Interview with Maria Bashkevich from Uplatform: fun and innovation at iGB L!VE Amsterdam 2024

The iGB Live Amsterdam 2024 exhibition and conference, held 16-19 July in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, established itself as the key event in the iGaming world, connecting leading affiliates, operators, technology providers, game developers and suppliers to maximise performance and promote tangible business growth.

During the show, Uplatform proudly showcased its latest developments under the theme ‘U_Rule’, emphasising how its solutions enable partners to dominate the world of iGaming.

Maria noted that at iGB Live 2024, Uplatform presented ‘several vital updates to our platform and new tools for data-driven decision making and marketing momentum’.  She told us that the reception to Uplatform's solutions was very positive, with many attendees expressing enthusiasm for how they could ‘help them enter new markets with more tailored solutions and increase their ROI’. She also mentioned that ‘upcoming plans to enhance our sportsbook and aggregator with new features’ were discussed, which also met with an excellent response from the visitors.

Maria also underlined the playful and creative aspect of the Uplatform booth: ‘But we wouldn't be Uplatform if we didn't add some fun, would we? The street theme of our booth, with live graffiti artists creating personalised gifts, a signature bar and bubble tea, and a photo area with a royal throne, made our presence memorable and helped us forge meaningful connections with industry leaders. Overall, I think iGB Live was a great success for us, both from a commercial and marketing point of view.’

When Maria was asked if she had been able to attend and participate in the conferences, she explained that iGB Live was incredibly busy for Uplatform, with all the managers juggling tight schedules. However, they did manage to attend some of the panels and keynote speeches: ‘The sessions on activating and personalising Generation Z were especially valuable. These conferences gave us a deeper understanding of the future of iGaming and the evolving industry standards. They also highlighted the importance of adaptability and forward thinking in our own approach, which will be crucial as we continue to refine and improve our offerings.’

Regarding the LaunchPad function, Maria mentioned that they did not participate this year, but watched it closely: ‘I think it's a great platform for startups to present their latest technologies and solutions, and it's interesting to see how the industry supports these new startups, as there are some pretty good solutions. I think these events help you look at your offering in a different way, showing some bottlenecks or opportunities. They can really inspire product and technology development. Although we didn't participate this time, we appreciate the value it brings to the sector and hope to explore similar opportunities at future events.’

As for the future of the online gaming industry following the trends presented at iGB Live Amsterdam 2024, Maria sees it as ‘incredibly promising, with trends indicating an increased focus on personalisation, gamification and advanced AI-based analytics. Overall, the industry is set to evolve rapidly, and staying ahead of the curve will require agility and a deep understanding of emerging technologies and player preferences.’

Finally, addressing iGB Live's move to London in 2025, Maria expressed her mixed feelings, ‘I will honestly miss the Amsterdam edition, as it holds a special place in my heart: it was the first show I attended when I started iGaming a long, long time ago, and the first one I exhibited at with Uplatform. But of course the move of iGB Live to London in 2025 is an exciting development, as it opens up more possibilities for the event to grow and transform into something different, although I hope it retains its unique atmosphere. I hope this change will bring fresh energy and new opportunities.’