Spain was the global gaming hub this week with the successful development of the G&M News event, in its third edition. The executives (operators and suppliers of the land-based gaming and online gaming segments from three continents -Europe, LatAm and Africa-) took advantage of a complete agenda with learning, strengthening commercial bonds and social gatherings to relax in the fabulous climate of the Costa del Sol, in Cadiz.
Part of the great success of the event was the excellent work of the team at the Admiral Casino & Lodge San Roque complex, which includes the hotel, the Admiral San Roque Casino and the Admiral Arena, a modern room where the second day’s panels were held. In this sense, G&M News wants to thank Pablo Moore, General Manager ofat the Admiral Casino & Lodge San Roque, and Marco Rother, Commercial Director at Admiral Casinos.
Likewise, the support of important sponsors was essential, with prominent firms Alea, Vibra Gaming, RubyPlay, Amusnet, HAMEvent, Highbet, SMARTX Consulting, and VemBetar.com.
A UNIQUE EVENT THAT STRENGTHENED THE UNITY OF THE INDUSTRY
There is no doubt that 2024 G&M Events Spain started in the best way. On the sunny afternoon of Wednesday, April 3rd, and for five hours, more than 50 executives toured the beautiful Mediterranean Sea on an unforgettable trip aboard the Grand Catamaran. There was music, dancing, laughter, conversation, food and drinks, and fresh air to enjoy a ride like no other.
On Thursday, April 4th, already recovered from the hustle and bustle of the previous day, the industry delegates attended a space for reflection, debate, learning and exchange of experiences.
There were five interactive panels in which specific topics were raised, with analysis of the present and future of the gaming sector. As is usual at G&M News events, the audience had time to make comments, ask questions and share their ideas. As for the conversations, first, it was the turn of Novelties from the gaming industry in Spain. There, the panelists Enrique Reyes Rodriguez (Managing Director at the Autonomous Body of Tax Services of Ceuta, OASTCE), Jesus Martinez Garcia (General Director of Technological Innovation at the Government of the Autonomous City of Melilla), and Sofia Garcia (Lawyer at Asensi Abogados), together with the moderator Aurora Merino Salas (CEO at Asensi Technologies), outlined an accurate current landscape of the gambling market in Spain, with its pros and cons, including the problem of illegal gaming. They also detailed the incredible tax advantages and investment opportunities in Ceuta and Melilla, and considered the regulatory challenges, as well as the keys to increasing profitability in a difficult, but always growing, context.
Then, it was time for the talk on New trends and technologies in the gaming industry. With valuable coordination from Jordi Sendra (CEO at Alea), the panelists Luis Alberto Lopez Acuña (CEO at Highbet) and Julen Elizari (Founder and CEO at DeQueBuzz) focused their attention on the relationship with influencers, the management of social media such as promotional instruments, the response to the needs of operators and suppliers in Alea’s great work as an aggregator, and the relevance of new products such as casual games, artificial intelligence applied to the industry and other tools that makes the sector more dynamic.
From 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., there was a break for a delicious lunch, with different options chosen by the guests. Between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m., Thiago Paulo (Marketing Director at VemBetar.com) held a presentation in an exclusive room for 50 executives on ‘The Regulation of the iGaming Market in Brazil.’ Given the interest about this gigantic territory, executives were alert on legal, regulatory, and business issues that are now happening in the attractive Brazilian segments of online gaming and sports betting, and which Paulo explained with agility and effectiveness.
The round of panels continued with Opportunities and challenges of the Brazilian gaming market. Alex Tomic (Founder at Alea) managed this group of experts in very good Spanish, which comprised the aforementioned Paulo, as well as Esther Amores (Head of Gaming at EstrelaBet) and Lucas Lebleu (Senior Director of Business Development at Alea). The dialogue addressed topics such as the participation of local and international operators, competition, investment, regulatory and tax information, the great potential of the market, and the opportunities to advance by understanding the local culture and the preferences of its players.
Later, a panel was given in English about New marketing strategies, brand positioning, relationship with affiliates and business development. Hamza Afifi (Founder at HAMEvent), Paloma Florez (Business Development Manager at SMARTX Consulting) and Niclas Johansson (Co-Founder and CMO at iGamingAffiliates.io) were present, moderated by Roman Frymer (Content Manager at G&M News). The title points out the issues under analysis, with Johansson focusing on affiliates, Florez on commercial relations and the development of a business plan, and Afifi on the tasks of marketing, PR and participation in events. They also shared lessons based on experience in the sector and gave advice on how to surround with the right talents in a company to grow at a professional level.
Finally, the last learning conference was around the topic of the Advancement of regulations and the role of operators and suppliers in the Latin American gaming markets. As usual, Georges Didier Flores (Regional Director for Latin America at GLI) was impeccable in presenting the realities of the different markets in the region, as well as in distributing topics and times among the participants: Ramiro Atucha (CEO at Vibra Gaming), Antonio Maximiliano Ayala (Administration and Product Development Manager at Casino Magic Neuquen, Argentina) and Ricardo Solano Delgado (CEO at Solano Abogados and president of OJADA Peru). In addition to reviewing the regulatory situation of each market (Argentina, Peru, Colombia, etc.), the opportunities and challenges for stakeholders in these territories, the gaming interests of the players, the political-economic scenario, and useful and practical situations of the daily work of these specialists on the markets when it comes to successfully expanding in LatAm were discussed.
From 6:00 p.m. until after 9:00 p.m., the corollary of the event was a party with a tasteful Spanish paella and an open bar around the pool at the Admiral Casino & Lodge San Roque. In this way, the reunion allowed attendants to enjoy a charming place, boost business and expand their network of contacts.
In short, in its third edition, G&M Events Spain consolidated its position in the agenda of international industry trade shows, favored the unity of executives from different regions and staged the debate of ideas with fruitful exchanges between panelists and audience. The next G&M News event will be on Monday, June 10th, 2024, when a full day of activities will take place at the luxurious Baco & Vaca Miraflores restaurant in Lima, during what will be G&M Events Peru, a meeting for over 200 leading operators and suppliers in the sector.
To check on the complete photo gallery of the event, you must enter this link.