, so it’s about how we frame the discussion and adapt/tweak the synopses as and when products are updated.

CB: The plan for this year’s agenda includes hosting speakers from different fields, not just casino experts. What can attendees learn from these varied perspectives?

NL:  Incorporating speakers from diverse fields in this year’s agenda offers attendees a unique opportunity to gain insights beyond traditional casino expertise. From the video gaming sector, participants can explore cutting-edge technologies and graphics trends to enhance the gaming experience. Insights from the e-commerce sector focus on user experience excellence, that are particularly challenging navigating regulatory restrictions. Additionally, expertise from SEO professionals, content writers, and leadership experts provides fresh perspectives on optimising online visibility, creating engaging content, and implementing effective leadership techniques.

Collectively, these varied perspectives empower attendees to adapt and implement innovative strategies, ensuring the casino industry remains dynamic and at the forefront of technological advancements.

JR: The best ideas come from thinking outside the box, so by bringing in speakers from other industries we are giving the best tools to do that thinking! Attendees can gain a broader perspective with cross-industry insights from tech trends to marketing strategies.

CB: The agenda provides delegates with a new angle on the subject of leadership. What has prompted this fresh approach to covering leadership? Do you believe this is a reflection of current industry attitudes or is it to encourage a new way of thinking? 

NL: The decision to infuse a fresh perspective into our agenda’s leadership discussions directly responds to the profound industry transformations of the past five years, prompted by invaluable lessons from COVID’s impact on company cultures and workplace health. This proactive approach aims not only to mirror current industry attitudes but also to actively encourage a new way of thinking, cultivating leadership strategies that resonate with the evolving industry climate. 

Acknowledging the importance of retaining talent and fostering a happy workforce, we emphasise personal development through unconventional avenues like meditation and poker, offering leaders essential skills for navigating the changing industry landscape and integrating these aspects into organisational leadership. Additionally, strategic inclusion of investment and M&A discussions serves to assist entrepreneurs in propelling their businesses to the next level, providing a platform for exploring opportunities, fostering growth, and ensuring leadership strategies align with the evolving needs of businesses in the industry.

CB: Day two of the product conference track focuses on all things land-based, bingo, and live casino. With the industry’s shift to digital, how do you think those verticals can maintain their relevance? 

NL: Day two’s strategic focus on land-based, bingo, and live casino in the product conference track recognises the enduring significance of these traditional verticals amidst the industry’s digital shift. In navigating the digital landscape, these verticals can maintain and even expand their relevance by embracing technology to enhance the overall customer experience. 

Simultaneously, live casino experiences can be enriched through immersive technologies, ensuring that the appeal of in-person gaming is complemented by cutting-edge digital enhancements. By strategically blending tradition with innovation and exploring new market entries, these verticals can not only preserve their relevance but also provide a trusted opportunity into global markets.

JR: The key word for this topic is ‘adaptability’. How can these legacy ways of gaming embrace the changes in player behaviour and changes in technology to create a USP that digital gaming doesn’t necessarily have? In the ‘digital era’, these verticals should be enhancing user experiences through immersive technology, and fostering a sense of community through social interactions, both online and offline.

CB: Let’s talk about streamers. I understand there is a big focus on their involvement this year, but I also know it is hard to get them to attend conferences. How do you pitch CasinoBeats to streamers? How will their presence benefit operators and suppliers in attendance? 

NL: CasinoBeats invites streamers to an exclusive experience where they can play the latest slot games launching only at our conference. This unique opportunity not only enhances their content but also fosters community engagement among streamers. Attendees can connect directly with leading operators and suppliers, exploring collaborations and gaining insights into industry innovations. 

Streamers, as influential advocates, provide real-time reviews to their audiences, amplifying the impact of exclusive game launches. CasinoBeats serves as a dynamic hub for the gaming community, offering shared experiences, connections, and the latest in gaming innovation, benefiting all participants involved.

JR: Streamers, with their close-knit link to affiliation and marketing, provide a 2024-centric approach to what the current and next-gen players will be interested in, and how they will consume content. Getting as many of these streamers in as possible will create a vibrant, festival feel for the event, and more importantly, the more we stream, the more the event will get screen time.

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