SiGMA, ICE and AIBC – Three big shows in Manila, June 2020

Excitement for next year’s super expo for iGaming, land-based gambling, and blockchain reached new highs on Thursday in Manila, as SiGMA Group and Clarion held a press conference and networking event to officially launch the Manila 2020 show.

Almost 200 media and members of Manila’s business community attended the event to confirm the event, discuss the sector and network with others across these three business verticals. SiGMA Manila, ICE Asia and Manila AI & Blockchain Summit will take place June 8th-9th 2020 at the SMX Convention Centre, as well as the adjacent Conrad Hotel, Manila.

The conference will address all the latest developments in land-based gaming, igaming, esports, digital games as well as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Internet of Things, Big Data, Quantum Technology and FinTech.

For the very first time in history, the two verticals – new tech and gaming will meet in one city on the same dates, bringing the brightest minds and most successful entrepreneurs under one roof.

About iGaming Show in Manila
As a joint venture between SiGMA Group and Clarion Gaming, the gaming part of the event will cater for both the land-based gambling sector as well as the iGaming sector, with online suppliers, operators, affiliates, regulators and blockchain businesses all being housed under one roof at the SMX Convention Centre (situated in the heart of Manila as well as the adjacent Conrad conference venue).

Clarion Gaming are the organisers between the world’s largest gaming show, out of London, ICE Totally Gaming. SiGMA Group is responsible for the world’s second largest gaming show, based out of Malta – SiGMA. With these two forces uniting and heading to Manila together, the organisers are expecting around 10,000 delegates from Europe and USA.

About Blockchain and AI Show in Manila
The organisers behind the world’s largest Blockchain and AI expo in Europe, AIBC Summit, will also be bringing their wealth of experience and contacts to Manila. Past editions have seen world-class speakers Akon (grammy-award winning artist and social impact leader), Winklevoss brothers, John McAfee, Sophia the World’s first robot citizen, Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Tim Draper, Anthony Pompliano and many more.

The AIBC Summit in Manila is supported by CEZA and Vibe.ph.

Why Show in Manila? Why Asia?

As Asia tempts leading brands from the global gambling sector to expand business opportunities in the region, it’s fast becoming clear that Asia is the new frontier for both land-based and iGaming industries.

Recent figures from Global Gaming Statistics 2019 reveal that jurisdictions all over Asia are looking to capitalise on the global opportunities flourishing in the gaming sector. Given this trend, it’s crucial to foster dialogue between East and West, addressing considerations such as regulatory environments in different territories, payments processing methods, the integration of blockchain emerging technologies, and even bandwidth for mobile gaming.

It’s precisely these issues that next year’s show in Manila will address by bringing the biggest brands and jurisdictions in the sector together in one venue.

Eman Pulis, founder and CEO of SiGMA, commented, “We are impressed by the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit in South-East Asia, specifically in Manila and the Philippines. Which is why we believe that ICE, SiGMA and AIBC – Asia – should be held in Manila. I look forward to the first edition this coming June 2020 with excitement. The feedback from our previous attendees in Europe has been overwhelming.”

Kate Chambers, Managing Director for Clarion Gaming, commented, “The opportunities for growth in Asia are increasing exponentially year on year, and the time is right to cement new and existing relationships between the gambling industries in both East and West. To combine the expertise of Clarion courtesy of the world famous ICE brand and SiGMA ensures both the land-based and iGaming sectors will find synergy in Manila in 2020. This is an exciting time as we extend the reach of the ICE brand following the launch of ICE Africa in 2018 and ICE North America in May 2019.”

On June 8-9th, 2020, all eyes will be on South-East Asia, in Manila for this gathering of top level delegates from all over the world.

The floor plan for Asia is already filling up fast. Detailed information about our Sponsorship and Exhibitor packages can be found on our site. If you have any questions, or wish to speak to someone about opportunities, please contact Eman eman@sigma.com.mt or Jean at jean@sigma.com.mt.

The Government of Nepal has introduced a set of new rules relating to sharing of information about gamblers, management of assets and monitoring for suspicious activities.

As per the new rules, operators of brick-and-mortar casinos are required to maintain a record of visitors and players at the properties. Gambling venues should also deny access to those who are believed to be involved in suspicious activities.

The new rules mandate that the casinos must inform the government and the Nepal Rastra Bank about wins or losses of more than NPR1 million within a 15-day period. If the gambling venues suspect that a patron uses suspicious money, it has to compile a report and notify the NRB’s Financial Information Unit within a three-day period.

Under the recently adopted rules, operators of gambling venues must submit reports to the Department of Tourism in every four months. The reports must contain information proving that the casinos are not used for money laundering. Properties failing to submit the required reports could face fines of up to NPR50 million.

The newly imposed rules also contain provisions relating to sharing information about customers, casino operators and staff members. If casinos change staff, they must inform the authorities about the changes within a 15-day period.

Melco Resorts and Entertainment has announced that it would focus its IR campaign on Yokohama and withdrew its participation in bidding for the Osaka Yumeshima location.

“‘Yokohama First’ is a plan that gathers a top-notch team of experts to focus on creating an IR in Yokohama city the likes of which the world has never seen. We are well prepared to carry out activities contributing to the future of Yokohama and to push forward the further development of the city as an international tourist destination. Melco is a suitable partner for Yokohama and its surrounding areas,” Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts and Entertainment said.