Published: 7 August, 2024

iGB Live 2024 Review: Tot ziens Amsterdam, hello London

Trafficology’s Ciarán McLoughlin reviews the last rendition of iGB Live in Amsterdam, ahead of its move to London in 2025

The last ever edition of iGB Live in Amsterdam took place on 17-18 July, as the conference bringing together the iGaming and affiliate sectors switches across to London. For the past eight years, iGB Live has taken place in the Dutch capital, with the RAI Amsterdam playing host for this year’s show. According to data from Clarion Events, 44% of people attending the show this year were doing so for the first time, while there were 30% more exhibitors this year compared to last year.

Trafficology was in attendance at iGB Live, though we had the chance to experience a similar feel at ICE London back in February, where iGB Live will be heading next year. Though ICE does bring a larger variety from within the industry, the scale of exhibitors in Amsterdam was still vast enough that I had my work cut out trying to find those I was looking to talk to. A testament to the appreciation of in-person events like this and the opportunities brought about when people can come together.

It was only two days, but it felt like a non-stop period for myself and Trafficology colleague Beth Turner, heading straight to the conference hall from our morning flight from London doing all we could to make our first interview, which we happened to do with plenty of time to spare. Despite the rush around it was great to finally put names to faces of so many people who I had frequently conversed with over email, which always helps in learning more about them as well growing our own knowledge of the industry.

Of course, iGB Live brings a whole range of operators, suppliers and affiliates from the iGaming world. While we ourselves spoke to a number of companies, getting further insights into the latest trends in affiliate marketing was one of the main ports of call, with new regulations, new technology and many other areas potentially influencing the changing nature of marketing in the industry.

We conducted a number of interviews across the two days, with some really insightful conversations had across the industry. Emphasising the differing nature of our interviewees, some of the companies included Relax Gaming, LiveScore Group, MediaTroopers and even a roundtable conversation with those involved in the Saroca LeadHERship Program.

It is, naturally, hard to summarise all that we learned from our 5–10 minute interviews with companies, but there were some overarching themes expressed throughout the show. Talk of the opportunities in the LatAm market was constant, especially with more markets in the region regulating in recent months. AI was the topic on most people’s agendas at the show, with the array of opportunities it presents in a number of areas clear to see, from developing personalised experiences for players to creating new products; and the role it can play in affiliate marketing to promote products to the right people and get detailed insights into audiences. The use of crypto also continues to grow, becoming a more popular payment method in many sectors within gambling; and so keeping up with the changing face of regulation is a key area for a lot of affiliates and something many were keen to stress throughout the show.

While our time was limited getting from one hall to another, there was a chance to listen in on some of the thought-provoking talks taking place at The Pulse Theatre. Some of these were Live Masterclass: 5 Ways to Engage Players in the World’s Hottest Online Casino Markets, iGB Ascend Women & Allyship, and Scaling Up and Scaling Out: Geographic Expansion, Lead Gen, and Other Avenues for Growth. But this was only a small snippet of a number of expert talks given across both the iGaming and affiliate sectors.

Alexandra Breinig of EveryMatrix provided understanding of some of the emerging markets right now, including Brazil, Peru and Nigeria. While Brazil is the hot topic at the moment, Breinig, as well as others during the show, was keen to stress the future impact of other LatAm markets such as Peru. Interestingly, she underlined that despite sport betting’s popularity, the casino vertical could well outperform sportsbooks in Peru in the next five to 10 years.Meanwhile, Nigeria is regulated, but there are difficulties that need to be overcome in the African nation. These include technical limitations and, while it is a large market, there are ways of bringing about a more personalised experience according to Breinig.

Looking at avenues of growth, AI took centre stage here; it is not just a trend but rather a tool that can be key for growth, especially given the differing nature of traffic with Gen Z when it comes to obtaining content. The benefits of its utilisation included how AI is fast and tangible, while it can be used to analyse behaviours of individuals.

Finally, the talk from the iGB Ascend Women & Allyship panel provided the audience a look at experiences in the workplace for women. For example, knowing one’s limits to avoiding burnout and knowing when to say no, because you “can’t pour from an empty cup.” Areas such as imposter syndrome, being an ally, and men’s involvement in allyship, for instance being a voice for those lacking confidence, were also delved into.

As a football fan myself it was also great to make it back-to-back tradeshows meeting footballing royalty, having interviewed Luís Figo at the Digitain stand in London and then grabbing a quick picture with Wesley Sneijder at the VBet stand this time around. These opportunities are a great way for companies to bring attendees to their stands but also a great way of showcasing the influence those in and around sport can have within gambling.

Overall, iGB Live 2024 provided plenty of food for thought and discussion. As the show prepares to head to London in less than a year’s time, anticipation for developments in the industry will no doubt grow, as well as for an even bigger and better show at the ExCel London. Tot ziems, Amsterdam! And it’s on to London we go in 2025.