Whether you're an Asian slot provider desperate to showcase your latest release or a Malta-based affiliate on the hunt for new connections, iGaming conferences present the perfect environment to network, facilitate business and keep up with emerging trends poised to shape the industry landscape.
iGaming conferences vary in size, focus, and extra-curricular activities depending on location, but they all gather the very best talent spanning the industry's core fields. Conferences like ICE, iGaming Supershow Amsterdam and SiGMA iGaming shows pool a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise into their multi-day festivals - the place to be heard and seen for anyone looking to get ahead in iGaming.
Nowadays, iGaming enjoys a global footprint, reflected in the annual roster of events that stretch across all corners of the planet - from Europe to Asia, Africa and The Americas. In a typical year, the industry calendar is jam-packed with conferences, exhibitions, expositions and more, but the current global pandemic has intervened of late, forcing organisers to adapt and rejig best-laid plans.
Recent times have presented us all with unprecedented challenges, but iGaming professionals are a resilient and resourceful bunch. Many conferences have thus moved online; some have been postponed indefinitely, while a handful of event organisers remain hopeful of weathering the storm and welcoming industry professionals at some stage this year.
This useful iGaming calendar is a one-stop-destination listing the major industry conferences lined up, covering an array of iGaming verticals - from casino and lottery to poker and sports betting. Bookmark the free page to make sure you don't miss out on any important events coming up.
In the meantime, we've profiled one of the leading operators in the iGaming conference business in this article.
SiGMA iGaming Conferences
Branded the "quintessential gaming & emerging tech events company", SiGMA are a global powerhouse in the competitive iGaming event tech space.
The firm boasts a large international footprint thanks to its vibrant mix of high-quality land-based, regulatory, online, B2B, networking & awards and affiliate-related international events.
Throughout the course of the year, SiGMA brings their travelling band of iGaming conference experts to each corner of the globe, making stops in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. Each event is comprised of four main pillars: Pitch, Awards, Conference/Agenda and Networking Events, which accommodate a cross-section of businesses, from iGaming start-ups to emerging tech innovators.
So, what makes SiGMA the go-to events company for the industry at large?
Well, for one, you will be in esteemed company at a SiGMA event. Almost half of the attendees at the firm's flagship Europe iGaming conferences are C-Level professionals or decision-makers, while conference speakers are often plucked from the industry's most influential tech companies.
Furthermore, the locations chosen to host the firm's headline events provide the ideal backdrop for networking and showcasing your wares. At the time of writing, SiGMA Europe is busy preparing an April 2021 return to Malta, while its Asian counterpart has eyes fixed on Manilla, The Philippines, one month later. Considered the undisputed iGaming hubs of their respective territories, both countries are home to flourishing iGaming industries that benefit from robust regulatory frameworks and favourable tax incentives.
The firm's SiGMA Europe series, like all category 1 SiGMA events, are all-inclusive affairs. These networking extravaganzas represent a real who's who of industry movers, catering to all three main industry verticals: Operators, Affiliates and Suppliers.
The events also bring together innovators from new and emerging tech spaces, like blockchain, AI, big data and quantum computing - prompting discussions around their potential benefit to iGaming.
iGaming Business Awards
It's not all business, either. Once the night draws in, the events give attendees the chance to let their hair down and indulge in some after-hours jovial fun. You could find yourself battling a company CEO at poker, or coiffing champagne at one of the many iGaming business awards ceremonies held annually.
Besides SiGMA, there are a handful of glamorous award ceremonies that also celebrate the industry's movers and shakers. Considered by some the 'Oscars of iGaming in Malta', Malta's MiGEA Awards places a greater focus on innovation and individual success, while the star-studded EGR Awards held each year in London rewards B2C operators for setting standards in iGaming.
SiGMA's polished after-dark evenings have a whiff of luxury, but none come close to the firm's iGathering events that highlight the annual calendar. These no-expense-spared bashes afford prestigious industry personnel the opportunity to network and foster relationships in a cordial environment held somewhere glamourous.
Completely free to attend, the invite-only lavish occasions guarantee intimacy and exclusivity with attendance capped strictly at 200. The 2021 line-up is set to take in a selection of iGaming hubs, with events slated for Malta, Manilla, Kiev, London and the Isle of Man - virus-permitting. Luxury restaurant meals, sunset cruises and pool parties are just some of the VIP perks attendees can expect with their iGathering invite in hand.
One thing's for sure: whichever SiGMA event you choose to attend, you are guaranteed a fun, engaging and productive time.
Digital Shift
Traditionally specialists in the land-based arena, recent times have seen the omni-channel outfit diversify their network offering as they remain agile to change and cognisant of evolving consumer tastes. Inevitably, this has increased demand on the company's digital operations.
In November 2020, SiGMA's European-facing arm, SiGMA Europe, laid on their very first Virtual Expo, which promised to elevate the online event experience through the firm's cutting edge digital platform. Virtual attendees were able to keep abreast of industry news, hear about changes in regulation and learn about emerging tech and its relative impact on the industry - no mask required!
The firm's media branch is also central to its operations. SIGMA's bi-annual SiGMA magazine shines a light on remote iGaming, while those constantly on the move can keep up via the firm's library of podcasts that stimulate regular discussion around wide-ranging topics. Recent editions have stoked conversation on unscrupulous casino streamers, the untapped potential of emerging markets and the impact of Esports, to name a few topics.
Staying online, SiGMA TV is worth checking out if you have a spare moment. This video portal charts the firm's travails across the world while exploring a range of industry topics like platform challenges and the Bitcoin effect, as well as examining divergent industry jurisdictions.
It's worth noting that the company's efforts extend beyond the iGaming exhibition world. Showing their charitable side, SiGMA's philanthropic arm, the SiGMA Foundation, organises various fund-raising activities while providing education and skills that are key to engendering self-confidence and empowerment.