In just over a month’s time the gaming world will converge on Las Vegas for the 14th annual Global Gaming Expo (G2E), and in addition to the highly anticipated keynote addresses by Steve Wynn and Sheldon Adelson, the conference is expected to be extremely heavy on online gambling talk.
G2E is first and foremost a “gaming” conference, and as big as online gambling is, it still pales in comparison to land-based gambling. So don’t expect much (if any) iGaming talk from Steve Wynn when he delivers Tuesday’s keynote, and even Sheldon Adelson, Thursday’s keynote speaker, will likely spend little time on the subject.
That being said, online gambling is the future, and from tribal gaming seminars to payment processing, iGaming is likely to come up in a number of seminars not specifically focused on online gambling.
Here is a look at the iGaming seminars on the G2E 2014 schedule. For the full schedule of G2E seminars, keynotes, and vendor lists you can visit the official G2E website.
Monday September 29
State of the Industry: The Changing iGaming Landscape of the U.S.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Speaker: Lloyd Levenson, CEO at Cooper Levenson, Attorneys at Law
Description:
The past year has been a tumultuous one for the iGaming industry. With legalization in three U.S. states and strong opposition in others, international advances and general volatility in the markets, the iGaming landscape has changed dramatically. At this session, legal experts will discuss how these factors affect the future of iGaming in the United States. Hear about the political realities, regulatory challenges, movement in Washington and much more.
- Learn what the sale of PokerStars means to the U.S. industry
- Hear which states and tribes are considering iGaming legalization
- Discuss what role the lotteries play in the future of iGaming
Point of Consumption: The Next Wave of iGaming Regulation
10:15 am – 11:15 am
Speaker: Allen Godfrey, Executive Director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission
Description:
Current U.K. law allows operators to advertise remote gambling services to its residents without being licensed, or taxed, by the U.K. authorities. That will all change this fall with the implementation of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill. With that in mind, this panel, organized by the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will consider the point of consumption debate and the regulation of iGaming by one jurisdiction if the wagers are processed in another jurisdiction.
- Review the U.K. Gambling Licensing and Advertising Bill
- Hear how established markets approach point of consumption
- Learn how this debate affects emerging jurisdictions
Data Designs: Why You Need to Know Your Online Customer
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Speakers: Frank Pracukowski, Director of Administration at Foxwoods Interactive; Melissa Blau, Director & Consultant at iGaming Capital
Description:
The beauty of online transactions is that they’re so trackable. The downside is that you’re not face to face. Thankfully, there are infinite tools available to help you know your customer. Identity management is key for fraud control and for meeting licensing standards and ensuring customer protection. Learn what is required in terms of authentication by licensing jurisdictions as well as the tools that are available to protect both you and your customers.
- Learn what information your customer must provide
- Understand the invisible data that every visitor brings to your site
- Learn about the minimum standards required today by legal jurisdictions
Bad Actors: The Impact and Enforcement of Illegal iGaming Sites
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Speaker: Libby Baney, Global Public Policy Advisor for LegitScript
Description:
The legalization of iGaming in the U.S. has not stopped popular illegal websites from marketing to U.S. customers. While the U.S. Department of Justice has filed charges against some of these sites, many have gone unchallenged. At this session, learn what is being done to block and shut down these illegal operators. The complication around affiliate sites that promote both legal and illegal iGaming sites also will be covered.
- Hear what’s happening at the federal level
- Discuss how statements of withdrawal from legal jurisdictions should be viewed
- Learn what legal sites can do to prevent illegal gambling
Tuesday September 30
Market Research: The Ideal Online Gambler
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Speaker: Paul Lauzon, Senior Vice President, Lottery & Gaming at Ipsos Reid
Description:
In land-based gaming, there are a variety of ways to measures the profitability of players. Some are location-based like a player’s zip code, others are game-based like slots vs. tables vs. poker. While it’s easier to capture similar information about online customers because of the data capture required, how do you predict which players will be most profitable? At this session, hear what has been learned by existing online gaming operations, and how you can tailor your marketing and retention programs to find and keep the best customers.
- Learn about the demographics of ideal online gamblers
- Hear which features keep the good players coming back
- Explore avenues for rewarding your best players
Unregulated Gambling: Containing the Threat #T06
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Description:
The proliferation of Internet sweepstakes cafes and other forms of unregulated gambling across the United States has threatened not only the revenues of regulated gaming, but also the gaming industry’s hard-won integrity. Gaming regulators can monitor and enforce licensee conduct, but must rely primarily on state and local law enforcement to investigate unlicensed practices. During this session, discuss the challenges this model presents to regulators, policymakers, law enforcement and the industry alike. Debate what is legal and what is not, and hear how some jurisdictions have successfully squashed the bugs.
- Understand the law’s loopholes and how they are used
- Review successful campaigns against unregulated operators
- Learn which authorities to work within your jurisdiction
The State of Tribal Gaming
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Description:
The G2E website does not list a description for this seminar.
Wednesday October 1
Payment Options: The Good, the Bad and the Expensive
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Speaker: Matthew Katz, Chief Executive Officer at CAMS, LLC
Description:
It’s great to offer your customers every possible payment option for both gambling and buying goods and services. The problem is in helping them understand the benefits of the options available to them, while still maximizing the return to your company. With iGaming, payment processing plays an even more crucial role in customer service and success. Getting money from Point A to Point B is easier and more transparent than ever – learn more at this session.
- Review traditional, new, and emerging payment options
- Understand anticipated costs as well as opportunities for new revenue generation
- Learn how to optimize your payment offerings to attract and retain customers
Modern Measures: Cybersecurity for the Gaming Industry
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Description:
Cyber intrusions and attacks have increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing personal and business information, disrupting operations and imposing high costs on affected businesses. Despite its expertise in security, the gaming industry is no stranger to this threat. During this session, learn about potential vulnerabilities for all businesses as well as those unique to the gaming industry and how best to safeguard against them. Attendees also will gain insights on developing a response plan for use in the unfortunate event of an attack.
- Learn how, and why, hackers do what they do.
- Hear about the technology available to protect your data.
- Assess your organization’s vulnerability to cybercrime.
