As an established hub for the Internet gambling industry, a Malta-based conference enjoys a deep pool of prospective expert speakers and high-level attendees from many of the top operators and suppliers. Making the most of both the locale and the audience, the annual Malta iGaming Seminar (MiGS) characterizes the success of the industry by design, using functional conference sessions and networking events that attract both the local and global audiences.
Conference Chair Sue Schneider, long renowned as the foremost expert on the industry and partner in organizing MiGS said, “This year’s programme is built around initiating and continuing conversations the influential people in the iGaming business need to have to be successful, while always being mindful of past lessons learned. We’re very excited by the line up of speakers we have confirmed to elevate these discussions”.
Seminar discussions will span topics that include areas of potential growth like mobile gaming and eSports, balanced with topics that take a more analytical look at challenges that hinder and opportunities that attract robust investment in the sector. A session that is poised to do some of both is titled “Sport and Betting: Working as One Team to Safeguard Mutual Survival”, which will touch on the most recent match-fixing news with the intent to offer concrete solutions to maintaining the integrity of sport when betting companies and league officials work together. The panel to address this topic will include officials with the International Olympic Committee, the Italian Police/Interpol, the Maltese Football Association, the Malta Gaming Authority and a former footballer and current ESPN Commentator, among others yet to be confirmed.
“A Century of iGaming” is another session to combine veteran experience with forward thinking, by joining some of the original industry personalities on a panel. Sharing their perspectives from their initial forays into iGaming to their current industry endeavors, these CEOs will opine about what new products, geographies, operational methods and consolidations have caught their attention. With over 100 years experience in iGaming sitting on the dais, it’s inevitable that the discussion will be lively and spirited when such varying viewpoints are brought together.
Other programme sections look to engage the audience by developing a conversational approach that encourages participation by panelists and attendees alike. The Fishbowl Conversation sessions on specialized verticals like eSports/Fantasy Sports, Payments and Advocacy lay out a specific segment of the industry and include panelists eager to wade into “the fishbowl” of debate and analysis. Delegates can act as a moderator or panelist themselves by asking questions at any time in this free-flowing format that has worked to great effect at similar events.
Emerging jurisdictions working on or rolling out regulatory frameworks in their respective countries are put in focus in one of two IMGL Master Class sessions on the event agenda. Portugal, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania have been pinpointed and will have representatives on the panel. Another IMGL Master Class critical to the success of the industry will detail the new Anti-Money Laundering and VAT directives. Businesses serving all aspects of iGaming will need to accommodate these new rules to remain in compliance.
As businesses strive to implement the many moving parts of the industry, Malta emerges as an ideal location for MiGS and iGaming businesses by virtue of the tax-efficient environment and reputation as a leading force in the development of regulatory policy. As an event focusing on the past, present and future of iGaming, Malta’s status as one of the first European jurisdictions to embrace the industry continues to attract numerous top-tier companies to open local offices with an experienced and skilled workforce and the country’s status as a highly developed financial center.
The Malta locale also buoys the availability of historic and stunning locations for the many networking events that infuse the event schedule, thoughtfully arranged to add needed breaks and impart an atmosphere conducive to the most sought-after asset at a business conference: conversations with the right people. Starting with a free-roll poker tournament pitting players with varied levels of expertise from throughout the industry, to the BIG Foundation Dinner at one of Malta’s top dining locations and on through the scenic wind-down Harbor Cruise, not many other events are as attentive to fostering the environment necessary to provide that asset.
The layout of the event also demonstrates a thoughtful approach with an easy to follow, single-track conference programme as opposed to multiple breakout sessions, a preferred arrangement for upper level executives that don’t want to miss anything important. As with any event, the key to achieving a run as long as MiGS is having going into their 7th year, is leaving delegates with a clear return on their investment. With the strongest programme, an exceptionally strong speaker line up and the opportunities to converse in comfortable and unique settings, the investment will seem a trifle compared to the return. The event will be hosted at The Corinthia Hotel, St. Julian’s from the 16th – 19th of November 2015. For more information go to www.maltaigamingseminar.com.
