Gambling News, Conferences & iGaming News Analysis

NOV DEC 2021

Editors Letter

Have you ever wondered what happens when you pay for something? I'm talking about the millions of micro transactions occuring in the blink of an eye: where your money goes, how it gets there, who it passes through and how much technology was involved in that complex-yet-immediate process.

Maybe you haven't. But the folks at Global Gaming Award-winner Sightline Payments, Shortlisted nominee Global Payments and other companies of a similar ilk certainly have. Payments has become an increasingly influential aspect of the gaming sector over the years and, as such, we are closing our final issue of 2021 with an in-depth focus on the topic.

It's become well publicised by now that, following the Covid-19 pandemic, cashless gaming has soared - especially so in the US. In this issue's cover feature, we delve further into cashless, while also touching on main payments themes such as variety and security. In short, everything you to need to know.

And what more do we have to entice your heavily sought-after attention, when you could quite easily be watching Squid Game on Netix, listening to an audiobook or hitting re-opened casinos, bars and restaurants the world across? Well, we like to think we've got every major area covered: remote work or returning to the office? The future of esports betting? The latest must-know trends in data and compliance? As always, we've got your back.

Elsewhere, Gambling Insider brings you an exclusive interview with Betting & Gaming Council Chair Brigid Simmonds, market focuses on the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK, and there's also a Q&A with a mysterious chap who goes simply by the name of 'The Premium.'

On a more social note, how wonderful to be back at industry tradeshows, physically meeting people – both new and old faces - generating new business and sharing stories about lockdowns being a thing of the past. The iGB Live! Show in Amsterdam brought a feeling of nostalgia but, with SiGMA around the corner in Malta and ICE London just a few months away, we'll soon all be 100% accustomed to being back in the company of our gaming peers and colleagues.

At SiGMA, you are encouraged to pick up a copy of our Malta Focus magazine, or our Gambling Insider and Gaming America titles at other shows. You won't regret it.

In The Magazine

Global Gaming Awards London 2022 Return In-person

The time has come to welcome the most prestigious Awards ceremony in the gambling industry back to London

Payments in Kind

Peter Lynch delves further into the world of gaming payments with the help of several payments specialists, who provide their expert analysis in this booming sector

2022: What Lies Ahead?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Tim Poole with Gambling Insider’s 2022 industry predictions

Remote Revolution

As working life returns to a state of normality, the approach to remote vs office life has evolved dramatically. Isabella Aslam speaks to Malta-based CSB Group’s Head of Human Resources and Employment Advisory Services, Dr. Elaine Dutton

Disruptions and User Experience

Yggdrasil CEO Fredrik Elmqvist speaks to Tim Poole about the evolution of gaming, the importance of user experience and how key disruptions have impacted the industry

Big Question

After enjoying rapid growth throughout the early stages of the pandemic, what does the future look like for esports?

All You Need is Balance

Brigid Simmonds, Chair of the Betting & Gaming Council, catches up with Tim Poole to discuss how alcohol and gambling compare, advertising, social media abuse and driving industry change

Helicopter View

With the departure of former CEO Richard McGuire and CFO Tom Hearne, Gambling Insider speaks to Sportech’s new leadership, CEO Andrew Lindley and CFO Nicola Rowlands

Regulation; Innovation

Stephanie Attias, CEO and Founder of Regulate-Me.com, discusses the regulatory challenges and innovative opportunities facing iGaming payments

Casinosaurus Rex

Regular Gambling Insider contributor Paul Sculpher assesses what would happen if a UK casino today were to be run the same way as in 1994

A Messy Start, But A Start Nonetheless

Gambling Insider contributor and Founder of Gaming in Holland Willem van Oort discusses the convoluted launch of the regulated Dutch online gaming market. After many years of political wrangling, it opened on 1 October, but not without some unexpected and perhaps unwelcome last-minute surprises...

M&A in the Spanish Gambling Market

Regular Gambling Insider contributor Xavi Muñoz Bellvehí ([email protected]), gaming lawyer at Spanish law firm ECIJA, analyses the M&A options for entering the Spanish gambling market

Operating at Scale

David Brohan, Gaming & Leisure Analyst at Goodbody, says 888 Holdings’ acquisition of William Hill’s international assets highlights the trends dominating today’s gambling market

The Four P’s Plus of Gaming Marketing

Online marketing and iGaming veteran Alex Czajkowski provides a gaming industry twist to the four P’s of marketing

Not Just A Dream

Part two of Alex Czajkowski’s column discusses personalised, scalable and automated content

Payment Orchestration

Mark Patrick, Global Head of Payments, CellPoint Digital, argues that the future of iGaming payments is local

Beware of Vanity Metrics

Eriks Petersons, Digital Transformation Director at Ciklum, discusses how iGaming businesses can move forward via the power of data

Roundtable: Data and Compliance

Industry leaders from Continent 8 Technologies, Internet Vikings and W2 discuss compliance risks within gaming, as well as the storage and protection of data, with Peter Lynch

“Money Talks”

Mystery man, The Premium, talks with Isabella Aslam about his sports betting consultant service, high customer returns, his celebrity persona and why he will never share his true identity...

A White Paper, Not A White Flag

Lee Richardson MBA, Gaming Economics CEO and Co-Founder of the Big Betting Balagan, discusses the upcoming UK Gambling Act review

Ukranian Gaming: A Debut Year

Andrey Astapov, Managing Partner at Eterna Law, assesses Ukraine’s first year of legalised gambling

The Supply Chain

Interblock CEO John Connelly speaks to Gambling Insider about continuing the supplier’s growth, despite pandemic-enforced obstacles

Leveraging Real-time Technology

Robert Filić, Director of Player Engagement Platform at Bragg Gaming-owned Oryx Gaming, discusses casino experiences, real-time data and boosting engagement levels

Revenue Sharing Business Models

NSoft CFO Igor Marković writes exclusively for Gambling Insider, delivering insight into revenue sharing business models in the betting industry

Final World. 2021: Closing Remarks

RavenTrack Managing Director Adam Rowley reflects on 2021 within iGaming, and looks ahead to 2022 for both operators and affiliates