Betting on Sports Week 2018 - Official Guide

YOUR GUIDE TO BET TING ON SPORTS

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Olympia London

An Entire Week of International Betting & Gaming Conferences and Exhibitions

www.sbcevents.com

ONE WEEK

SIX EVENTS! 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Olympia London

AN ENTIRE WEEK OF INTERNATIONAL BETTING & GAMING CONFERENCES AND EXHIBITION

2,500 Delegates

140

Exhibitors

200

Leading Industry Speakers

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

19-20 SEPTEMBER 2018

18-20 SEPTEMBER 2018

Betting Conference and Exhibition

Casino Conference

Esports Conference and Exhibition

Olympia London

Olympia London

Olympia London

SPONSORSHIP

20 SEPTEMBER 2018

18 SEPTEMBER 2018

19 SEPTEMBER 2018

Natural History Museum, London

Hilton Olympia, London

Hilton Olympia, London

Awards Evening & Party

Sponsorship Conference

Affiliate Conference

2 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Visit www.sbcevents.com

Introduction Welcome to the Guide to Betting on Sports 2018, the biggest betting trade conference in the world.

The event has grown into what we now have to call BOS Week as there is now so much crammed into the third week of September. The Betting on Sports Conference, CasinoBeats Summit, AffiliateFest, SBC Sponsorship Forum, ESI London and the Sports Betting Hall of Fame are all detailed within to help you get a bit more flavour about all the reasons for coming to London.

Andrew McCarron Managing Director SBC Events

Given that the gambling world keeps turning, it’s as important as ever to be on top of the issues. As stricter regulations are being imposed in the U.K. and elsewhere in Europe, a huge roadblock to betting deregulation has been lifted in the US with some states falling over themselves to pass new laws.

While football dominates many sports books, other sports are also important, depending on the market. Horseracing is vital in some big jurisdictions, while others need basketball or even ice hockey. Betting on Sports allows delegates to take elements from a range of different sports and see how they can make them work with their customer base. Will it extend a player’s life time value or attract a whole new demographic?

There’s also the need for keeping on top of the M&A activity that continues in the market. Does it open up an opportunity or threaten to leave you behind? Where can you meet some of the talent that will be looking for new roles?

You’ll find all things betting and beyond at Betting on Sports Week. This is your industry and here at SBC we aim to help you get the most out of it.

See you in September.

CONTENTS

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

4 BETTING ON SPORTS FLOORPLAN 6 BETTING ON AMERICAS 8 SPORT IN FOCUS 10 INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY 12 ESI LONDON 14 CASINOBEATS SUMMIT 15 NETWORKING SCHEDULE 16 AGENDA DAY 1 22 TRADING MATTERS 24 FUTURE OF BETTING 26 BETTING ON RACING 28 BETTING ON RETAIL/REGULATION 29 NETWORKING SCHEDULE 30 SPORTS BETTING HALL OF FAME 32 AGENDA DAY 2 40 AFFILIATEFEST 42 SPONSORSHIP FORUM

The SBC Betting on Sports is brought to you by SBC Events Editorial Team Andrew McCarron, Luke Massey, Craig Davies, Michael Lawson, Ted Menmuir, Joe Streeter Sales Team: Rasmus Sojmark, Alyona Gromova, Conall McCabe, Neil Judson Design Team: Nikolai Sojmark, Ercin Tulfeki, Bettina Sojmark All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of SBC Events. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, SBC Events cannot be held responsible for any errors it may contain. SBC Events cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of any material, solicited or unsolicited. The views in the publication are not necessarily the views of SBC Events or those of the advertisers.

Produced and published by SBC Events Registered address: Sports Betting Community, 103-105 Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2NG, UK Tel.: +44 (0) 161 367 1250 Email: sales@sbcnews.co.uk Web www.sbc.global

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 3

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 Olympia Conference Centre, London

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 FLOOR PLAN Olympia Conference Centre, London

OLYMPIA LEVEL 2

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Issue Num Issue DatN Issue Updated Issue D Scale : N. Updat

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Issue Number : 248 Issue Date : 08 Mar 2018 Issue Number : 248 Updated By : paul@sbcnews.co.uk Issue Date : 08 Mar 2018 Scale : N.T.S. By : paul@sbcnews.co.u Updated

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4 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

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18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 Olympia London

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SEPTEMBER

20

SEPTEMBER

21

TUESDAY 11:00 – 21:00

Pre-registration @ Hilton Olympia

11:00 – 18:00

SBC Sponsorship Forum @ Hilton Olympia

18:30 – 0:00

Networking Drinks @ Hilton Olympia

WEDNESDAY – CONFERENCE DAY 1 09:00 – 19:00

Exhibition Open (Level 2 & Level 3)

10:15 – 17:30

Sport in Focus (Conference Room 1)

10:15 – 17:30

Betting on Americas (Conference 2)

10:30 – 17:30

Innovation & Technology (Conference Room 3)

10:15 – 17:30

CasinoBeats Summit (Conference Room 4)

10:15 – 17:30

ESI London (Conference Room 5)

09:30 – 17:30

Affiliate FEST (Hilton Olympia)

17:00 – 19:00

Networking Drinks in Exhibition Area

20:00 – 02:00

Official Party (Altitude 360 & Skyloft)

THURSDAY – CONFERENCE DAY 2 09:00 – 17:30

Exhibition Open (Level 2 & Level 3)

10:15 – 17:30

Future of Betting (Conference Room 1)

10:15 – 17:30

Betting on Racing (Conference Room 2)

10:15 – 12:50

Betting on Retail (Conference Room 3)

14:10 – 17:30

Betting on Regulation (Conference Room 3)

10:15 – 17:30

CasinoBeats Summit (Conference Room 4)

10:15 – 17:30

ESI London (Conference Room 5)

18:00 – 20:00

Networking Drinks @ Hand & Flower Pub

20:30 – 02:00

Hall of Fame Awards & Networking Party (Natural History Museum)

FRIDAY 10:00 – 13:00

FURTHER DETAILS All destinations pertaining to the Betting on Sports conference can be found on the official website or conference app.

Casual Networking & Business Meetings

IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT: Paul Mills, Chief Operating Officer, SBC Global, paul@sbcnews.co.uk, +44 (0) 778 840 5551 Andy McCarron, Managing Director, SBC Global, andy@sbcnews.co.uk, +44 (0) 778 231 1768 Rasmus Sojmark, Founder / CEO, SBC Global, rs@sbcnews.co.uk, +44 (0) 789 049 5353 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 5

OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICAN PIONEERS

There is no longer a blanket ban on sports betting in the US, but there is unlikely to be the gold rush expected by many. However there will still be opportunities for European companies to help US brands service the market.

Chris Murphy, editor of SBCAmericas.com, explains.

M

ay 2019 saw New Jersey achieve a landmark victory for fully regulated sports betting in America, with PASPA turned on its head after a long and protracted legal dispute involving the state, lawmakers and major sports leagues.

Everything is now further down the line from that historic milestone and America continues its transformation from a black market-led sports betting

managers operating out of Nevada who know anything about sports and their perspective, in my opinion, is slightly different anyway.

“The US will need the know-how, so this is what gives us (British/Europeans) the real opportunity to go into the American market because their risk management techniques, quite frankly, are very simplistic. And smart professional punters from around the

Last year’s Betting on Sports had a panel speculating on the SCOTUS judgment – this year we will be dissecting. sector to a fully regulated compliant business, brimming with potential.

At SBC’s Betting on Football conference earlier this year, Sportingbet founder Mark Blandford anticipated that there would be opportunities for experts in the betting space. “Speaking from a British perspective we’ve had a history of a legal and regulated bookmaking industry. What does that mean?

That means our risk management knowledge and tools and techniques have been allowed to develop and mature. There are a tiny number of risk 6 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

world are going to tear into them if they’re allowed to get a bet on.”

But with a state-by-state, rather than federal approach to going legal, the picture currently looks more complicated than the Gordian knot. Essentially there is still much to unravel before the many strands of this fledgling sector can be gathered together in a way that makes clear business sense.

At this year’s Betting on Sports Conference, delegates will have the best opportunity yet to take stock of the monumental changes that are

taking place stateside. A brand new track dedicated to sports betting in the US, titled Betting on Americas, will shed fresh light on the biggest issues and hurdles that market entrants will need to address.

Speakers will be assessing the state of the nation: What does the SCOTUS ruling really mean and what avenues have opened or, crucially, closed postPASPA? Another key battleground is taxation, with states such as Pennsylvania raising eyebrows and heated debate thanks to what many view as an unworkable tax rate.

Betting on America will also examine where the affiliates fit into this everchanging picture. Where are the openings and how will state lines be addressed as they seek to strike new deals? Some of the bigger names from the affiliate world - Better Collective and Gambling.com - are on hand to discuss where they see their roles in what could be a new online betting market, and Tom Galanis will provide the perspective of the new International Gaming Affiliate Association.

There will be focus, too, on integrity, as well as identifying what opportunities operators can look forward to. And it’s not all about the US, the LatAm region continues to grow and develop a sports betting sector of its own. We’ll be taking a close look at how operators and suppliers are adapting to those changes.

As ever, SBC Events has attracted the foremost thinkers and decision makers from the industry, figures including Keith O’Loughlin of SG Digital; Daniel Wallach, Partner, Becker & Poliakoff Robin Roy, Director of Sales:North America at Sportradar, Sue Schneider, David Sargeant of Igaming Ideas; Jake Marsh, Head of Integrity Operations at Perform Group, and Benjie Cherniak of Don Best Sports.

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Get ready for the upcoming seasons by contacting us at sales@betradar.com 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 7

DRILLING DOWN INTO THE MECHANICS OF SPORT

Football and horseracing tend to dominate the everyday conversation around betting, but, argues Craig Davies, there are plenty of other sports that deserve some attention too.

S

ports and the gambling industry quite often go hand in hand, with the mutual benefits of a number of key partnerships felt by stakeholders across numerous markets on a worldwide basis.

As sports constantly strive for a larger audience share, growth strategies, whether that be on a regional, national or global basis, play an increasingly important part, but shadows still loom over certain quarters, casting an unsettling cloud for punters.

Sports in Focus is set to be held in Conference Room 2 on Wednesday 19 September, day two of Betting of Sports Week 2018, and the track plans to cover a number of issues across seven key global and leading sports.

One of which is snooker, a sports seemingly continuing its upwards trend, particularly in Asian markets, discussing the industry’s close links, how brand presence can be leveraged to maximise punter interest and what steps need to be taken to ensure an engaging and thriving market is built up.

One individual set to appear is five time world champion Ronnie ‘The Rocket’ O’Sullivan, who is to play a starring role in the discussions as part of his work as brand ambassador for BetCris.

Addressing the session and his appearance, O’Sullivan commented: “I’m proud to be involved in the BetCris mission to push snooker to a wider audience, particularly in China where there is such a vast opportunity to attract new bettors. I’m looking forward to speaking to the delegates at Betting on Sports about the opportunities presented by the sport, and why it will always be such a good fit with the bookies.”

BetCris CEO Hilly Ehrlich will also be appearing as part of the session, 8 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

and he commented on the upcoming conference by adding: “Snooker has grown to the point where it’s now played in front of an international audience.

Fans worldwide are quick to connect with big characters and follow their progress in the biggest tournaments with a bet. For this reason, Ronnie O’Sullivan is the perfect ambassador for BetCris.”

The rights holders for two popular sports will be making presentations on the Sport in Focus Track, one focusing on the existing relationship with the betting industry, and one looking at the way they could work together in the future.

Matthew Porter, the chief executive of the PDC, is the former and he will discuss why the game of darts is so popular with punters and how the organisation works with a variety of betting brands throughout the year.

The latter is the PGA Tour, and Chief Legal Officer Len Brown, who will be discussing the PGA TOUR’s Integrity Program, its ShotLink data collection

system and opportunities for data distribution for sports betting, and its efforts to develop a best-in-class regulatory system for sports betting in the United States.

Other rights holders attending include Simon Schleich, Managing Director at tennis tournament organiser e|motion, Jess Harding, Promoter at JBD Sports Agents, and in basketball Pablo Ortiz, Commercial Director at Baskonia Alavés Group and Aristeidis Christopoulos, Commercial Director at Panathinaikos B.C. Further individuals committed to speaking as part of the Sport in Focus track are: • Keith O’Loughlin, SVP, Sportsbook and Platforms, SG Digital • Stuart Tilly, CEO, Sportnation.bet • Jaswant Deol, Sportsbook Director, Betway • Matt Scarrott, Director of Sportsbook & VIP, BetVictor The Sport In Focus track provides a perfect opportunity to drill down in more details into some of the more popular sports for betting.

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KEEPING ON TOP OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

Innovation is the lifeblood of the industry, writes Andrew McCarron. So where better to see the latest trends and developments than at the Betting on Sports Innovation & Technology Track?

O

ne of the most popular tracks at Betting on Football was the Innovation Track, which allowed product developers to address some of the myriad issues that the industry faces and how they are working hard to address those challenges within their products and services.

The Innovation & Technology track at Betting on Sports has adapted this format to provide a broader mix of presentation and panel discussions, addressing some key areas of development within the industry.

There are three main panel discussions on the track, exploring a number of areas where clear opportunities for enterprising operators exist.

The first panel discussion details Innovation in Payments - a crucial part of the business for all operators seeking to improve the onboard experience for new customers. Delegates will be be

10 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

given direct access to an extensive panel of experts to identify what are the latest developments in the payments sector, what lessons have been learned from the World Cup and where are gambling operators lagging behind other industries?

Among those appearing will be Chris Smart, Emerchantpay, Senior Vice President - Global Gaming & FX; Matthew Harrod, VP at Processing. com; Paul Marcantonio, Head of UK & Western Europe at Ecommpay.com; and Jens Bader, Co-Founder at MuchBetter.

The next panel later in the day addresses audience engagement under the title of ‘Gamify my sportsbook’. The panel, which includes Alex Kahn, CMO at BetBright; Oddslife’s David Knight; and Novibet COO George Athanasopoulos, will look at the ways in which suppliers and operators are making the product more appealing.

The time could be ripe for sportsbook gamification - earlier this year Casumo, the online casino which specialises in gamification, announced it is developing a sportsbook with the help of Kambi.

The new sports product will primarily target casual bettors and the millions of sports fans who have never placed a bet, with a focus on offering players fun and playful betting opportunities.

Daniel Durrans, Head of Sportsbook at Casumo, commented: “Casumo is creating a brand new, more intuitive product experience for sport.”

Given the sportsbook interface has long been criticised for being functional rather than fun, can a new approach help not just CRM but also improve organic customer acquisition in a homogenised sector? This session will aim to answer some of those questions and help shine a light into the future direction the sector will take.

The final session of the day will comprise a panel dedicated to the fascinating element of betting exchanges. Betfair’s merger with Paddy Power and subsequent focus on the sportsbook model has a number of operators fighting for market share. How can innovation help these contender brands and will Betfair respond? Can international expansion aid liquidity or is the regulation too tricky? Is it a case of educating the law makers as to what a betting exchange can do?

Amid the panel discussions, there are also presentations offering a more focused spotlight onto the crucial issues facing stakeholders. Andrew Dagnall, CEO at BettorLogic, for example will be looking at UX, and representatives from Digitonic, OtherLevels, Optimove and Perform Group will also be sharing some of their research with delegates.

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 11

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SECTOR

Esports as a business has been hyped for some years now, and with good reason considering the participation numbers. Esports Insider Managing Director Sam Cooke describes the work that has gone into ESI London.

W

ith the growth of the esports industry showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and with more investment and major companies and brands (such as the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Gillette, Audi and Arby’s, to name just a few), entering each week, the time is ripe for ESI London.

The three-day esports business conference (taking place at Olympia London in Kensington, over September 18 - 20th) has set its sights on building a bridge between expertise and interest; explaining esports from the inside out and facilitating ample educational and business opportunities for all attendees, both those from esports and those on the outside looking in. This is Londonbased Esports Insider’s ninth business focused event, and this will be the largest esports conference of the year with over 400 attendees, 15 exhibitors within the exhibition and interactive zone, more than 14 sessions, three networking parties and socials, plus tournaments and additional seminars each day too.

As for the sessions, ESI has curated far more than the average run-of-the-mill day of conference panels too. With a carefully developed agenda, there’ll be live debates and workshops, alongside properly thought out and engaging panels with speakers who know their stuff.

12 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Sports and esports Lawyer at firm Sheridans, Jonny Madill, has said of a previous ESI event: “Great event and venue, and an excellent range of content and speakers. The content and panel discussions were equally engaging for organisations endemic to esports, as well as traditional sports rights holders and brands.”

Confirmed speakers for ESI London (September 18-20th) to date include the likes of the Co-Owner of Fnatic, Patrik Sättermon, North CEO Christian Sørensen, Ian Smith, Commissioner of ESIC, Oskar Fröberg who is CEO of esports data focused Stockholm based company Abios, the Founder of Swipe Right PR Kirsty Endfield, who’ve a range of top clients across the industry, Alex Dreyfuz, CEO at ChiliZ, and plenty more.

Sessions include a (sure to be fiery) debate around closed vs open ecosystems in ‘Franchised leagues in esports, yay or nay?’, another on ‘Esports and the Olympics - Who ‘needs’ who?’, and then more panels and workshops around ‘How to build a brand in esports’, ‘How to create a professional team and the challenges of this’, ‘Unsung heroes - league and tournament ops’, ‘Getting into 5th gear - Sim Racing’, and many more.

The second day of ESI London will

also feature a dedicated Betting on Esports track. With the recent repeal of PASPA over in the United States of America, there is a golden opportunity for esports betting specifically, and potentially hugely beneficial ramifications for the esports industry more widely. With arguably the capital of the Western esports world in the form of Los Angeles, there will be a session titled ‘America, land of the free and home of esports opportunity’.

This will sit alongside numerous other deep dives and discussions such as ‘The challenges of legitimate data in esports’, ‘Dear Casinos, it’s time to embrace video games’, a live debate around loot boxes, and ‘Building an betting product for esports fans’.

There’ll also be a case study of a partnership between a bookmaker and a tier one esports team.

Speakers on this track include the likes of Lars Lien, CEO at Luckbox, Rahul Sood, Unikrn CEO, Suraj Gosai BlinkPool CEO, Callum Scott, Events and Special Projects Manager at Rank Group, Dr Brett Arbabanel, Director of Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Peter Ivanov, Head of Esports Trading at UltraPlay, Flavien Guillocheau, CEO at PandaScore, and Abios CEO Oskar Fröberg, amongst others.

PwC was involved in Esports Insider’s last event, ESI Birmingham, which preceded the UK’s first Dota 2 Major ESL One Birmingham. It was moved to comment: “Thank you to the ESI team for giving us the opportunity to speak at ESI Birmingham. It was a fantastic event providing an invaluable amount of insight on esports, which is testament to the strength of ESI’s relationships within the esports industry. We are looking forward to the next event already!”

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 13

WHY THE ONLINE CASINO PLAYER ’BEATS’ TO A NEW RHYTHM IN 2018

Multi-million dollar movies continue to enjoy the casino crossover treatment, but is the average online player still excited by blockbuster titles? CasinoBeats Editor Stewart Darkin casts his eye over the inaugural CasinoBeats Summit agenda.

T

he Summit, launched in 2018, brings together operators, suppliers and a range of sector visionaries to consider the challenges facing the online casino sector. Featuring exclusive market data presented exclusively at the event, the CasinoBeats Summit offers industry insight, knowledge sharing and networking opportunities at the heart of the world’s largest regulated online gaming market.

More than 250 delegates from across the world will make their way to the Summit as part of Betting on Sports, the international betting and gaming conference week, taking place on September 18-21 at Olympia London.

Besides the CasinoBeats Summit, visitors to the event will have access to the main Betting on Sports conference and exhibition; the ESI London esports conference and exhibition; and the Hall of Fame Awards evening and networking party.

“Innovation and forward thinking always excites me and all of us at Mr Green. The CasinoBeats Summit promises to be an event that looks to the future, examining the threats and opportunities facing the industry and how we collectively can move forward. As part of Betting on Sports Week, I expect the Summit to establish itself as a popular date in the diary for the online casino sector,” Jesper Kärrbrink, CEO, Mr Green

Conference & speakers

Thirty-plus speakers will join the discussions around leadership, strategy, marketing, affiliates, regulation, compliance, integrity and data.

14 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Confirmed speakers include:

Jesper Kärrbrink, CEO, Mr Green Stian Hornsletten, CEO of CasinoEngine, Everymatrix Brian Donegan, Isle of Man government Ita Zak, CEO GoWild Gaming Nikola Teofilovic, General Manager, AskGamblers Phil Parry, CEO, iForium Simon Collins, Director, Gaming Realms Helen Walton, Chief commercial officer, Gamevy Graham Weir, Director of responsible gambling, Ladbrokes Coral Karolina Pelc, Casino director, LeoVegas Lee-Ann Johnstone, CEO & founder, Affiliate Insider Adriaan Brink, CEO, Better Betting Ian Sims, Founder and MD, Rightlander Anna Hemmings, CEO, Gamcare Jez San, CEO and founder, Funfair Technologies Christian Maglia, CCO, WeAreCasino Spread across two days, content is split into two categories. Day one, on Wednesday, September 19, is the Strategy Day, followed by the Marketing Day on Thursday, 19th. The Strategy Day features, among others, sessions on live casino, a CEO panel on the future

of online gaming and a look at the state of the slots market. Are players still excited by blockbuster IP? Do they tire of the same-old mechanics or do they trust what they are already familiar with? Game developers, operators and reviewers examine the issues.

Elsewhere on day one are sessions on gender equality in online gaming and attitudes to responsible gaming.

On both counts, is the industry doing enough? Is the sector serious about change, or just playing lip service?

Day two, with a marketing focus, looks at opportunities in the US and other new or growing markets. There is a panel on slot brands being deployed as crossover selling points into other verticals - are live casino environments plastered with slot brands going to outperform “real” casino environments?

Delegates will also hear about the changing profile of the modern online casino player and the likely impact of the proposed increase in UK Remote Gaming Duty, set to be introduced in November. There are also updates on blockchain and player retention and reactivation strategies.

For more information, visit: www.CasinoBeatsSummit.com

NETWORKING SCHEDULE 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER Pre-Registration @Hilton Olympia Networking Drinks @Hilton Olympia

15:00 - 21:00 18:30 - 00:00

WEDNESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER – NETWORKING & BUSINESS Exhibition Area Level 2 Open from 9:00 - 19:00 Plenty of opportunities to explore products and services, and use the networking areas for your meetings.

BetConstruct Catering Area Golden Race Virtual Bar VSoftco Networking Lounge Bede Gaming Networking Area Racing Post Cafe OPTIMA Coffee Bar

Open Open Open Open Open Open

from from from from from from

9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00

to to to to to to

19:00 19:00 19:00 19:00 19:00 19:00

in in in in in in

the the the the the the

Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition

Area Area Area Area Area Area

BetConstruct Speaker Lounge – Speaker access only Networking Drinks Sponsored by

From 17:00 - 19:00 in the Exhibition Area

Exhibition Area Level 3

Open from 9:00 - 19:00

ESI Network & Chill Zone

Open from 9:00 to 19:00 in the Exhibition Area

ESI & CasinoBeats Networking Drinks

From 17:00 - 19:00

OFFICIAL PARTY: Altitude 360 & Skyloft Sponsored by

From 20:00 - 02:00

The venue offers an unrivalled panoramic view of London at night time. Join the SBC team for networking and drinks and to celebrate Betting on Sports week.

Open to all BOS delegates, sponsors, speakers and exhibitors.

Visit www.sbcevents.com 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 15

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 1 AGENDA SPONSORS

SPORT IN FOCUS CONFERENCE ROOM 1 10:15 – 11:00

COMBAT SPORTS – WHY THE FIGHT GAME IS PACKING A PUNCH FOR BETTING OPERATORS The relationship between betting and combat sports has thrived over recent years, with many operators expanding their sponsorship ventures into the fight game. How can these partnerships from the fight game be maximised, and what can be done to increase the sport’s popularity as a betting product?

SPEAKERS Tony Kenny, Head of Consumer and Sponsorship PR, William Hill Matt Scarrott, Director of Sportsbook & VIP, BetVictor Erik Bäcklund, Head of Sportsbook, Kindred Group Jess Harding, Boxing Promoter, JBD Sports Agents

BETTING ON AMERICAS CONFERENCE ROOM 2 STATE OF THE NATION – WHAT DOES THE SCOTUS JUDGEMENT MEAN IN REAL TERMS? There is still a lot to unpack from the SCOTUS ruling on PASPA, such as what opportunities have opened up, what avenues have closed and what needs to happen now.

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE ROOM 3 10:30 - 11:00 INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY TALK SPEAKERS Optimove MODERATOR

SPEAKERS Daniel Wallach, Partner, Becker & Poliakoff Robin Roy, Director of Sales:North America, Sportradar MODERATOR

MODERATOR Jonathan Smith, Founder, Sportsbook Training Services 11:00 – 11:30 REFRESHMENT BREAK 11:30 – 12:00

BULLSEYE – TRANSFORMING FAN ENTHUSIASM FOR DARTS INTO BETTING INTEREST Bookmakers love the spectacle of the darts, but what makes it so appealing for brands and how easy is conversion from sponsorship deals?

BOS TALKS DraftKing’s vision for the future –fireside chat The leading DFS operator has shown its hand and committed to entering the sports betting market. CEO Jason Robins will discuss his firm’s plans.

SPEAKERS Matthew Porter, Chief Executive, PDC

SPEAKERS Jason Robins, CEO, DraftKings

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY TALK SPEAKERS: OtherLevels

MODERATOR 12:00 – 12:40

SNOOKER LOOPY – WHY IS THE SPORT SUCH A GOOD FIT FOR BOOKMAKERS? Gambling operators hold an increasingly close relationship with the world of snooker, but why are the two so suited?

How can this brand presence be leveraged into making the sport appealing for punters? What needs to be done to ensure an engaging and thriving market is built up moving forward?

SPEAKERS Ronnie O’Sullivan, Snooker Legend Hilly Ehrlich, UK CEO, BetCris Keith O’Loughlin, SVP, Sportsbook and Platforms, SG Digital MODERATOR

REACHING THE PLAYER – WHERE DO AFFILIATES FIT IN? In a new market, where are the opportunities for affiliates? How will state lines be addressed? What lessons have been learned from DFS? SPEAKERS Marc Pedersen, Director, Business Development, Better Collective Tom Galanis, Founder, TAG Media Charles Gillespie, CEO, Gambling.com Group MODERATOR Paul McNea, Director, iGaming Performance

12:40 – 14:15 LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK

16 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Continued on next page

INNOVATION IN PAYMENTS What are the latest developments in the payments sector? What lessons have been learned from the World Cup? Where are operators lagging behind other industries?

SPEAKERS: Chris Smart, Emerchantpay, Senior Vice President, Global Gaming & FX Matthew Harrod, Processing.com, Vice President Jens Bader, Co-Founder, MuchBetter MODERATOR

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 1

ESI WORKSHOPS & DEBATES CONFERENCE ROOM 5 – AUDITORIUM

CONFERENCE ROOM 4 10:15 – 11:00

LIVE AND KICKING Are future live casino players really expected to purchase costly peripherals, like VR headsets? If not, then what’s next: AR, mo-cap? A look at live casino’s brave new world.

10:15 – 11:00

SPEAKERS Helen Walton, Founder, Gamevy MODERATOR

BUILDING A BRAND IN ESPORTS Learn how industry experts kicked off, built and grew their brand, from investment or their own pockets.

Hear their personal stories of blood, sweat, tears and triumph.

Understand the thought process behind designing the logo, merch and how they went to market. And finally, become better versed in the story telling, production, social media management and monetisation of esports specific content.

SPEAKERS Daniel Herz, CFO, CompLexity Gaming MODERATOR

11:00 – 11:30 REFRESHMENT BREAK 11:30 – 12:00

TAKING LIVE FORWARD How LeoVegas is using innovation to push forward the live casino product and provide a more immersive and entertaining product to the marketplace.

11:00 – 11:20 REFRESHMENT BREAK 11:20 – 12:00

CEO PANEL: THE FUTURE OF ONLINE CASINO Cast as sector visionaries, a panel of CEOs discuss the threats and opportunities facing the online casino gaming community.

SPEAKERS Jesper Karrbrink, CEO, Mr Green Itai Zak, CEO, GoWild Gaming Alex Tomic, CEO, SlotsMillion MODERATOR

12:40 – 14:15 LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK

Continued on next page

SPEAKERS MODERATOR

SPEAKER Karolina Pelc, Casino Director, LeoVegas

12:00 – 12:40

UK ESPORTS SELF HELP GROUP

12:05 – 12:50

FRANCHISED LEAGUES IN ESPORTS, YAY OR NAY? The open versus closed debate. Are franchised leagues beneficial to the esports ecosystem as a whole right now?

What are the pros and cons? Or is the open system a better option for the Many?

SPEAKERS Michal “CARMAC” Blicharz MODERATOR Ian Smith, Commissioner, ESIC

12:50 – 14:00 LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 17

Continued on next page

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 1 AGENDA SPONSORS

SPORT IN FOCUS CONFERENCE ROOM 1 14:15 – 14:45

BOS TALK Betting on Golf: How the PGA TOUR is Driving into the Future The PGA TOUR, the leading golf organization in the world, will present an overview of betting on golf. The presentation will cover, among other topics, the PGA TOUR’s Integrity Program, its ShotLink data collection system and opportunities for data distribution for sports betting, and its efforts to develop a best-in-class regulatory system for sports betting in the United States.

BETTING ON AMERICAS CONFERENCE ROOM 2 MAINTAINING STANDARDS – THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AWAITING OPERATORS AND SUPPLIERS

14:00 - 14:30 INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY TALK

SPEAKERS

SPEAKERS Digitonic

MODERATOR

14:30 - 15:00 DATA & INTEGRITY SESSION SPEAKERS Perform

SPEAKER Len Brown, Chief Legal Officer, PGA TOUR Inc 14:45 – 15:30

MODERATOR

GETTING SET: WILL TACKLING INTEGRITY OPEN UP COMMERCIAL AVENUES IN TENNIS? Will tournament operators open up more to having commercial ties with bookmakers or does the continual spectre of match fixing limit the appetite for such deals?

FEEDING FRENZY – WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WILL THERE BE FOR OPERATORS? Companies have been jostling for position in the US market for some time, but which ones have hit the jackpot?

Where will the true opportunities manifest themselves?

SPEAKERS Simon Schleich, Managing Director, e|motion Neil Roarty, Head of Betting Publishing, Catena Media Stuart Tilly, CEO, Sportnation.bet

SPEAKERS Benjie Cherniak, President & CEO, Don Best Sports Keith O’Loughlin, SVP, Sportsbook and Platforms, SG Digital

MODERATOR

MODERATOR David Sargeant, CEO, Igaming Ideas 15:30 – 16:00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

18 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE ROOM 3

Continued on next page

15:00 - 15:30 GDPR SESSION SPEAKERS MODERATOR

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 1

ESI WORKSHOPS & DEBATES CONFERENCE ROOM 5 – AUDITORIUM

CONFERENCE ROOM 4 14:15 – 15:00

WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY The sector is criticised as taking a tokenistic approach to managing problem gamblers. Can and should the gaming industry do more?

14:00 – 14:40

SPEAKERS Dr Guy Bohane, NCF’s ACE panel Graham Weir, Group Director of Responsible Gambling, Ladbrokes Coral Anna Hemmings, CEO, GamCare

FORCE OR FOSTER? HOW DO YOU DEFINE, AND DEVELOP AN ESPORTS TITLE? Exactly what are the ingredients of an esports title? What makes one an esport, and not another? Once that’s clearly outlined, how do you create one?

It’s said it’s all about the community, but what are the steps to fast-tracking one for your game?

Game studios of all shapes and sizes discuss this.

SPEAKERS Chris Murphy, Associate Producer, Square Enix Collective Alexandre Grimonpoint, PLayer Engagement Director, Hi-Rez Studios

MODERATOR

MODERATOR

15:00 – 15:30

GENDER EQUALITY IN ONLINE GAMING How does the sector address gender stereotypes in gaming? What are the consequences of the way some games and companies depict women?

SPEAKERS Tina Thakor-Rankin, Co-Founder, All-In Diversity MODERATOR

14:45 – 15:30

LEAGUE AND EVENT OPERATIONS – THE UNSUNG HEROES OF ESPORTS Ever wondered what it takes to put on an event in a stadium tailored to the esports crowd, from scouting, to risk assessment, to set design, logistics, build up and teardown, with all the technology behind the scenes? How about funding a league, building a tournament structure, a rule book, enforcing the correct scheduling and anti cheating and doping charters. Find out all this and more.

SPEAKERS MODERATOR

15:30 – 16:00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

Continued on next page

15:30 – 16:00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 19

Continued on next page

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 1 AGENDA SPONSORS

SPORT IN FOCUS CONFERENCE ROOM 1 16:00 – 16:45

HARNESSING THE CONTINUAL GROWTH OF BASKETBALL With the sport of basketball challenging other more established sports in popularity with punters, what are bookmakers doing to tap into the market?

SPEAKERS Thanos Rigas, Trading Director, OPAP Pablo Ortiz, Commercial Director, Baskonia Alavés Group Aristeidis Christopoulos, Commercial Director, Panathinaikos B.C. Marco Blume, Trading Director, Pinnacle

BETTING ON AMERICAS CONFERENCE ROOM 2 HOLDING INTEGRITY – HOW IS THE MARKET PROTECTING ITSELF AND THE SPORTS IT DEALS WITH? PASPA has always been a wall between sports and the betting industry, but what now? The DFS operators broke down some barriers, but how will co-operation look in the future?

SPEAKERS Jake Marsh, Head of Integrity Operations, Perform Group MODERATOR

MODERATOR

16:45 – 17:30

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE ROOM 3 16:00 – 16:30 GAMIFY MY SPORTSBOOK The sportsbook interface has long been criticised for being functional rather than fun. But with increasing regulatory pressure on marketing, can a new approach help not just CRM but also improve organic customer acquisition in a homogenised sector?

SPEAKERS Alex Kahn, CMO, BetBright David Knight, Group Business Director, Oddslife George Athanasopoulos, COO, Novibet Sadok Cohen, CEO, BetBull MODERATOR

PUSHING BOUNDARIES – TACKLING CRICKET’S INTEGRITY ISSUES A sport with statistics at its very heart should be a perfect partner for betting brands, but the spectre of fixing remains, What is being done to reassure stakeholders? What impact has the explosion of 20:20 matches had on betting markets?

SPEAKERS Jaswant Deol, Sportsbook Director, Betway Darren Colebrook, Head of SBAT, Catena Media Martin Sack, Group Manager, Sunbet.co.za Chris Bowler, Sportsbook Director, Adjarabet MODERATOR

LATIN BEAT – OPPORTUNITIES FURTHER SOUTH It’s not all about the US – Brazil continues to flirt with regulation while jurisdictions such as Columbia are leading the way. What are the major operators and suppliers in the region experiencing?

16:30 - 17:00 UX – MAKING THE CUSTOMER HAPPY

SPEAKERS Lorenzo Caci, Director Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Sportradar

17:00 - 17:30 EXCHANGE SMART - WHERE IS THE BETTING EXCHANGE HEADING? Betfair’s merger with Paddy Power and subsequent focus on the sportsbook model has a number of operators fighting for market share. How can innovation help these contender brands and will Betfair respond?

MODERATOR

SPEAKERS Andrew Dagnall, CEO, BettorLogic MODERATOR

SPEAKERS MODERATOR

NETWORKING DRINKS 17:00-19:00

Networking Drinks

18:30-22:00 C-level & Affiliate Dinners @ Skyloft (Millbank Tower)

20 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 1

ESI WORKSHOPS & DEBATES CONFERENCE ROOM 5 – AUDITORIUM

CONFERENCE ROOM 4 16:00 – 16:45

SLOTS: OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS Keeping the slot genre alive through new features, social extensions and gamification. Are players sick of new skins for old mechanics? Do they even care about blockbuster IP? SPEAKERS Simon Collins, Founder, Gaming Realms Melvin Ritsema, CMO, Royal Panda Michael Pedersen, CEO, Letsbet.com Play N Go MODERATOR

16:00 – 16:45

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE PLAYERS – HOW TO RUN AN ESPORTS TEAM Managing an esports team is so much more than just finding a good team composition.

Learn how to scout for new talent and how to plan to development of the team. How do you find a good balance between showing your face on tournaments, practising and time off to stop players from being burnt out? Are there lessons to be learnt from the traditional sports world that can also be applied to esports? How involved should the players be in business topics such as sponsorships? Our panel members know the answer to these essential questions on how to run an esports team.

SPEAKERS Patrik Sättermon, Co-owner, Fnatic Jason Lake, CEO, CompLexity Gaming

16:45 – 17:30

BLOCKCHAIN ROADBLOCK It's not just currencies. The online casino of the future will use blockchain technology for ID verification, banking and much more. Are we ready to stop talking about it and get on with it?

MODERATOR

SPEAKERS Brian Donegan, Head of Operations, Fintech & Digital Development, IoM government Adriaan Brink, CEO, Better Betting Jez San, CEO and Founder, Funfair.io MODERATOR

OFFICIAL NETWORKING PARTY 20:00-02:00 Official Networking Party @ Altitude 360 (Millbank Tower) – sponsored by

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 21

TRADING MATTERS – INTEGRITY, MARKETING AND THE HUMAN TOUCH

Last year’s Betting on Sports conference featured a panel on the art of sports trading and how the function would look in the future. Craig Davies revisited the discussions.

T

he world of sportsbooks can be a very complex place to inhabit, a setting where what might seem like a small miniscule decision could have a far-reaching, and potentially very expensive, consequence.

In an industry beset by a constant evolution, enhancement and innovation, new products are the norm, and inplay continues to set the world alight.

In this an arena of algorithms and automation however, Andy Wright, Head of Trading at Sky Betting and Gaming, addressed how the human touch is currently utilised and the changing dynamics of a trader.

“I think there’s very much a change in the role of a trader over the years, certainly since I’ve been around,” he said. “But I think there’s still very much a place for that, and I say to my guys, ‘sprinkle the stardust’, almost, on the automated prices, the algorithms.

“I think there’s still also a case for finding the trading price against the correct mathematical price, and position yourself in the market accordingly.”

Jens Nielsen, Danske Spil’s Sports Betting Manager, expanded upon that point: “We have definitely seen over the years the role of automation and algorithms has coaxed out what we can all offer - a lot more events, pre-match, and particularly in play. But what we have found at Danske Spil is that the need for strong traders is still there.

“It’s very reassuring to have people in the office who know what a price ought to be. They take a role more involving the monitoring our pricing, for example being able to spot if anything 22 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

looks wrong, and this is specialist knowledge.”

Then there is the perception of marketing that the trading team is just another tool for them to use and abuse.

But do marketing departments get too involved? Or perhaps finance don’t take too kindly to an unpredictable set of results that overwhelmingly favours the punter, and ultimately results in a significant loss being taken?

Wright elaborated: “I think I would say it’s not the enemy, [but] that we certainly have disagreements with them. I think the absolute key is educating everyone around the business. Give marketers a little bit of trading understanding, so they understand what expected value is, and why we’re obsessed with it.

“Equally, give the trading team the understanding of what marketing, and what their KPIs are, what they’ve been

Andy Wright Head of Trading at Sky Betting and Gaming

tasked with, why it’s so important to retain customers etc etc.

“I think it just comes back to the point that it’s blurring those lines, and yes, someone sits in a trading department, but ultimately, they work for Sky Bet, and they should be able to understand every single person’s role in the business, and why everyone’s as important as each other.”

It’s an issue Vladimir Dratsjov, Head of Sportsbook at Olympic Entertainment Group, pushes in a different direction altogether: “I’ve always told our guys that the enemy, the real enemy of the sportsbook is people fixing tennis matches. It’s not the people winning on accumulators, and that’s probably the one problem we should start tackling seriously with the federations, but that’s a completely different topic.

“When it comes to sports betting and

Jens Nielsen Danske Spil’s Sports Betting Manager

the other departments co-existing, it’s quite simple and straightforward.

The old cliché works, the whole team is a marketing team these days, and when you drag the traders and then the department out of the notion of thinking that they just do the odds, then everything should be fine. Once people start throwing ideas around marketing and the traders, and then you can actually end up with quite good results.”

Match fixing and integrity issues are a blight across the whole sporting sphere, and the many stakeholders who have even the slightest of connections to that world.

Numerous global initiatives, task forces and organisations dedicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from eradicating such behaviour and ensuring sporting contests are left to be competed for on a clean and level playing field.

But what role does a sportsbook play regarding the match fixing spectre, and what, if anything, are they doing, and can they do, to help? Nielsen commented: “Well, we do quite a lot. We at Danske Spil, we’re part of world lotteries, and from Danske Spil, we organise a network of monitoring intelligence from most other lotteries with sports betting.

“We collect suspicious betting, or abnormal betting patterns, and we report them to Sports Federations like UEFA, FIFA, IOC, or local FAs.” Wright added: “We have MOUs with lots of the federations. ESSA obviously play a big part, and I think they’re doing

more and more over time to, almost, close the loop and show operators what exactly the output is of when we perhaps raise things that look a bit concerning.

“We all want clean data, basically, we need the trust, [we need] the customers to trust the product.”

Interestingly though, what happens to bets if such activity is deemed, or suspected, to have taken place, are they permitted or void? Dratsjov explained: “It depends on the country, because in some places you are the enemy of the state, so to speak, because you probably do something wrong, and you don’t get the authority to actually void them.

“And we’ve been wrestling around with this thing for a long time, and to be honest, from our perspective we’ve been the policeman of the Baltics, doing all we could to actually make the game fair. But there’s such a long way to go. We’re probably going to die, two, three generations before we actually have anything really happening.”

Furthermore, Nielsen went someway to adding an extra layer of context regarding the limited role an operator can actually play in the process: “I think

in our role as operators, it’s not to investigate. Our role is to handover the piece of intelligence that we sit on, which the Sports Federation cannot possibly see. It’s the actual numbers, the actual bets.

“There are so many rumours, but we can deliver facts, and from then on, the investigation is up to the sports federation, or the police, or whoever gets involved. So, what happens to the bets, that depends on what happens to the sports game. So, if the Sports Federation decides that the result stands, I don’t think we can interfere with that. So, we have to honour the bets of a result if that’s still the official result.”

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LEADERSHIP IN ACTION – TACKLING BETTING’S FUTURE CONTEXT

Operating as a multi-billion global sector, how is betting tackling the future enterprise challenges that awaits all businesses? SBC Content Director Ted Menmuir explains.

B

etting on Sport’s ‘Future of Betting’ track seeks to place the industry’s agenda amid a wider business context, as something that is being impacted by rapid changes in technology and social/cultural constructs.

Furthermore, over the last few years the industry has seen sweeping changes in its leadership and governance makeup. The ‘Future of Betting’ track seeks to address what legacy values will new leaders move to challenge in order to push forward the betting industry within a changing global marketplace.

The conference track’s key themes and discussions will include industry sustainability, talent development, workplace diversity, changing consumer demands and enterprise investment.

Central to Future Betting will be the thoughts and opinions of betting leaders on the CEO Panel. This features Per Widerstrom of Fortuna Group, Anthony Werkman of Betway Group, Richard Flint of Sky Betting & Gaming, George Daskalakis of Stoiximan and Jesper Karrbrink of Mr Green.

The executive panel session will probe industry leaders on the future of the industry in terms of corporate development, changing values and wider social/cultural dynamics.

Panellists will be asked the best ways of addressing the seemingly break down of industry sustainability with falling consumer trust, tougher regulations, and stagnation of talent pool just three aspects of the hurdles facing operators.

If it’s a problem for the operators then it is also a problem for the supply chain, and the Supplier Leaders Panel will be 24 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

The CEO Panel is a staple of the Betting on Sports agenda discussing the difficulties in tackling diverse regulations in an industry that is increasingly facing new and interesting laws and taxation.

But the track kicks off with be ‘Crowd Dynamics – harnessing audience disruption?’ , in which an expert panel of digital and media executives will discuss changing sports consumer/ viewer dynamics and trends which are being ruptured by technology and instant gratification demands.

Supporting the core theme of progression through sustainability, Sergei Portnov, CEO of Parimatch, will speak on ‘The art of failure in sportsbook business’, providing a leader’s insight on adapting to change and learning from mistakes in development and operational management.

The conference track is followed by ‘Triggered – Industry gears up for further M&A action’, which will detail a comprehensive assessment of industry investment to date, asking the core question of whether enterprise investment in online gambling needs applied to create further dynamics such as R&D, talent resourcing, innovation

hubs and development logistical assets.

Future of Betting conference partner Kelly Kehn, founder of the All-in Diversity Project, who will be moderating the panel on recruitment, commented on the agenda: “The Big Rethink… Industry Talent Resource & Development will be a first key discussion and debate for our sector.

“At present operator spend on talent is second only to marketing spend in Betting and Gambling. I’m pleased that industry leaders are making this topic a high priority and realising it’s key to our future sustainability and success. This panel promises to be one that delivers on new and actionable insight.”

The track is concluded with one of the key panel of the week - the Hall of Fame Panel. This session brings together some of the most experienced and respected members of the industry to discuss some of the trends and future direction of the industry. Made up of members of the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, the panel will contain expertise from a wide range of disciplines, and will be the perfect set-up for the evening’s Hall of Fame dinner at the Natural History Museum.

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 25

ASSESSING THE ‘GIVE AND TAKE’ AROUND THE FUNDING OF HORSE RACING

Joe Streeter takes a look at some of the key elements of this year’s Betting on Racing Track at Betting on Sports.

B

etting on Sports 2018 will consider how successfully a tripartite of governing bodies can combine to benefit horse racing, both in terms of increased funding and better management of the sport’s relationship with the sports betting industry.

Held on Thursday 20 September at Olympia London, ‘Betting on Racing’ is just one the tracks that make up this year’s Betting on Sports conference agenda. Among the brands from the betting industry, representatives from both the Racing Post and the British Horseracing Authority will also be on hand to drive discussions.

The first session of this ‘Betting on Racing’ track will analyse the ‘give and take’ around the sport’s funding, including the status of media rights, sponsorship and pitch fees, as well as plans for the fair distribution of the new horseracing betting levy, inbound for April 2019.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Horsemen’s Group and Racecourse Association have installed a new Racing Authority to oversee management of this levy distribution, while responsibility for its collection will shift from the

26 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

soon-to-be abolished Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) to the UK Gambling Commission.

However, it’s not just the levy system in a state of flux, as proven by the uncertain future of UK pools betting. The second session will discuss whether the end of the Tote’s monopoly licence on parimutuel betting will open the door for more competition and innovation.

Discussions are ongoing between Alizeti, a consortium which recently purchased an initial 25% of the Tote, and britbet, a rival pool-betting operation backed by 55 of Britain’s racecourses.

This raises the prospect of a merger between the pair, but only once britbet has sought assurances from Alizeti over the group’s commitment to investing in the sport.

Following this UK focus, Betting on Racing will provide a snapshot of racing around the world, including the opportunities provided by a 24/7 online service, before #boscon2018 considers whether horse racing has become too elitist. Simon Fraser, Head of International Racing for SIS, and Ed Nicholson, Head of Sponsorship for Kindred Group, are just two of the experts scheduled to discuss how the sport can

appeal to a new racetrack audience.

The penultimate session will revisit a popular topic from last year’s Betting on Sports – the possible introduction of in-running horse racing markets.

The discussion will also cover the complexities it poses from a regulatory and integrity standpoint, and the impact its introduction might have on the sport’s popularity.

Speaking after last year’s event, OPTIMA CEO Jacob Lopez said: “The horse racing industry, as any other, needs innovation to keep the business interest up and to continue attracting new customers. Live betting and the user experience around the live betting will attract the interest of existing and new customers. If the user experience is good, the customers will use the services.”

In the final session of the day, SBC Events has lined up the Betting Shop Manager of the Year for 2017, Rob Hearn of JenningsBet, to discuss how greyhound racing can reverse its decline by connecting with the millennial generation. He will be joined by Star Sports CEO Ben Keith and Simon Banks, Media and Communications Officer for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB).

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18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 27

TIME TO TALK SHOP

While online betting has been dictating the growth of the industry to some considerable extent, the retail side of the business can still be key. Michael Lawson reports.

R

egulation in the world of retail betting remains a hot topic, and the industry is still bearing scars from the sizeable reduction in FOBT maximum stakes handed out by the UK government in May. Betting on Sports has lined up a host of expert-led panels for its 2018 edition, who will assess the best way for the sector to move forward.

Held on Thursday 20th September at Kensington Olympia, ‘Betting on Retail’ is just one of the all-encompassing Betting on Sports tracks hosted throughout the week. The first panel of the day looks to the future, with speakers discussing how they see the retail sector progressing.

Entitled ‘Automatic for the people - what will the future of the betting shop look like?’, panelists will ponder the omni-channel ambition and the outcomes of increased technology. And with the increasing number of cards provided by retail stores, is anonymous betting fast becoming a thing of the past? A CEO and CMO have been lined up to talk at this inaugural panel - Marco Castaldo of Microgame and Superbet’s Dusan Zaza. Steen Madsen, now Head of Sportsbetting and Game Management at Nederlandse Loterij, is also joining discussions.

Next up, we turn towards social responsibility, with a panel looking at how bookmakers can streamline their operations with regards to problem gambling. This is a hot topic given the FOBT fallout, with retail betting often painted in a particularly poor light from the mainstream British media. Senet Group Chairman Gillian Wilmot is already pencilled in to speak on this one.

The third panel brings the topic of FOBTs more firmly into the spotlight; assessing how betting shops can adapt to this ‘post-FOBT landscape’.

Will the doomsday rhetoric ring true?

Bookmakers must find a way to plug the financial gap opened by the FOBT stake reductions, and the next 18 months or so really seems like a ‘make-or-break’ period for retail. Expert betting analyst Paul Leyland of Regulus Partners will 28 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

offer his opinions on the subject.

After the break for lunch, the Betting on Regulation track kicks in and a return to social responsibility for the day’s fourth panel, entitled ‘What standards are expected and what are achievable?’

Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer is one of the speakers, and will ponder whether or not the industry can regulate itself, the advantages of reaching beyond minimum standards required on social responsibility, what measures are the most effective, and whether 100% selfexclusion success is possible. She will be joined by Anna Hemmings, CEO of the problem gambling treatment charity GamCare.

There will also be an opportunity to discuss how regulators are working around crypto currencies such as bitcoin.

WIth crypto currencies becoming more

commonplace, but in many places regulations struggling to keep up, what options are open to operators without impacting their compliance? Among those in the discussion will be Archie Watt, CFO at Luckbox, Jan Rehola of PS Legal, Joe McCallum, Director of Sportsbook at Sportsbet.io and Adriaan Brink, CEO of cryptocurrency provider Better Betting.

The final session of the day will turn it around to ask ‘Are regulators the biggest threat to the industry?’ Topics covered will include the negative effects of high compliance, the unintended consequences of regulatory creep and how the industry can educate itself on suitable tax regimes. Bill Mummery, Executive Director of SBOBET, and BetBright CEO Marcus Brennan will discuss the matter.

NETWORKING SCHEDULE 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

THURSDAY 20 SEPTEMBER – NETWORKING & BUSINESS Exhibition Area Level 2

Open from 9:00 - 17:30

Plenty of opportunities to explore products and services, and use the networking areas for your meetings.

BetConstruct Catering Area Golden Race Virtual Bar VSoftco Networking Lounge Bede Gaming Networking Area Racing Post Cafe OPTIMA Coffee Bar

Open Open Open Open Open Open

from from from from from from

9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00

to to to to to to

17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30 17:30

in in in in in in

the the the the the the

Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition

Area Area Area Area Area Area

BetConstruct Speaker Lounge – Speaker access only Exhibition Area Level 3

Open from 9:00 - 17:30

ESI Network & Chill Zone

Open from 9:00 to 17:30 in the Exhibition Area

HALL OF FAME AWARDS & NETWORKING PARTY Natural History Museum

20:30 - 02:00

For the first time this year we will hold the Sports Betting Hall of Fame Awards at Betting on Sports in the iconic, Natural History Museum. We turn the venue into the ultimate awards evening and networking event until open until 2am and provide you with a once in a lifetime experience, with drinks, food and entertainment.

Open to all BOS delegates, sponsors, speakers and exhibitors.

Visit www.sbcevents.com 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 29

FIVE INDUSTRY STALWARTS GAIN SPORTS BETTING HALL OF FAME ENTRY

More industry legends will be inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame in a lavish ceremony held at the Natural History Museum during this year’s Betting on Sports Week in London (18-21 September).

D

esigned to honour, preserve and perpetuate the names of personalities who have brought lasting fame to the sports betting sector, it will be held on Thursday 20 September as a standalone event for the first time since its inception at the SBC Awards in 2016.

Bwin co-founder Norbert Teufelberger, Intralot founder and former CEO Constantinos Antonopoulos and Warwick Bartlett, the former chairman of ABB and the founder of Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC), have been confirmed as three of the five new Hall of Famers, while members of the industry have been invited to nominate people to fill the other two spots.

To reflect the change in format, the Betting on Sports Conference at Olympia London (19-20 September) will close with a special Hall of Fame panel containing new and previous members discussing a range of issues and how they see the future of the betting industry.

Antonopoulos said: “The industry brings a lot of joy and entertainment

30 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

to its customers, but also needs to protect them through integrity transparency and social responsibility.

So, it is only right that the pioneers are called to pass their foresight and experience towards this great balance.

It is for this reason I am thrilled to be asked to join the Sports Betting Hall of Fame and honoured to join the existing members.”

Bartlett added: “I’ve spent most my working life in and around the betting industry, so it’s a great honour for me to be recognised by my peers in this way. There are already some real inspirational names in the Sports Betting Hall of Fame and I’m looking forward to getting involved in September.”

These existing members are Pinnacle CEO Paris Smith, Sportingbet founder Mark Blandford, Sportradar founder Carsten Koerl, Betfred founder and CEO Fred Done, BetConstruct founder and CEO Vigen Badalyan and Bookmaker Technology Consortium (BTC) director Howard Chisholm.

Speaking ahead of her induction last year, Smith said: “I’m extremely

humbled to be recognised for my contribution to the industry, capping another successful year for me at Pinnacle. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve with the new eSports Hub in 2018 – hopefully we’ll be moving into some new and exciting markets ourselves and through our B2B partners.

“It’s always been my goal to make a positive mark on the industry, by ensuring my staff love their work as much as I do. I will strive to support them where possible and continue to champion the high-performance culture that is so important to Pinnacle’s future success.”

SBC founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark commented: “We have secured an iconic venue for some of the industry’s most iconic names and I see no better way of closing off Betting on Sports Week than with a celebration of the best that sports betting has to offer.”

Entry to this event is included in every ticket for the Betting on Sports Conference, while additional tickets for the ceremony can be requested through: sales@sbcgaming.com.

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 31

THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 2 AGENDA SPONSORS

FUTURE OF BETTING CONFERENCE ROOM 1 10:15 – 11:00

CROWD DYNAMICS – HARNESSING AUDIENCE DISRUPTION? Is audience disruption and disengagement, the betting sector’s biggest future challenge?

As consumers seek multi-screen interaction with sports content, how should industry stakeholders adjust to new consumer trends and the realities facing their legacy media partners?

Does betting understand its future audience, and how the sports media landscape has been disrupted?

BETTING ON RACING CONFERENCE ROOM 2 THE GIVE AND TAKE AROUND THE FUNDING OF RACING Levy payments, domestic media rights, international media rights, sponsorship, pitch fees - there are a myriad of ways that the betting industry funds horseracing. But is the sport pricing itself out of contention?

SPEAKERS MODERATOR

SPEAKERS Dwyer McCaughley, CEO, Setanta Sports Nick Speakman, Founder & Head of SPORF, 2018 Sports Gregory Owens, Head of Large Media, Twitter Europe

BETTING ON RETAIL CONFERENCE ROOM 3 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE – WHAT WILL THE BETTING SHOP OF THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE? How does the omni-channel ambition work in practice? Is anonymous betting fast becoming a thing of the past?

SPEAKERS Marco Castaldo, CEO, Microgame Dusan Zuza, CMO, Superbet Steen Madsen, Head of Sportsbetting and Game Management, Nederlandse Loterij MODERATOR

MODERATOR 11:00 – 11:30 REFRESHMENT BREAK 11:30 – 12:00

BOS TALKS THE ART OF FAILURE IN SPORTSBOOK BUSINESS A look at how betting companies adapt to constantly changing circumstances and learn from costly mistakes made when dealing with IT, marketing and day to day operations.

SPEAKERS Sergei Portnov, CEO, Parimatch

BOS TALKS The future landscape of UK pools betting How has the end of the monopoly licence on pari-mutuel horseracing opened the door for more competition and more innovation.

SPEAKER

PRESENTATION Social responsibility in a retail environment How can bookmakers make their operations effective in how they deal with problem gambling?

SPEAKERS Gilian Wilmot, Chair, Senet Group MODERATOR

MODERATOR 12:05 – 12:40

TRIGGERED – INDUSTRY GEARS UP FOR FURTHER M&A The repeal of PASPA and further European-wide regulations, have triggered a subsequent round of mass industry M&A activity.

With established operators seeking to expand businesses and operations in new markets, has the industry’s M&A agenda been pushed to a global scale?

SPEAKERS Anton Kaszubowski, Founder, Greenlaw Limited Ben Whitelock, Partner, Wiggin David Shapton, Partner, Arkur Capital

SNAPSHOT – HORSERACING AROUND THE WORLD The 24/7 service provided by operators online opens the door for horseracing from around the world. But what are the differences in the regional sport and how do you break down the barriers to pari-mutuel betting and commingling?

SPEAKERS Filippos Antonopoulos, CEO, Vermantia MODERATOR

MODERATOR 12:50 – 14:10 LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK

32 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Continued on next page

NEW REALITY – ADAPTING TO THE POST-FOBT LANDSCAPE With the FOBT stake level being drastically reduced, what options are there for UK LBOs to replace that income? Will B3 profile games take the strain. What is in the pipeline?

SPEAKERS Howard Chisholm, MD, Chisholm Bookmakers Paul Leyland, Partner, Regulus Partners MODERATOR

THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 2

BETTING ON ESPORTS CONFERENCE ROOM 5 – AUDITORIUM

CONFERENCE ROOM 4 10:15 – 11:00

BRAVE NEW WORLD: CASINO, BETTING AND NEW MARKETS The repeal of PASPA in the US means a land-grab for gaming’s new real estate. As distinctions between casino and betting verticals continue to blur in established markets, what does this mean for casino brands in the US?

10:15 – 11:00

PARTNER UP – A CASE STUDY OF A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN A BOOKMAKER AND AN ESPORTS TEAM SPEAKERS MODERATOR

SPEAKERS Christian Maglia, CCO, WeAreCasino MODERATOR

11:00 – 11:30 REFRESHMENT BREAK 11:30 – 12:00

FANTASY OR NIGHTMARE? THE FINE LINE OF SLOTS PROMOTION In the UK, operators are frequently being censured for how they promote slots, specifically those with fantasy, superhero or cartoon theming. How is the best way to promote these slots without contravening marketing rules?

11:00 – 11:20 REFRESHMENT BREAK 11:20 – 12:00

SPEAKERS

SPEAKERS

MODERATOR

12:00 – 12:40

BLOCKCHAIN AND ESPORTS – MORE THAN A BUZZWORD? Blockchain and esports – what’s next?

There is no denying that both esports and blockchain are two extremely hyped buzzwords right now, but what is next? Hear from some of the key players in the industry on how they look at the future and how the alliance between the two entities will shape up going forward.

MODERATOR

THE CHANGING AFFILIATE LANDSCAPE Are affiliates still as valuable to operators in a post ASA rulings/GDPR world? Is the punter tired of opening offers, don’t they see through them now?

SPEAKERS Nikola Teofilovic, General Manager, AskGambler Gavin Walters, Director of Business Development, Gambling.com Group Lee-Ann Johnstone, Founder & CEO, Affiliate Insider Ian Sims, Founder and MD, Rightlander MODERATOR

12:05 – 12:50

CASINOS, IT’S TIME TO TURN TO TURN TO VIDEO GAMES The age of Slots is over, the time for Video Games has come. The aging demographic of those betting on casino floors poses a problem for these venues, but a solution is at hand. Bringing video games, and more specifically bringing esports along for the ride, into casinos is a no brainer. The more precise Hows, Whos and Whys are the stumbling blocks. This will explore the answers to these questions.

SPEAKERS Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Director of Research, International Gaming Institute, University of Las Vegas Callum Scott, Events & Entertainment Project Manager, Rank Group MODERATOR

12:40 – 14:15 LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK

Continued on next page

12:50 – 14:00 LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 33

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THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 2 AGENDA SPONSORS

FUTURE OF BETTING CONFERENCE ROOM 1 14:10 – 14:50

THE BIG RETHINK… INDUSTRY TALENT RESOURCE & DEVELOPMENT As industry governance and investors place a higher emphasis on developing technology assets, can betting stakeholders compete and develop talent within a global marketplace? To date, has the sector created a dynamic working environment to develop and nurture its employees, or does leadership need to rethink its talent development value chain and propositions?

SPEAKERS Britt Boeksov, CPO, Kindred Group

BETTING ON RACING CONFERENCE ROOM 2 APPEAL PROCESS – IS HORSERACING TOO ELITIST? What is racing doing to attract a wider audience? Does the ‘product’ need simplifying or explaining better? What does racing have to do to attract new and sustainable audiences on course?

SPEAKERS Simon Fraser, Head of International Racing, SIS Ed Nicholson, Head of Sponsorship, Kindred Group Russell Yershon, MD, ConnectingBrands

CEO PANEL – THE SUSTAINABILITY DYNAMIC As jurisdictions regulate and create mature market conditions, the industry’s leadership faces increasing demands to develop and maintain sustainable gambling frameworks for all concerned stakeholders (investors, employees, consumers, and the government).

BOS TALK Live aid – getting an in-running horseracing product that works The vast amount of data now available means that horseracing is now a viable in-play betting market - what could that mean for bookmakers and the sport?

SPEAKER

SPEAKERS Fiona Palmer, CEO, GamStop Anna Hemmings, CEO, GamCare

COINING IT IN – HOW CAN OPERATORS USE CRYPTO CURRENCIES WITHIN DIFFERENT REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS? WIth crypto currencies becoming more commonplace, but in many places regulations struggling to keep up, what options are open to operators without impacting their compliance?

SPEAKERS Archie Watt, CFO, Luckbox Jan Rehola, Partner, PS Legal Joe McCallum, Director of Sportsbook, Sportsbet.io Adriaan Brink, CEO, Better Betting

What have industry leaders learnt from the sector’s M&A phase, and what new corporate values and dynamics have to be developed if sustainability is to be truly achieved?

SPEAKERS Jesper Karrbrink, CEO, Mr Green George Daskalakis, Founder & CEO, Stoiximan & Betano Per Widerstrom, CEO, Fortuna Group Anthony Werkman, CEO, Betway Group Richard Flint, CEO, Sky Betting & Gaming

MODERATOR

MODERATOR 15:40 – 16:00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

34 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; WHAT STANDARDS ARE EXPECTED AND WHAT ARE ACHIEVABLE? Can the industry regulate itself or does it need a regulator’s oversight? What are the advantages of reaching beyond minimum standards required on social responsibility?

What measures are the most effective?

Is 100% successful self exclusion even possible?

MODERATOR

MODERATOR Kelly Kehn, Principle Consultant, Kelly A Kehn Consulting 14:50 – 15:40

BETTING ON REGULATION CONFERENCE ROOM 3

Continued on next page

THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 2

BETTING ON ESPORTS CONFERENCE ROOM 5 – AUDITORIUM

CONFERENCE ROOM 4 14:15 – 14:45

UK TAX HIKE Remote gaming duty is going up in November, from 15% to perhaps 20%. What are the implications for the UK sector in terms of potential job losses, etc?

14:00 – 14:40

SPEAKERS Gemma Boore, Associate, Mishcon de Reya MODERATOR

BUILDING THE PRODUCT ESPORTS FANS WANT Are current betting products too limited for esports consumers?

Esports as an industry prides itself on tailor made content and innovative ways of bridging the engagement between provider and consumer. Are betting providers building the products esports fans want, and the products they need or are the fundamental best practices and tools still too limiting to allow for better engagement from the esports community?

SPEAKERS Rahul Sood, CEO, Unikrn Lars Lien, CEO, Luckbox Suraj Gosai, CEO, BlinkPool MODERATOR

14:45 – 15:30

THE CROSS-SELL OPPORTUNITY Slots brands are outgrowing the vertical and migrating to live and table games products. Are these native gaming brands the key to a bright future?

SPEAKERS Mark McGuinness, CMO, BetOlimp Stian Hornsletten, CEO CasinoEngine, EveryMatrix Norbert Mathies, CEO, Spinmatic MODERATOR

14:45 – 15:30

DATA – THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL ESPORTS BETTING PRODUCT In every betting product data is key to success, but in esports where the games are patched several times a month, where rosters change with little warning and new products are coming regularly it is absolutely essential.

Learn from the data providers how they look at this ever changing environment and how they tackle the everyday challenges that the esports industry are throwing at them.

SPEAKERS Oskar Froberg, CEO, Abios Peter Ivanov, Head of Esports Trading, UltraPlay Flavien Guillocheau, CEO, PandaScore MODERATOR

15:30 – 16:00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

Continued on next page

15:30 – 16:00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 35

Continued on next page

THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 2 AGENDA SPONSORS

16:00 – 16:45

FUTURE OF BETTING CONFERENCE ROOM 1

BETTING ON RACING CONFERENCE ROOM 2

BETTING ON REGULATION CONFERENCE ROOM 3

SUPPLIER LEADERS PANEL – NAVIGATING A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT Operators are dependent on their suppliers to be compliant with a myriad of local regulations - but how difficult is it to meet such diverse requirements?

Do suppliers now need a strong local offer for each jurisdiction or is betting such a universal language that an industry standard offer is more costeffective? And where next for a shrinking dotcom market?

NEW BREED – CAN GREYHOUND RACING APPEAL TO A MILLENNIAL AUDIENCE? Greyhound racing still holds a place in the national psyche, but with the numbers of stadia on the decline, how can the sport connect with the latest generation and beyond?

ARE REGULATORS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO THE INDUSTRY? How can the industry protect itself against the unintended consequences of regulatory creep? Can high compliance costs undermine a regulator’s aims? How can the industry educate around suitable taxation regimes?

SPEAKERS Dinos Stranomitis, COO, Altenar Suren Khachatryan, CEO, Digitain MODERATOR 16:45 – 17:30

SPEAKERS Ben Keith, CEO, Star Sports Simon Banks, Media and Communications Officer, Greyhound Board Great Britain Ron Hearn, Betting Shop Manager of the Year, JenningsBet MODERATOR Jonathan Hobbs, Greyhound Journalist

SPEAKERS Bill Mummery, Executive Director, SBOBET Marcus Brennan, CEO, BetBright MODERATOR

EXPERIENCE COUNTS – THE HALL OF FAME PANEL An interactive session featuring members of the SBC Sports Betting Hall of Fame and the experiences they have had during their time in the industry.

SPEAKERS Constantinos Antonopoulos,Vice Chairman, Intralot Mark Blandford, Founder, Sportingbet Paris Smith, CEO, Pinnacle MODERATOR

NETWORKING DRINKS 17:00-20:30 Networking Drinks @ Hand & Flower Pub 36 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 37

THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – CONFERENCE DAY 2

BETTING ON ESPORTS CONFERENCE ROOM 5 – AUDITORIUM

CONFERENCE ROOM 4 16:00 – 16:45

THE FUTURE PLAYER: RETENTION & PROMOTION Player retention/promotions - how to target and keep millennials and players who’ve never been to a casino?

Should the industry give up on VIPs and chase casual players instead?

16:00 – 16:40

SPEAKERS Martin Calvert, Marketing director, Blueclaw Phil Parry, CEO, iforium

SPEAKERS MODERATOR Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Director of Research, International Gaming Institute, University of Las Vegas

MODERATOR

16:45 – 17:30

SESSION IS BEING HELD IN BETTING ON SPORTS – CONFERENCE ROOM 1 EXPERIENCE COUNTS – THE HALL OF FAME PANEL An interactive session featuring members of the SBC Sports Betting Hall of Fame and the experiences they have had during their time in the industry.

SPEAKERS: Constantinos Antonopoulos, Founder & Former CEO, Intralot Mark Blandford, Founder, Sportingbet Paris Smith, CEO, Pinnacle

DO LOOT CRATES CONSTITUTE GAMBLING? Just how far can we stretch the term ‘gambling’? With loot crates, (or loot boxes, or whichever term you prefer) now a game developer monetisation favourite, they have become a hot potato for both the mainstream media and now regulators alike in recent times.

16:45 – 17:15

AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF ESPORTS OPPORTUNITY Reach new betting markets with esports In this post-PASPA world, the US is now opening itself up bit by bit to regulated sports betting, likely to include esports in many instances.

The US is a huge esports market, with an industry that is generally more established than in Europe. Learn about the opportunities here, the potential new betting markets with esports, their intricacies, and how to approach them, from those in the know.

SPEAKERS MODERATOR

OFFICIAL NETWORKING PARTY 20:30-02:00 Hall of Fame Awards & Networking Party @ Natural History Museum 38 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Fifth year of rewarding and celebrating the very best in sports betting 2018

4 DECEMBER 2018 | 700 GUESTS | 32 INDUSTRY AWARDS

www.sbcevents.com 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 39

AFFILIATEFEST IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL AFFILIATE TRAINING CAMP

The skill of reaching an audience is a specialised one, which is why the AffiliateFEST from Affiliate Insider is such an important event for business.

A

ffiliateFEST returns for another crash course in skills development for affiliate managers and graduates entering the digital marketplace. Traditionally, affiliate management has favoured a ‘learn-on-the-job’ approach, but why not move away from the chasing pack by attending what is the quintessential affiliate training camp?

Moving into its fourth iteration, this exclusive one-day affiliate bootcamp is dedicated to providing a unique, informative affiliate learning experience, where attendees get to learn the latest digital insight from expert speakers in each sphere of acquisition and regulatory marketing.

As with previous AffiliateFEST editions, the focus will firmly be on learning, as opposed to selling services. This year’s event is placing a particular emphasis on understanding how

40 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

regulation affects expansion in a postPASPA climate and understanding new technologies around blockchain and AI and the effect it will have on acquisition marketing across all iGaming sectors.

Highlights of the 2018 agenda include SEO insight from a former Google SEO; Blockchain and cryptocurrency analysis and impact for affiliates in the coming year from the CEO of an ICO firm; mobile and ASO hacks from an awardwinning ASO agency and Regulatory reviews of opportunity markets from some of the top legal firms specialising in the igaming space.

Key speakers at this year’s event include : Sarafina Wolde Gabriel from Income Access, Joakim Renman of Scout Gaming, Diana Rotaru of BlockChip, Jan Sammut of RefToken.io, Nick Duddy of Miratrix, John Hagan of Harris Hagan, Nick Nocton of Mischon de Reya and Fili Wiese of Search Brothers.

Event organiser and Affiliate Insider Co-Founder Lee-Ann Johnstone commented: “AffiliateFEST is really a unique event in that there is a depth of content shared under NDA which isn’t readily available at other larger conferences. The concept of this event is focussed on supporting affiliate business development , mentoring 1: Many and creating a structured learning environment that helps affiliate business owners get the knowledge and support they need to really grow. “ Patryk Kilmer, Affiliate Marketing Director at VBet and a headline sponsor to this year’s event added: “Teaming up with Affiliate Insider to sponsor their AffiliateFEST event is a great opportunity to reach out towards affiliates to present them with the latest digital insights and programme improvements to support best practice and skills development in this channel.”

18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 41

KEY DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE FUTURE

OF SPORTS SPONSORSHIP The partnership between sport and gambling has rarely been stronger although there may be a few bumps in the road ahead. SBC Head of Media Luke Massey reflects on the ambitions of the SBC Sponsorship Forum.

T

he SBC Sponsorship Forum will see sports rights holders and organisations join forces with gambling brand to discuss new opportunities presented by betting-based partnerships.

Taking place at the Hilton Hotel the day before the main Betting on Sports conference kicks in, the second running of the SBC Sponsorship Forum event will again be hosted by former chief commercial officer of AC Milan, Jaap Kalma.

As part of the invite-only program at #boscon2018, SBC Events will facilitate direct introductions between sports clubs and bookmakers by matching opportunities to pre-screened interests.

Another key element is discussions around sponsorship opportunities internationally, activation techniques, socially responsible sponsorship and tackling the negative connotations that can attach themselves to gambling.

Revisiting the first SBC Sponsorship Forum agenda, the day started by delivering a 15-minute snapshot of sponsorship in football, before assessing the power of the Premier League, given that betting companies now adorn the strips of so many teams in England’s top flight.

In February it was reported that ManBetX, already the sponsor of Crystal Palace, was in talks to become the sleeve sponsor of Manchester United, a club that has traditionally been selective in the number of partnerships it strikes with the gambling industry.

Kalma shared his thoughts about sleeve sponsorship towards the end of the 2017/18 season, the first since the Premier League followed in the footsteps of La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Chinese Super League by accepting such deals.

42 BETTING ON SPORTS 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018

Jaap Kalma He commented: “The sleeve sponsorship appears to be a very interesting option for both gambling companies and football clubs since it became a possibility in the Premier League because it opens up a whole new range of strong visibility options for a relatively lower level of investment.

The ‘first half’ also discussed how to measure the success of a deal beyond the obvious ROI metric – customer acquisition, and the relative value of regional betting partnerships when compared to more ‘in your face’ frontof-shirt sponsorship.

Following a coffee and lunch break, the forum resumed with roundtable discussions on four of football’s major institutions – La Liga, Serie A, Premier League and the EFL. Less than a year ago, Sky Bet signed a new five-year headline sponsorship deal with the English Football League

(EFL), strengthening its responsible gambling strategy in the process. The deal, which will run until the culmination of the 2023/24 season, will represent a 20% year on year increase from 2019/20 on the current deal.

Interestingly enough, the announcement of this deal brought about the sort of negative response that was touched on in the next session about ‘public perception’. Even though Sky Bet put consumer responsibility and safety at the heart of its EFL initiatives, industry charity GambleAware still claimed that the deal served to “normalise” gambling for young people.

The final two sessions of the first SBC Sponsorship Forum covered creative ways to engage a fan base, before a look at the reach of clubs on social media, and how their data can be used to the benefit of promoting betting partners.

Betting on Sports America is the largest sports betting conference in the US

23-25 APRIL 2019 ★ NEW YORK CITY

1,000 Delegates

40

Exhibitors

150

Leading Industry Speakers

EVENTS

23-25 APRIL 2019 | NEW YORK CITY

23 APRIL 2019 | NEW YORK CITY

Betting Conference and Exhibition

Esports Conference

2019

24 APRIL 2019 | NEW YORK CITY

25 APRIL 2019 | NEW YORK CITY

Affiliate Conference

SBC Awards America

More info @ www.sbcevents.com/betting-on-sports-america-2019 18-21 SEPTEMBER 2018 BETTING ON SPORTS 43