10th September 2019 – A packed to the rafters InterContinental Arena Conference Centre hosted the first ever edition of iGaming NEXT, which brought together some 1000+ guests from the industry and beyond, as well as several renowned local and international media houses. Reaching above and beyond the original 800 attendee target, the inaugural edition of iGaming NEXT has proved a roaring success. Combining the presentation quality and attention of a content-driven TED conference with a trailblazing reveal event for the industry’s latest innovations, NEXT provided an in-depth journey and valuable key insights on the direction and future of the industry.
An unprecedented, stimulating environment
A wealth of expertise, knowledge and perspectives delivered by high-profile speakers hailing from the world’s most renowned tech giants Microsoft, Amazon and Shazam and leading iGaming companies, NEXT presented the audience, made up mostly of the industry’s C-Level executives, with an eye-opening journey into the fast-paced evolution of igaming and its impact, which resonates well beyond the confines of the gaming industry itself.
Pierre Lindh, founder of iGaming Idol and NEXT commented, “iGaming NEXT was founded on the ambitious vision to shake up the often grey and dull conference offering within the industry, by delivering a new platform whereby iGaming industry leaders and inspirational industry giants come together and talk about the shared challenges and opportunities in our industry. The fact that NEXT is already a sold-out event in year one, speaks volumes. To me this is a clear indication that the industry is hungry for this type of content, combined of course with high level networking and business conducted amongst the major players. Thank you to all attendees, speakers and sponsors for making iGaming NEXT such a success!”
The industry’s movers and shakers… what they said
Huw Owen Thomas – Chief Strategy Officer SG Digital commented, “We knew iGaming NEXT was going to be special, but it really exceeded all our expectations. Thank you to the wonderful team. To share the stage with our peers and our customers and hear how everyone is putting players at the heart of industry thinking was hugely inspiring. This was the magic the industry has been missing. Like the world of professional sports, we all compete hard head-to-head, but we can inspire each other off the pitch to take our industry to the next level. The team at iGaming NEXT created that platform for all of us and we’re already looking forward to the 2020 event!”
Lahcene Merzoug – CEO, ComeOn and one of the esteemed panellists during the event said, “The production, the content, the networking. Wow! It’s not often you get the opportunity to meet your peers in such a stimulating environment. This conference stood out amongst the rest and for me iGaming NEXT is certainly a new must attend calendar event.”
Neatly summing up the event’s key goals, Ani Boneva – VIP Manager, GVC Holdings, observed, “iGaming NEXT laid a foundation where from now on, every year, the iGaming past, present and future will meet and shake hands.”
A message from the keynote
According to Senior Engineer Karl Davies-Barrett, Microsoft, and one of NEXT’s respected keynote speakers, not only did NEXT host an impeccable line-up of speakers and panellists from the industry, but the quality of the sessions and discussions was brilliant. He commented, “This was not your regular iGaming event and the TED style really worked and came across well. The level of attendees was first class and the networking opportunity was therefore incredible. I would highly recommend this event to my colleagues, people in the industry and many more in my professional network.”
On the day, keynote speaker, Shazam co-founder Dhiraj Mukherjee shared his ‘Practical Insights into Building a Digital Business’, explaining in detail how entertainment is evolving, and the future lies in product that leaves a positive impact on society. Together with other keynote speaker, Head of Business Development Amazon Game Tech, Griff Parry’s take on ‘How Gaming can learn from Games’, as well as the contributions of several well-recognised names, iGaming NEXT has demonstrated how influences beyond the industry, can help propel the future of this exciting industry forward.
