iGaming Events: Mark Your Calendars and Dust Off Your Suitcases!

The new year has rolled around, and everyone in the iGaming industry is excited to see what the next 12 months will bring. A big part of that is attending expos and gaming events which have been making a steady comeback after being shut down for some time due to COVID-19. So, it’s time to dust off your suitcases and mark your gaming calendar!

Whether you’re a provider, operator, game developer, or any other relevant player in the iGaming field, these gatherings are the place to be when it comes to knowledge sharing, promoting your iGaming business, and of course, close deals! In this Technamin blog, we’ll introduce you to different types of online gaming conferences, and drop you a list of the ones that are worth checking out! But not too fast…

 

The Right Gaming Event for You

 

Let’s face it: attending events, regardless of the scope, requires you to ante up your finances. If you’re attending a local event (known to industry pros as “regionals”), then you’re faced with costs such as printing marketing materials, transportation fees, and hotel booking. International events have the same costs, doubled by other spendings such as visa applications. If you’re planning to exhibit and have a stand in either a regional event or an international one, you need to set aside a budget for that as well. 

This is why you only need to attend the right events as opposed to all the events! But which events should you pick?

It’s easy. Start with the “why.” Why are you thinking about attending this or that event? If it’s networking you’re after, for example, then international events would suit you more as they act as hubs for people who visit from all around the world. If you’re more into market research and hitting a specific target, you might need to look at regional events.

Then you’d need to look into the format of the event. Is it more of an exhibition? Or maybe there are some conferences or workshops taking place where you can have a platform to promote your business. Sometimes you’ll get the best of both worlds, like ICE London. 

After you figure out the why and the format, it’s to look at what each event is focusing on. For example if there’s a gaming conference which is focused on affiliate marketing only and you have nothing to do with iGaming affiliates, then there is no point in attending. Plus, there are events which only certain departments of your iGaming business can attend, such as compliance and regulatory events.

 

Popular iGaming Events in 2023

 

With all of the abovementioned information, it’s time to take a look at some of the most popular events in the iGaming industry.

#1 ICE London

 

When it comes to iGaming events, ICE London takes the gold. Organised by Clarion Gaming, the event has been around for many years and is the ultimate hub for everything related to online gaming. We’re also attending this year’s ICE and can vouch that it becomes bigger and more exciting every year!

This year, it’ll take place on 7-9 February in London and our stand number is S2-120 where we will showcase the latest updates on our products! By the way, if you want to know how to prepare for ICE ahead of time, feel free to read this blog which shares insight from our CEO, Suren Khachatryan, an ICE London veteran!

 

#2 iGB Affiliate London

 

Held in London and organised by Clarion Gaming just like ICE, the iGB Affiliate event is, as evident from the name, a hub for everything affiliate-related. This is where iGaming affiliates gather to engage in networking and where you can introduce your brand to a wider demographic! Catch the event on 8-11 February.

 

#3 SiGMA Eurasia

 

SiGMA is a household name when it comes to iGaming. They organise events in a number of locations focused on different regions, including Eurasia. This year’s edition is set to take place in March (13-16) in the Golden Tiger of the Middle East, Dubai. Also included is the SiGMA Awards and the SiGMA Pitch. 

 

#4 SBC Summit Barcelona

 

Fancy an awesome online gaming event in beautiful Barcelona? The SBC Summit Barcelona is just that. Much like SiGMA, SBC is also a popular name in this industry, and just like ICE, it’s getting bigger with every edition. This year, it’s even bigger! It focuses on casino, sports betting, and the latest tech. What adds more excitement to the SBC Summit Barcelona is the SBC Barcelona Awards. Last year, Technamin was shortlisted for the Rising Star in Sports Betting Innovation/Software category!

 

#5 SiGMA Europe

 

Another one of SiGMA’s events, this one held in the capital of iGaming, Malta, in November (dates TBA). We attended last year’s edition and it was an amazing experience! Our founder and CEO Suren Khachatryan was even a judge during last year’s SiGMA Europe Gaming Award where he contributed his knowledge to picking out the best the industry had to offer in the region. 

These are just some of the many online gaming conferences, awards and expos which take place every year. 

 

Preparing for an iGaming Event

 

Did you pick the iGaming events you wish to attend? Great! Now it’s time for the actual hard part: preparing for them. Not doing any pre-planning before attending an event in a recipe for disaster. And we don’t want disasters on our hands!

 

Step 1:  Set up an iGaming calendar which you can use to track the events ahead of time. Even if you’ve verbally agreed on which events you’ll be attending, an iGaming calendar will be a visual reminder to set things in motion before the dates get closer.

Step 2: Take care of paperwork! We cannot stress this enough! Visas, documentation, hotels, and nowadays COVID-19 related paperwork all need to be done at least a month in advance. Apply for visas earlier if possible so you can have a plan B in case a delegate’s visa is rejected. 

Step 3: If you’ve booked a spot as a speaker or a panelist, prepare your speech beforehand and make sure you practice speaking if you have stage fright! As for the speech itself, make sure it’s coherent and follows a clear format. No one wants to attend a panel and get confused with jumbled information that makes no sense.

Step 4: Determine to-do lists for each delegates so they can know what to do and when to do it before, during, and after the event. It’ll help keep things organised and they’ll be able to do what they do best, without anything bothering them at the side.

Step 5: Figure out the technicals. This is especially a big deal if you have a stand where you are set to exhibit/demo your products. Make sure your gadgets work and that you have a stable internet connection. Can you imagine demoing something when the internet suddenly gets cut off or the HDMI cable doesn’t work? Ouch!

 

Stronger Together!

 

As you can see, events play a big role in our industry. Not only do they give us the chance to showcase our products and services, but also provide countless opportunities to chat with each other, understand different marketplaces, get inspired, and overall help our industry grow!

With that being said, it’s time to plan the coming year ahead and come out of it on higher ground. If you happen to be at ICE London 2023 by any chance, don’t miss Technamin at stand S2-120! We’re waiting to have a chat and to showcase our solutions for the industry. See you in February in London!