At the end of every year I put together a top ten list of iGaming conferences. As I look back through the 2014 calendar, the sheer volume of conferences we have dedicated to this little industry of ours never ceases to amaze me. Despite the fact we all moan at this large number, some of these conferences serve as highlights of our year and therefore deserve to be recognized.
10- Summit of iGaming Malta (SiGMA)
The very first SiGMA took place this year in Malta, an event designed to educate iGaming professionals on the booming iGaming business in Malta and other important industry issues. SiGMA’s expo floor was a hit, featuring hundreds of affiliates and a whole lot of Swedes having beers, exchanging business cards and generally having fun. The turnout at SiGMA was a pleasant surprise for everyone and we’re looking forward to seeing what the organizers come up with for next year.
9- Malta iGaming Seminar (MiGS)
Now in its sixth year, MiGS has matured into a productive conference also designed to educate iGaming professionals on opportunities available in Malta in addition to featuring quality sessions addressing global issues. The more intimate nature of the MiGS event allows for more interactive sessions and the organizers did a great job of inviting top-notch speakers from Malta and the rest of the world.
8- Barcelona Affiliate Conference (BAC)
I would recommend attending the BAC to anyone, even if they don’t work in the online gambling industry. The vibe at BAC 2014 was a blast and any affiliate who decided to attend undoubtedly had a good time. The BAC also served as a great opportunity for affiliate programs to show off their stuff in a more relaxed environment than the other affiliate shows.
7- iGaming North America (iGNA)
Keeping on top of the news coming out of America regarding online gambling regulation is important to all of us. iGaming North America 2014 provided the latest information available, predictions for the future and educated American gambling companies on the online side of the business. The sessions at this event were more “hands-on” and the organizers took great care in adding a personal touch to the sessions and extracurricular activities surrounding the event.
6- GiGse
Another top conference serving the regulated American market is GiGse, an established event organized by Clarion that has been focused on the US market since 2010. At GiGse 2014 we saw a convergence of European operators and suppliers who are interested in the regulated US market in addition to American gambling operators and suppliers who are interested in the online market. GiGse also attracted a number of social gaming companies, partially because of the event’s proximity to Silicon Valley.
5- G2E Asia
Believe it or not, the Asian gambling market is the largest in the world and keeps getting bigger. G2E Asia 2014 provided the ideal location to learn about this market. In order to operate legally in a number of the Asian jurisdictions, its essential to partner with a local company and G2E Asia was the perfect place to make such connections. G2E Asia also featured an impressive expo floor full of Asian facing slot machines, Electronic Table Games, Baccarat tables and software, live dealer products and more.
4- iGaming SUPER Show (iGSS)
The iGaming Super Show 2014 provided the one opportunity of the year for the entire online gambling industry to get together under a single roof. iGaming Business arranged a series of “mini-shows” within the Super Show that addressed segments of the industry such as affiliates, payments, sports betting, executives, marketing and acquisition. The show also featured a lively expo of affiliate programs and industry service provider booths plus a healthy schedule of parties.
3- London Affiliate Conference (LAC)
The LAC is the flagship affiliate event of the year for iGaming Business and the largest conference dedicated to the online gambling affiliate industry. LAC 2014 featured SEO sessions, performance marketing strategy insight and the most impressive affiliate program booths of the year. The evenings were packed with official parties, the iGB Affiliate Awards and all sorts of private dinners and VIP parties, easily making LAC the most fun event of the year.
2- ICE Totally Gaming (ICE)
When it comes to “must attend” events for iGaming industry professionals, ICE is at the top of the list…even if it happens to take place during a tube strike. While the event always includes the land based industry, in 2014 a good chunk of expo floor space and conference sessions were dedicated to the online gaming crowd. ICE officially kicked off the year for the gambling industry and served as the ideal venue for spotlighting new products and innovation, something we saw a lot of in 2014.
1- G2E Vegas
G2E Vegas is the granddaddy of all gambling conferences. The G2E 2014 expo floor was absolutely massive and packed full of larger-than-life promotions, mostly arranged by the American land based providers. In 2014 G2E featured keynote presentations from the American gambling industry’s heaviest hitters such as Steve Wynn, our friend Sheldon Adelson Patti Hart, David Baazov and other CEOs of the biggest companies around. The online gambling industry component of G2E was small, but this conference provided exposure to the biggest influencers, the biggest companies and the biggest booth displays in the Western gambling market.
