Both tracks will run over 1 and 2 July, the second and third days of the premier virtual conference and exhibition for the online casino industry, which is delivered in association with GamingMalta. The tracks, sponsored by Darwin Interactive and HiPay, will detail some of the technical steps companies can take to gain a competitive advantage and strategies they can adopt to stay on top of the evolving regulatory situation.

The Operators & Innovation session, on 1 July, will examine what online casinos can do to differentiate themselves at a time when so many of their rivals offer the same titles, and what prevents more operators from investing in innovation. The panel features Alex Tomic (CEO, Alea), Marco Castaldo (CEO, Microgame), Aistė Garnevičienė (COO, BetGames.TV) and Cristiano Blanco (Head of Gaming, Kindred Group), with Paul McNea (CEO, iGaming Performance) in the moderator’s seat.

It is followed by Online Casino: Big in Japan, sponsored by Dimoco, which will look at the opportunities in the Japanese market and how operators can engage with players in this unique culture. Andrew Gellatly (Head of Global Research, VIXIO) chairs a panel that includes Andrea Bellezza (VP of EU & Asia Pacific Markets, KaFe Rocks), Johan Styren (CEO, Dilanti Media) and Robin Reed (CEO, Ichiban Ventures). 

Attention then turns to a very different part of the gambling market, with the Lottery: The Technology Challenge session, sponsored by TVBET. An expert panel, moderated by Ludovico Calvi (President, GLMS), will investigate whether state lotteries’ online offerings can compete with those of commercial casino operators. Speakers include Gianfranco Allocca (Head of Digital, Lottomatica), Mehdi Slimani (Head of Digital Transformation, La Marocaine des Jeux & des Sports), Jari Vahanen (Partner, The Finnish Gambling Consultants) and Dmitriy Paliants (CMO, TVBET).  

The Affiliates - Compliance Minefield, sponsored by Safe Affiliate Programs, gets things underway on the final day of the event. The expert panel will assess how affiliates can work within advertising guidelines, operator policies and regulatory requirements, and still deliver the right results. Jessica Moreno (Principal, JMore Legal) chairs a panel consisting of Ian Sims (Founder, Rightlander), Peter Ješko (Data Analysis & Affiliate Relations Lead, CasinoGuru) and Yaroslav Stanev (CMO, Oddspedia). 

It is followed by Inside Slots: RTP, sponsored by Scientific Games, which features Veiko Krünberg (MD Online, Olympic Entertainment), Alexis Wicen (CEO, Unibo) and Rob Procter (Studio Director, SG Digital), with Alex Cohen (COO, Kalamba Games) as moderator. The panel will examine the impact of RTP rates on online casino operations, and look at whether more should be done to educate players about the rates. 

The focus then switches to a key issue for both operators and affiliates with the Cost-Effective SEO Strategy session, which will see specialists share the secrets of developing onsite and offsite strategies that work in the highly-competitive casino vertical. Martin Calvert (Marketing Director, ICS digital) chairs a panel consisting of Lee Beirne (Head of SEO, Ladbrokes Coral), Lisa Sjö (SEO Product Specialist, Betsson), Maria Sayapina (Head of SEO, RakeTech) and Erik Bergman (Founder, Great.com). 

The day ends with Technical Compliance, sponsored by BMIT Technologies, which will address the role that the supply chain has to play in helping operators to meet regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions. The panel includes Marjo Kayhko (Development Manager Malta, Kindred Group), Nick Tonna (CCO, BMIT) and Karl Davies-Barrett (WW Cloud Solution Architect, Microsoft), with Joe Ewens (Managing Editor, VIXIO) on moderating duty.

Stewart Darkin, Managing Director of CasinoBeats, said: “The ever-changing regulatory landscape and the fast pace of technological change has presented casino operators, lotteries and affiliates with some unavoidable challenges.

“The Technology & Innovation and Regulation & Compliance tracks at CasinoBeats Malta Digital will examine many of the most important issues and see leading gaming industry specialists share ideas for the strategies and collaborative approach businesses need to adopt to tackle them.”

The CasinoBeats Malta Digital agenda also includes tracks about Working in Malta, the Future of Gaming, and Payments. 

Away from the conference rooms, delegates will have multiple opportunities to make new contacts. In addition to the schedule of themed networking sessions, attendees can take part in workshops with sector experts, join in group discussions in the virtual networking bar or use the event platform’s chat facility for one-to-one conversations. 

There is also an interactive exhibition showcasing the latest products from major suppliers, the SlotBeats Lounge where new offerings from leading games studios will be on display, and a programme of product presentations and exhibitor competitions. The event’s Platinum Headline Sponsor, Stakelogic, will be demonstrating its latest titles in both the expo hall and the SlotBeats Lounge. 

Find full details of CasinoBeats Malta Digital, including information about how to register and the discounts available on company group passes, at the event’s official website.