SBC Events has lined up a full day’s track dedicated to the FIFA World Cup at Betting on Football 2018 (20-23 March), as part of a comprehensive conference agenda ahead of next year’s tournament in Russia.
Featuring eight main tracks and more than 40 sessions across Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 March, #bofcon2018 will present over 150 experts from the betting and football arenas, spanning four rooms at Stamford Bridge, home of the reigning Premier League champions.
‘Life beyond the bonus’ will kick off the ‘World Cup and beyond’ track, with a discussion around marketing ahead of Russia 2018. Among the issues addressed will be the future of customer bonusing, particularly given the rise in bonus related disputes and the tightening of affiliate regulations.
Held in the Drake Suite at Chelsea FC, the track will continue with a closer look at engaging football customers in a live environment, before analysing the scale of the opportunity for DFS, how to prevail in the ‘Facebook and Twitter battlegrounds’, how bookmakers can work with the sport to keep out the fixers, and the hidden benefits of sponsorship. 
On the same day, Betting on Football will once again underline its international credentials by delivering an extensive update on football betting markets across the globe, from tackling changing laws in Africa to assessing Italy as Europe’s new home of betting and ‘Making America great again’ through ongoing attempts to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
The ‘Global Market Profiles’ track, held in the Harris Suite, will also assess the window of opportunity for online operators in the Spanish market and the hotbed of innovation in Scandinavia, while providing updates on the regulatory situation in Eastern Europe and Asia’s status as the king of sponsors in the Premier League.
Day one also boasts ‘Betting on Innovation’ – a track focused on exciting new products in 2017 and beyond.
On the second full day of the conference, speakers will be debating issues around ‘Leadership’ and the ‘Customer Journey’.
The Leadership track will include an analysis of the philosophy of gambling, the value of investment in an increasingly consolidated market, the prospect of a regulatory backlash in established betting jurisdictions and how ‘designer’ bets are influencing trading, before a hat-trick of CEO panels focused on affiliates, innovation and opportunities at Russia 2018.
Meanwhile, the Customer Journey track will kick off with a look at customer onboarding, and whether skilled affiliates remain the best means of conversion, before moving on to fraud prevention, building the perfect user experience, beating the omnichannel challenge and improving CRM strategy. The track will conclude by assessing football’s effectiveness as a cross-selling product and how the industry can unite to increase social responsibility.
This year also sees three new exclusive elements added to the Betting on Football agenda. The AI Bootcamp, headed up by Lee-Ann Johnstone, which aims to train affiliates and affiliate managers how to better operate in today’s changing affiliate environment.
The EsportsInsider Super Forum will look at the whole of the esports business and have a dedicated exhibition area. The invite-only “SBC Sponsorship Forum” is also being held on Day 2 and will look to bring football clubs and betting brands together to discuss the opportunities provided by the global game.
Delegates who purchase tickets before 1 December will be eligible for the Super Early Bird offer with a 50% discount on ticket price. Get your tickets HERE.
