Conferences in Europe
Francisco Vidal on the prospects of gambling business development in the CIS
Francisco Vidal is the CEO at major entertainment complex Sortis & Golden Lion Casinos in Panama. Francisco is an expert of gambling business, having started as a croupier at London and Las Vegas casinos and becoming the head of several casinos in a very short term, namely Comar Group and Cirsa International in the Dominican Republic. Over the couple of years, he traveled almost throughout all countries of the West Indies, gaining the managerial positions. At the Russian Gaming Week 2017 conference, he will make a presentation titled “Building a Healthy Casino Industry in Russia – Casino Operations point of view”.
The expert told the RGW team about the prospects of the CIS market development, confirming his interest in attending of the RGW 2017 conference to surprise the audience with his presentation.
1) Is the CIS market considered as promising for the European companies that work in the gambling industry? Please explain your opinion.
Francisco: I would not see the CIS market as a whole, but more on a country by country basis and on those terms obviously the main opportunities are in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus (to name just a few); countries with bigger populations and with a stronger customer base (in terms of income and gaming culture). As long as the different markets are at this moment underdeveloped, there is of course opportunities for several of the main gaming groups in Western Europe (British, French, Germans, Austrians, etc.) but I do not see them entering the CIS countries without local partners. In my view, there is a lot of work to be done in terms of building trust, social connections, and comprehension of the business environment from the part of the foreign operators before starting operations in the CIS countries.
2) What can the European/American and CIS businessmen offer one another? What are the opportunities and risks?
Francisco: Obviously both the American and the Western European operators are more experienced, they have been involved in the gaming sector for more years, and depending on the country, they do have specific expertise in running different formats of casinos (from the classical, pure gambling operation to the more sophisticated integrated resorts that you find in Las Vegas, Macau, etc.). I do think that there is a natural divide when thinking about the possibility of potential partnerships between western operators and CIS businessmen, the former would provide the operational know how (CRM systems, management staff, operational procedures, product mix and configuration, etc.) and the latter – their understanding of the business/political environment, and the social/political connections to get things done. In my experience, those partnerships are quite difficult to maintain over the long term, so it would be smart to have a clause that specifies the potential sale of the partnership to the other part when the time comes.
Regarding the opportunities and risks, I do see the potential of a mature collaboration once the proper bond of trust has been built between the partners of developing attractive and well-designed venues that will be managed professionally with a long term focus. Overtime, well managed operations are profitable for the corporations behind them and provide the customer with a genuine and enjoyable casino experience, apart from generating taxes for the government and have a positive impact on their communities through social initiatives financed by casino operators. Obviously, the main risk is losing the investment, I was involved directly in a partnership between a Spanish operator and Mexican businessmen in 2012-2014, and that was the perfect example on how not to do things, in the end, the Spanish operator lost millions of Euros, the operation never opened (although it was built and ready to operate) and the Mexicans walked away almost unharmed.
3) How will the CIS gambling market develop in the future? What trends can be observed?
Francisco: I hope that each country will establish a proper legal environment for operators according to the nature of their economies, for example: the integrated resorts model is not for everybody, every country should adapt their laws to the needs of its populations. Most probably in the long term, the decisions made by the biggest countries (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan) will set the path for the rest, because depending on what they do, that will create opportunities in the surrounding countries or not.
The way I see it now, the developing of specific gaming zones is the main trend on the CIS market, and probably, at this point in time it is the right thing to do. Most probably, Russia is not ready yet to have casinos in every city, for me it is a question of maturity of the economy and the social fabric of each country; for more than 45 years, gaming in the USA was allowed only in the state of Nevada, nowadays there are casinos almost in every state and Indian reservations. Regarding the customer base, I think that for some time, untill the economies of the CIS countries develop more, casino venues will be targeted towards VIP customers and will offer a luxury product (high limits, credit lines, refunds and so on).
4) You have an insider knowledge of the casino market. What do you think is the problem of gambling development in the CIS?
Francisco: From the distance, what I can see is the weakness of the gaming regulation and business environment, there are no clear rules in most countries; so potential investors both local and foreign are afraid of losing their investment. Most of the CIS countries are relatively new, they have a lot of things to fix before gaming, and that is quite understandable; for me it is a question of priorities, what to do first. Most probably, the gaming agenda is a secondary issue within the general regulation of the economic activities in most of the CIS countries, however as an industry we have to defend our interest in a proper manner, and work side by side with government institutions in order to design and implement a legal framework that will give gaming operators confidence and stability. Once the legal infrastructure is in place, the investments will flow as the economy of the different CIS countries improve.
When looking at my responses, take into account that I have never worked directly in a CIS country, my European experience is related to United Kingdom, Spain and Croatia.
5) Why are you interested in attending the Russian Gaming Week 2017? What do you expect from the conference?
Francisco: I really like the country, its culture, gastronomy and the sophistication of its people (speaking in general terms), more specific to the conference; I hope to learn a little bit more about the potential opportunities for business in the region and to establish professional connections with local businessmen/casino executives.
6) How would you impress attendees at the conference? What new things could they learn?
Francisco: Well, it would be very naive from my part to tell the local operators how to conduct business on their markets (I managed several casinos in Croatia in the past, which is a relatively close market, but that doesn´t mean that I have some kind of special knowledge that relates to CIS operators); what I will try to do is to give some ideas or principles that from my point of view could serve them to operate their venues with a long term focus, something that new operators normally do not take into account. Every time that a new city or region is exposed to a full-fledged casino venue, people gamble very aggressively, and overtime many customers get burned in the process, something that is not healthy nor desirable for the gaming operators. My presentation covers several topics related to the protection of the customer and how to improve the gaming experience, everyone knows the potential negative effects of having a gaming offer right at your doorsteps, but there are actions and policies that could help to reduce them, and that is what my presentation is about.
I hope that the attendees will discover several ideas that will help them when conducting their day to day operations (my presentation is directed towards casino operators and executives), including: what can they do to minimize problem gambling in their customer base, which information should we provide to the customers in order to extend their life cycle, what can they do to improve the gaming experience both in table games and slots and how to train casino management, just to name a few.
On 7-8 of June, 2017, ECC Sokolniki in Moscow will host 11th International gambling and entertainment exhibition-forum Russian Gaming Week 2017.
Conferences in Europe
Almost 200 Participants Grace European Gaming Congress 2024, as Organizers Already Plan Warsaw Return
HIPTHER, organizer of the European Gaming Congress (EGC) and other renowned GameTech boutique conferences, is thrilled to announce the triumphant success of EGC 2024 and the exciting news of the conference’s return to Warsaw in 2025.
Building on the momentum from its 2023 edition, European Gaming Congress 2024 expanded its program into a multi-faceted, 2-day agenda packed with learning and networking opportunities. Attendance more than doubled to nearly 200 delegates, and all exhibitor spaces sold out.
EGC 2024 brought together the vibrant Polish iGaming market and the broader European GameTech industry for a series of insightful panels, unique networking opportunities, and unforgettable moments. The event educated and connected delegates in a meaningful and constructive way.
Distinguished experts from iGaming, Compliance, Technology, Blockchain, Fintech, Marketing, and Human Capital Management took the stage, offering invaluable insights and hosting workshops on the latest trends and strategies for business growth and success.
In an innovative move to validate expertise and reward continuous learning, all attendees were awarded a Certificate of Professional Distinction for their successful participation in the European Gaming Congress 2024.
One of the event’s highlights was the prestigious European iGaming Excellence Awards 2024, celebrating the best companies and brightest professionals in the European iGaming industry, as voted by their peers. And the winners are:
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Promatic Group
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: CoinsPaid
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Miss Joker Show (by Promatic Group)
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: SOFTSWISS Managed Services
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Evoplay (Adrenaline Rush)
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Mindway AI
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Evoplay
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Promatic Group
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Evoplay
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: ICONIC21
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: N1 Partners Group
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: DATA.BET
🏆 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: SOFTSWISS
🏆 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Xanada Investments
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Superbet
🏆 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Ivan Montik, Founder at SOFTSWISS
🏆 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Gal Ehrlich, CEO at BETER
🏆 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay
🏆 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Valentina Bagniya, CMO at SOFTSWISS
🏆 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Aleksandra Mouton, CEO at Amarix
The illustrious event was Sponsored by top-tier companies, including:
- Promatic Games by Promatic Group – Platinum & Welcome Meet Sponsor
- Xanada Investments – Main Stage Sponsor
- BET – Badge, Bracelet and Networking Break Sponsor
- NSoft – Pen and Paper Sponsor
- Nordic Gambling – Scandinavian Legal Expertise Sponsor
- RM Legal – General Sponsor
- Gaming In Poland – General Sponsor
- Zondacrypto – Selfie Mirror Sponsor
- Superbet – General Sponsor
- LV Bet – General Sponsor
- PIGBRiB – General Sponsor
The European Gaming Congress has been warmly embraced by both the Polish gaming market and the wider European iGaming industry, solidifying its status as a must-attend event and key meeting point for the industry.
Zoltan Tuendik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER, commented: “We are thrilled with the incredible success of the European Gaming Congress 2024, and we are grateful to our esteemed sponsors, participants, and the remarkable Polish Gaming Community who made it possible. We’re excited to announce our return to Warsaw for another year, but stay tuned – we have a few surprises in the works for the years ahead!”.
The #hipthers team is already planning the grand return of the European Gaming Congress to Warsaw in mid-to-late October 2025. Stay tuned for more, and we’ll see you in Warsaw!
Conferences in Europe
Promatic Games named Best Emerging iGaming Company at the European iGaming Excellence Awards 2024
Promatic Games has achieved a major milestone in the European gaming industry by securing three prestigious awards at the European iGaming Excellence Awards 2024. The awards ceremony took place during the highly anticipated European Gaming Congress (EGC), held this year in Warsaw, Poland. This recognition highlights our growing presence and innovation in the competitive world of iGaming.
At the event, Promatic Games proudly took home the following awards:
🏆 Best iGaming Product – “Miss Joker Show”
🏆 Best iGaming Supplier
🏆 Best Emerging iGaming Company
”Being recognized at such a prestigious platform is a testament to our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation, creativity, and quality in iGaming. We are honored to be counted among the top performers and innovators in the industry, particularly in such a competitive landscape” states Maciej Makuszewski, Head of iGaming at Promatic.
“These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, and we couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve achieved. Winning Best iGaming Supplier reflects our commitment to providing state-of-the-art solutions to operators, while the Best Emerging iGaming Company award highlights our rapid growth and potential for even greater success in the future” – added Makuszewski.
About the European Gaming Congress (EGC)
The European Gaming Congress is one of the most significant and influential events in the gaming industry calendar. It serves as a central hub for professionals, decision-makers, and innovators from across Europe to gather and discuss the future of gaming. This annual event attracts hundreds of industry experts, operators, and suppliers from around the world, offering attendees the opportunity to exchange ideas, network, and showcase their products and services.
This year’s edition in Warsaw was a standout, featuring insightful panel discussions, expert-led workshops, and keynote presentations. Promatic Games organized a workshop titled “Engagement vs. Responsibility: Mastering the Art of Balanced Slot Development”, led by Maciej Makuszewski and Luka Oblak, which captured the attention of all participants. The presentation featured not only interesting legal and regulatory cases, but the speakers also ensured an interactive element to engage the audience.
The congress provided a comprehensive look at key trends, emerging technologies, and the latest regulatory developments in the gaming sector. From esports to online casinos, and from regulatory challenges to breakthrough innovations, the EGC covers the entire spectrum of the gaming industry, making it an unmissable event for anyone involved in this dynamic field.
About Promatic Games
Promatic Games is a studio specializing in the design of games and software solutions for online casinos, with over 27 years of experience in creating slot machines for both land-based and online casinos. The company’s long history and extensive experience allow it to create games that engage players in a unique way. Throughout its history, Promatic has designed hundreds of slot game logics that have been implemented in dozens of markets across four continents. Promatic Games continues to grow based on technologies developed in-house, including the state-of-the-art Remote Game Server (GamePRO), a platform for building game logics and mathematics named Promatic ONE, and its own random number generator, meeting the highest international standards.
Conferences in Europe
Belatra Games unveils ‘Dragons and Mummy’ inspired booth design for SiGMA Europe 2024
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, is thrilled to announce its participation at SiGMA Europe Summit, taking place between November 11-14, 2024. The team will be based at Stand 1123 within Valletta’s MMH Malta, where visitors will be able to engage in discussions, networking, and presentations of Belatra’s latest innovations.
At this year’s event, Belatra will unveil its captivating ‘Dragons and Mummy’ themed booth. Attendees will experience the familiarity of the beloved Mummy from the hit game Mummyland Treasures, although this time a new Dragon hero will join the adventure from another of Belatra’s bestsellers, Dragon’s Bonanza.
“Our dragon-inspired booth pays homage to Malta’s deep-rooted fascination with the Middle Ages and Knights. With this historical theme, the dragon adds a unique and culturally fitting element to Belatra’s presence at SiGMA Europe,” – stated Kateryna Goi, CMO at Belatra Games.
Visitors to Belatra’s booth will also have the chance to try an exclusive physical version of the vastly popular Plinko game, where exciting prizes are up for grabs. A bustling bar will complement the experience for visitors that will serve specially crafted cocktails inspired by Belatra’s most iconic games, offering a memorable way to unwind and connect.
The cherry on the cake will be Belatra presenting a playable demo of its hotly anticipated title, Cafe Pin-Up, a retro-restaurant styled game due for release in November.
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