Throughout 2024, G&M News has had the opportunity to speak with leading executives in the land-based and online gaming sectors in North America and Europe, including commercial and tribal gaming. Readers will be able to check out these ten articles for clear, precise and detailed information about the life and work of these industry leaders. This is an unmissable material that we present in this review of the year.
1) Megan Basson (UNLV). Making a significant difference in the regulatory landscape. The Executive Director of the International Center for Gaming Regulation of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (USA), insisted on the value of interaction and sharing experiences among regulators from the diverse states of the country. She also described the relationship between the ICGR and the Nevada Gaming Control Board and specified her goals for the year.
2) Anthony F. Lucas (UNLV). New ideas, analyses, and experiments to optimize land-based casino operations. The renowned, experienced professor from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (United States), shared with G&M News why the academic space (rather than large companies) has been his ideal place to introduce innovative concepts and propose changes that improve the industry. Throughout this article, he offered recommendations to both gaming students and executives of large casinos, debunked the main myths of physical gaming, and pondered the evolution of casino floors.
3) Ernie Stevens Jr (IGA). A steady growth for tribal gaming, with a focus on diversification. The Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association expressed his enthusiasm for the tradeshow that will be returning to the Anaheim Convention Center (California, US) on April 8-11th. He also spoke about the reasons for the evolution of the Indian communities, and assured that, in regulatory matters, it’s essential to advance on issues such as the clarification of the Wire Act, the modernization of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), and tribal sovereignty recognition.
4) Sharon Avery (NIGC). Tribal gaming success is a result of the resilience and dedication of tribal leaders, regulators, and operators. The Acting Chairwoman of the National Indian Gaming Commission provided insight regarding what are the most important demands that the Tribal gaming operators have. Besides, she explained how the Agency is helping them with training and technical assistance so they can maintain their growing performance.
5) Yevhen Krazhan (GR8 Tech). Agile, innovative, and constantly evolving to respond to changing customer demands. The CBDO at the leading iGaming provider analyzed the current state of the industry and described how the company is actively approaching collaboration with its partners to quickly meet the clients’ needs. He also underlined flagship products like the GR8 Sportsbook and the GR8 Casino and pointed out the importance of applying the Miller Heiman sales process.
6) Michael Haddad (MGM Resorts International). Striving to create positive social, environmental, and economic impacts. The Social Impact and Sustainability Communications Manager of the leading U.S. operator detailed how the company is promoting collaborative efforts to act responsibly, ethically, and sustainably in everything they do. He also mentioned different initiatives the organization celebrated, with actions in favor of energy efficiency, water conservation, community service, and fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
7) Nicholas Macias (GBGA). Working for a new gambling law, codes of practice and licensing regime in Gibraltar. The Secretary General of the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association defined his extensive career in the sector as “serendipitous”, explained the main activities of the organization, anticipated changes in the gambling licensing and regulation processes in the territory, and insisted in the importance of dedicating a collective effort with third parties to enhance safer gambling policies.
8) Keith Whyte (NCPG). Providing policy guidance, educational programs, and training about RG and problem gambling. The Executive Director at the National Council on Problem Gambling dived deep into the results of its recent study “U.S. States’ Online Sports Betting Regulations: An Evaluation Against National Council on Problem Gambling Standards.” He was worried about states regulations not complying with the Internet Responsible Gambling Standards. Besides, he mentioned that, in 2025, they will try to secure the first-ever Federal Funding for problem gambling treatment and research by passing the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment (GRIT) Act.
9) Ian Messenger (ACGCS). Building a culture of compliance for gaming organizations in Canada. The founder and CEO of the Association of Certified Gaming Compliance Specialists mentioned the main activities of the entity, talked about responsible advertising concerns in Canada, deepened on how to promote human trafficking awareness, and shared different ideas for operators to train and educate their staff and patrons on dealing with gambling problems, integrity challenges and compliance risks.
10) Andrew Walter (CLC). Retail, iGaming and sports betting opportunities for the lottery segment. The Director of Legal and Business Affairs for the Sports Betting Division at the Connecticut Lottery Corporation (United States) remarked how the company has expanded in different areas of the industry, detailed the advantages of their partnership with Fanatics, commented on the advancement of sports betting and online casino in the state, and warned that lotteries need to redouble efforts to appeal to younger customers, and to retain current players.