October 2nd is the first competition deadline when companies wishing to be part of Pitch - which has helped propel industry brands including BlueBat Games, NumberFire and Vigtory, - are required to forward their 2020 application form together with a supporting 2-minute video to pitch@clariongaming.com.

Following receipt of the submissions, an invited community of senior international business leaders will vote for what they consider to be the three start-ups with the most commercial potential. The finalists will then go forward to pitch as part of Sports Betting USA 2020 in front of a live audience of industry professionals including key angel investors.

Ewa Bakun, who serves as Director of Industry Insight at Clarion Gaming, believes initiatives such as Pitch have never been more important to start-up enterprises. She explained: "It's always been difficult for new businesses to secure the funding they need to progress and develop their concepts and ideas. There's every indication that Covid-19 and the devastating impact it continues to have on economies throughout the world is making that task even harder, which is why Pitch is so important.

"Giving gambling start-ups the opportunity to debut their companies in front of an influential audience is part of Clarion Gaming's commitment to the development of an industry which is founded on a dynamic and creative culture of entrepreneurship."

In what has become a not-to-be missed touchpoint for the industry, Sports Betting USA and Sports Betting Investor Summit unite the worlds of sports betting, media and investment. The Sports Betting Investor Summit features, analysts, industry experts, investors, operators and suppliers to explore the sports betting opportunity and its value chain. Sports Betting USA welcomes media and finance professionals, sports betting operators, service providers and suppliers to network and discuss maximizing media channels for player acquisition and activation, as well as financing the expansion of Sports Betting in America.