In this interview, Emily Micallef, CEO at SIGMA Group, explores the expanding of the iGaming market and its increasing appeal in Eastern Europe through the 2024 edition of SIGMA East Europe exhibition which brought together leading professionals and companies from this iGambling industry, to showcase their latest trends, innovations and technologies for the future of this market.

Emily started providing an overview of the East Europe exhibition, highlighting the impressive number of visitors and exhibitors, the diverse array of products on display, and the invaluable networking opportunities, among other key highlights.

“Our third edition was held in Budapest this year, and received overwhelmingly good feedback from the 10,000 attendees that attended SiGMA East Europe and Affiliate World Europe held back-to-back at HungExpo”, she said.

And added: “The expo featured over 200 exhibitors and sponsors. Meanwhile our conference stage hosted a stellar line up of expert speakers, including government and industry leaders, such as Balazs Kohut, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador, speakers from the Szerencsejáték and from the Georgian Gambling Authority, as well as influencers and entrepreneurs, including Rob Moore, Jamie Fraser, and Sara Al Madani.”

Emily also highlighted the memorable moments from the networking events held during the SIGMA East Europe exhibition, including the SiGMA East Europe Awards and Auction: “it raised a whopping €83,500 for the SiGMA Foundation´s charitable projects. The highlights of the night were paintings by artists Sandra Kowalskii and Derek Mason – sparking an intense bidding war, and ultimately raising a staggering €40,000 and €20,000 respectively.”

Related to the main challenges faced with the organization of this edition, and how they were addressed at SiGMA East Europe to turn them into opportunities for growth, she commented the following:

“One of the biggest milestones for SiGMA has been taking our events global while maintaining a high level of quality for exhibitors and attendees. With over 200 experienced, skilled employees and offices in 6 locations, we´re confident we´re equipped to deliver excellence no matter where we are. Reaching our 10-year anniversary is a proud moment for us, reflecting both the challenges we’ve overcome and the strong foundation we’ve built for the future.”

Next, Emily Micallef, identified the specific features of SiGMA East Europe in Budapest that differentiate it from other international iGaming trade fairs. She noted that this fair provides vital access to emerging regional markets: “the event is uniquely tailored to the East European sector, featuring high-calibre speakers and industry leaders from key iGaming hotspots such as Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, and Georgia. This ensures valuable insights and perspectives specific to the region.

Additionally, the conference content and publications were delivered in both English and Russian, broadening its appeal. Notably, SiGMA East Europe also benefits from its synergy with Affiliate World, held back-to-back, enhancing networking and collaboration opportunities.”

To conclude the interview, Emily Micallef highlighted the upcoming SIGMA events in various countries, noting that they are “bigger than ever, breaking records with 1,000 sponsors and exhibitors, 27,000 delegates, and 550 speakers.”

“Celebrating its 10th anniversary in November, the event will feature top-tier networking opportunities, including cultural activities, sports events, award ceremonies, and exclusive iGathering dinners.

Held in Malta, the summit will host events like the SiGMA Cup, Padel tournament, MMA fight night, a Fun Run for charity, golf and poker tournaments, and the 10 Years of SiGMA party with DJ DIASS at Sky Club.

Looking ahead, SiGMA will launch its South Asia edition in Sri Lanka in 2025, alongside expanding the SiGMA Poker Tour into Asia and Europe. A press conference on November 11th at Phoenicia Hotel, Valletta, will reveal more.

The SiGMA Foundation, which raised over €200,000 for global projects in 2023, will align with the SiGMA Poker Tour in 2025, donating a portion of tournament buy-ins. In 2025, the Foundation will support a new hospital in Peru, an MMA centre in Brazil, and a community centre in the Philippines.”