CONFERENCE DAY 2 THURSDAY 22 MARCH
LEADERSHIP TRACK:
TRADING TOOLS TAKE INNOVATION LEAD Request odds style bets are set to play a starring role for operators this summer, having highlighted the importance of trading tools for sports betting innovation. On the Leadership track at this year’s Betting on Football, the influence of products such as BetBuilder, MatchAcca and RequestABet will be debated by Sporting Index Head of Football Tom Palin, Sky Betting & Gaming Head of Sports Andy Wright, Betsson Group Managing Director Steen Madsen and Sam Hill, Business Development Director at Betgenius. Hill said: “BetBuilder is an accumulator service which blurs the lines between prematch and in-play betting, allowing punters to create their own narrative around any given fixture. Products like this highlight the role of trading functions in sports betting innovation, and are set to play a major role at this summer’s World Cup in Russia.” This session, which shows there is still room for new thinking amongst the most traditional of bookmaking skills, is the third of seven in the Leadership track. The action gets underway with an analysis of the philosophy of gambling, and whether there is an acceptable balance between the potential benefits of betting and its potential for harm. Ahead of more industry consolidation, including GVC’s possible £4 billion takeover of Ladbrokes Coral, attention will then turn to the value of investment outside of the biggest players, and the state of play in the affiliate sector. After headlining the ‘Managing Risk’ panel at last year’s event, Marek Smrha, Investment Manager at Penta Investments, is back to help delegates identify the ‘attractive risk’, with the support of Akur Capital Partner David Shapton, Better Collective Head of M&A Michal Kopec and David Levy, Business Development Director at XL Media. Šmrha commented: “We are happy to share our experience as a long-term investor and partner for companies in CEE. With
Fortuna Entertainment Group being one of our key assets, we have a vested interest in the future of the gambling industry in the region.” Following the focus on trading tools, the prospect of regulatory backlash is next on the hitlist for our ‘Leaders’. Kindred Group CPO Britt Boeskov, IBAS Managing Director Richard Hayler and Wiggin Partner Stephen Ketteley will be alongside Joe Saumarez Smith, Chief Executive for Sports Gaming, to discuss who’s to blame as established betting jurisdictions start to push back on the industry. The afternoon agenda is made up of a hattrick of CEO panels, starting with the changing landscape for affiliates featuring Inbal Lavi from Israel XL Media, OLBG’s Richard Moffat and Easyodds’ James Garmston. The penultimate session of the track will see Mybet’s Markus Peuler and BetBright’s Marcus Brennan assess the importance of this summer’s World Cup for future business, before ‘Lands of opportunity’ provides a fittingly topical finale to the CEO trilogy. As the state of New Jersey threatens to blaze a trail for the opening of the US sports betting market, Sportingtech CEO Tiago Almeida will be on hand to discuss how suppliers can plan for the opening of new markets, and whether operators are too reluctant to experiment with third party ideas.
BETTING ON FOOTBALL | 20-23 MARCH 2018 | WWW.SBCEVENTS.COM
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