Here`s - Malta Gaming Authority

Transcription

gazine
SiGMA
issue 4
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
COVER STorY
Bit8 Boss Angelo Dalli
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issue 4 SPRING / SUMMER 2016
Editorial & Contents | SiGMA
OFFICIAL PARTNERS
CONTENTS
Malta regulatory update
The headlines
07
11
SEO meet up
14
Educating the industry 19
Cover story: Angelo Dalli
20
Two years and counting! The show has gained a lot of momentum since
its inception, with big brands joining the list of premium sponsors and
exhibitors from previous years. The show has cemented itself as the
best igaming expo in the Mediterranean, bringing together affiliates,
operators, solution providers and regulators under one roof in the heart
of the igaming industry.
Maltese talent under 40
26
From affiliate to operator
33
Doing business in Malta
37
Binary options: guide to recent trends
41
SEO and reputation management
45
Shortly after the summit and a well-earned break we took heed of your
feedback and will be introducing some interesting upgrades, including,
but not limited to the following:
How to double your affiliate business
51
Interview: Alessandro Fried 55
Running at full speed
59
• Conferences: We’re shifting all conferences to a bigger conference
room within the hotel, with full AC! We’ve also established new
partnerships to ensure that delegates receive the best quality content.
• 300 Flights: Inspired by the movie 300, this year we’re giving away
the equivalent in flights for affiliates from all over Europe. Exhibitors
are encouraged to invite VIP guests, flights on us, and throw a string of
hospitality events around SiGMA. After all, Malta lends itself quite well
for hospitality.
• Coffee: Last year’s ‘instant coffee breaks’ will be upgraded to
‘premium coffee breaks’. This was possible thanks to an exclusive
partnership with Lavazza.
• Free Lunch: We will also introduce free standing lunch on both days,
giving delegates more time for business.
• SiGMA Pitch: The idea of a ‘SiGMA Pitch’ should go down well with
so many start-ups, innovators and investors. With so many mergers and
acquisitions, expect some serious deals to be made in a Dragon’s Denlike environment.
• Show Dates: Many wished for our dates to be farther away from BAC
and EiG so we’ve agreed to shift the show one month away from Berlin
and back to back with our friends from MiGS, creating a dynamite Malta
Gaming Week.
Content marketing: all about chemistry
63
A winning partnership
66
Editorial
With the above upgrades, we’re building on the success story of the
previous two shows.
Interestingly enough, SiGMA has carved out a niche in the igaming
events calendar - recruitment. Besides the usual business leads, an
increasing number of exhibitors are relying on SiGMA for head hunting.
Landing the right talent is no easy feat and with a solid workforce of
12,000 people, Malta provides the ideal recruitment backdrop. Tipico
promoted Tipico-Careers last year. Expect more companies to jump on
this idea and involve their HR department in budgeting for the show
this year.
We would like to nurture a long term, networking environment,
predominantly with the SiGMA show itself, but also throughout the year
with a number of networking events. True to our word, we have been
able to connect an endless number of C-level executives, suppliers,
operators and affiliates, and we look forward to welcome even more
industry players to this igaming nucleus.
Online lottery: comprehensive overview 69
Building trust in binary
73
Casumo Grand Slam
77
Photo Gallery
81
Solid growth based on trust
105
An alternative payment system
107
Who’s Who of the industry
111
Editor: Eman Pulis
Consulting Editors: Dennis Dyhr-Hansen &
Anthony Medica
Design: Nicholas Cutajar
facebook.com/nicodesignmalta
Photography: Aleksey Leonov
Sales: Jarek Górny & Sophie Crouzet
Hand delivered to business in Malta,
executive lounges, Maltese embassies and
government institutions. The magazine is also
delivered by post to 4,000 leading gaming
companies worldwide.
For information regarding promotion and
advertising kindly call (+356) 2131 4191 or
email [email protected]
maltaigamingsummit.com
SiGMAgazine is published by Viking PC Health Ltd.,
Sundial Court, 7, Victor Denaro Street, Msida.
MSD1604, Malta.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is
strictly prohibited without prior consent in writing. Opinions
expressed in SiGMAgazine are not necessarily those of the
editor or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure
truth and accuracy, but the editor and publishers cannot
be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles,
advertising, photographs or illustrations.
05
What has established our global
reputation in the gaming industry?
At the Malta Gaming Authority, our regulatory philosophy, organisational principles
and culture are focused on player protection. Malta’s transparent legal framework and
experience in regulating gaming has developed into a world class eco-system providing
effective, innovative and efficient regulation.
Our regulatory framework provides assurances both locally and internationally
that fairness and transparency are at the core of everything that we do.
To this effect, our licensees are associated with the highest
levels of integrity and efficiency.
Proudly recognised as a world class authority in terms of
innovation, governance and diligence.
MALTA GAMING AUTHORITY
Building SCM02-03, Level 4, SmartCity Malta, Ricasoli SCM 1001, Malta
T +356 2546 9000 E [email protected]
www.mga.org.mt
Regulation | SiGMA
The gaming sector
in Malta
By Joseph Cuschieri
Photos by Domenic Aquilina
07
SiGMA | Regulation
The gaming sector in Malta continues to show healthy signs of growth and
buoyancy as evidenced by the increasing number of licences issued by the Malta
Gaming Authority (MGA). The dynamism, innovation and new product streams of the
Malta-based industry is all the more remarkable because it comes at a time when the
Maltese jurisdiction continues to face multiple challenges.
As will be featured in the Annual Report being published
soon, in 2015 the Authority continued building on the major
projects started in 2014, which included both internal and
outward-facing initiatives. Internally the MGA carried on
its human resource capacity-building supported by
new systems, including a very advanced Microsoft
CRM information system (a first for a regulatory
entity) that is progressively being implemented
over the coming months. The MGA moved to
its new offices at SmartCity Malta in November
2015 with a transformed structure, innovative
systems and above all a new ethos, as an
effective, efficient and innovative governor and
regulator of gaming in Malta.
After an extremely intensive 2015, 2016 is
proving to be the crucial year for the MGA
and probably for the sustainable growth of
the gaming industry in Malta. While Malta is
addressing the challenges being faced in a
structured, holistic and co-ordinated manner
with other Government Ministries and entities, due
to the significant changes in both technology and
industry structure, Malta’s best response is its strategic
re-positioning in the gaming world in order to sustain the
already existent industry base and provide for new streams
of growth, from which both Malta and the industry in general
will benefit.
The coming months will see the roll-out of the new gaming
legislative framework, which will incorporate Malta’s new
strategic direction into law. The new framework will be
characterised by neutrality to allow for further industry
development in the future; by coherence to allow for
convergence and simplification of processes; and by a
strengthened governance structure and mechanisms
to ensure high levels of accountability, certainty and
transparency in the Authority’s decisions, operations and
processes.
The roll-out will start with a new draft ‘Gaming Act’ that will
consolidate all primary gaming legislation under one primary
Act of Parliament, bringing in the much-needed legislative
coherence for all the gaming sector. The new Act will also
widen the scope of governance of gaming falling under the
competence of the MGA to include all forms of gaming, from
skill games to games of chance and all that falls in between,
including channels of distribution. The new Act will also
provide for the adoption of different regulatory approaches,
solidly implanted in and guided by a set of
explicit principles and policy objectives that
will provide the Minister responsible and
the Authority with the necessary latitude
and power to govern/regulate gaming
activities according to the risk presented
by the same activities, business models and
persons conducting them. The primary Act
and the subsidiary legislation that will follow,
will abolish duplication of regulatory and
administrative requirements that have already
been met and offer simplification and faster time
to market new products for existent, compliant
operators.
There are a number of salient features of this
second generation of gaming regulation for Malta,
08
which, when approved by Parliament (envisaged for later
on this year) will allow for the ‘development’ of the gaming
sector, notably the remote gaming sector, but also other
forms of gaming.
‘Development’ of the gaming sector in Malta may be too
modest a word when compared to the MGA’s aims and
vision for the sector. Malta, and the MGA in particular, is
positioning itself to add renewed and innovative value to the
already- existent industry base. The Authority has been and
is in close dialogue with the industry players and, apart from
the legislative framework, has identified a set of initiatives
that will continue to add value to the operators and facilitate
their growth and prosperity, whether internal or through
acquisitions/mergers; whether through market and/or
product diversification.
Malta’s repositioning strategy, facilitated by the new
governing regulatory regime and other applicable incentives,
Regulation | SiGMA
will also seek to foster a climate conducive to innovation and
the hosting of new products and gaming market segments.
Some parts of the world are being overtaken by the new
wave of e-sports and other non-gambling games and Malta’s
gaming sophisticated eco-system can adequately, if not
exceedingly, support this segment.
The future of Malta as the jurisdiction of choice and a
gaming hub for gaming companies is exciting in spite of
the challenges being faced. The MGA will continue its
continuous dialogue with the industry operators and other
key stakeholders in order to ensure that the Authority
is in complete synch with their needs and technological
development. Business friendliness does not have to
compromise regulatory efficacy or indeed performance.
Quality outperforms quantity and Malta is in that quest and
realm, striving to maintain high regulatory standards coupled
with innovation and market readiness.
09
The Headlines | SiGMA
The HEADLINES
NOVEMBER 2015
EveryMatrix licensed in
Denmark
In November, EveryMatrix was granted
a Combined Remote Betting and
Casino licence in Denmark.
Already licensed in the UK, Ireland,
Malta, Belgium and Curacao, it was
time for EveryMatrix to start operating
on the booming Danish online gaming
market.
Ebbe Groes, CEO of EveryMatrix, said:
“EveryMatrix has entered the Danish
gambling market at a perfect time, a
time where customers are seeking to
get as vast a gaming offer as possible
and we look forward to providing our
operators with such options.”
NYX Gaming Group and
888 partnered up
The new partnership saw 888 extend
its portfolio with NYX online and
mobile casino content, making it
available on the operator’s Dragonfish
B2B platform, as well as other bingo
and casino verticals.
Commenting on the agreement, Yaniv
Schwartz, head of Dragonfish said:
“This agreement allows Dragonfish
to offer an even wider and exciting
content portfolio to our bingo and
casino partners.”
David Johnson, commercial director
at NYX, added: “NYX boast the widest
distribution network of real money
wagering slots games in the online
marketplace; the 888 OGS/CGS
integration is a natural progression
with one of our closest partners.”
Mr Green and Quickspin
agreed on a content
partnership
Malta-based online casino giant,
Mr Green, extended its portfolio
with productions from Quickspin,
a Swedish game developer. The
deal allowed Mr Green users to
gain access to popular titles such
as ‘Crystal Queen’, ‘Razortooth’ and
‘Second Strike’.
Andy Braithwaite, Mr Green’s director,
said that Quickspin games and the
promotional tools that support them
offer operators “very good player
retention rates and are excellent
revenue generators.”
Quickspin CEO, Daniel Lindberg said:
“I’m really pleased to have entered
into this partnership with Mr Green,
whose mobile-first philosophy is very
similar to our own.”
DECEMBER 2015
Malta Gaming
Authority proposed new
regulations plan
The Malta Gaming
Authority announced
that it may propose new
regulations for digital
games of skill with prize.
The MGA conducted
public consultations that showed
the need to create a new regulatory
framework concerning games that
“are very predominantly and/or totally
influenced by the skill of the player
(and a negligible element of chance).”
The authority discovered that such
games should be regulated in a
different way and distinguished from
some of the other types of games of
chance.
Amongst others, the most relevant
provisions will include subjects such
as extending the scope of regulated
games with prize including “pure
skill games”, clarifying the definitions
of different games, adopting
various monitoring instruments and
extending some of the functions and
responsibilities of the Authority.
Cherry AB
announced
plans to go
public
In December one of the biggest
Swedish gaming companies, Cherry
AB who has offices in Malta, revealed
plans to list shares on Nasdaq
Stockholm later this year.
Cherry’s board believes that the
company is “well prepared” to be
listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and that
the measure “would increase the
possibilities for institutional investors
to invest in Cherry’s shares and create
conditions of improved liquidity in the
share.
“A stock market listing on Nasdaq
Stockholm gives an extra seal of
quality for the company regarding its
operations,” commented Rolf Åkerlind,
Chairman of Cherry.
Casino Malta officially
opened
Casino Malta, the largest casino on
the island with a 175 full-time staff,
opened its doors in December.
011
SiGMA | The Headlines
The casino offers the latest slots and
table games as well as a large modern
lounge bar area and weekly live music
events.
With ambitions plans to set even
higher standards, this casino is
definitely one to watch.
with two new regional offices in
Montevideo, Uruguay and Kiev,
Ukraine.
The new offices form part of an
overall international sales and service
development strategy.
international league table with 34
exhibitors, followed by other wellrepresented countries - United States
(23), Italy (18), Germany (13) and Spain
(11).
“According to our practice of being as
close as possible to our partners and
our strategy of insistently expanding
into new markets, we have doubled
our efforts in Latin America by
opening the second sales and service
centre there,” commented Vahe
Baloulian; BetConstruct’s CEO.
JANUARY 2016
Gaming Innovation Group
announced new share
offering
Gaming Innovation
Group, who is
listed on the Oslo
Stock Exchange,
announced plans
to issue 23 million
new shares with
a target price of
NOK 1.95 (€0.20)
per share.
The company
looks to raise
an estimated NOK 45 million
(€4.8 million) from the sale, which
Swedbank Robur Fonder, a leading
Scandinavian asset management firm
shall be directing.
The sale allows Gaming Innovation
Group to “strengthen GIG’s financial
position and enable the company to
step up efforts to monitor strategic
growth opportunities”, the operator
noted.
Robin Reed, CEO of GIG, said: “A
strengthened balance sheet will allow
us to pursue these opportunities as
they arise. As part of the transaction,
we have received a substantial and
long-term shareholder.”
“At the same time, we are not
overlooking our European home
base, the eastern part of which will
now be better served by our newly
established and expanding Kiev
branch,” he added.
Richard
Carter joined
SBTech as
chief executive
officer
Gaming industry
leader, Richard Carter,
was appointed as
SBTech’s new chief executive officer
in January.
Carter, former director of research at
Deutsche Bank, was responsible for
running the highly rated European
equity gaming franchise for the past
7 years.
Between 2003 and 2009, Richard
worked at the London listed
Stockbroker Numis Securities, as
a key member of their highly rated
Leisure and Gaming team. Carter was
notably positioned at the forefront of
several highly renowned global online
gaming companies such as 888,
32Red and Empire Online.
FEBRUARY 2016
Malta the most represented
nation at ICE
BetConstruct opened new
regional offices
BetConstruct, an award-winning
developer and provider of online
and land-based gaming solutions,
expanded its global presence
012
Catena
Media went
public
Catena Media,
the Maltaheadquartered
online lead
generation company, opened a listing
on Nasdaq First North Premier in
Stockholm in February.
From affiliates to super-affiliates;
from a small start-up to a public listed
enterprise - Catena Media became
the success story that many industry
practitioners dream about.
“We welcome all of our new
shareholders and look forward to be
a listed company on Nasdaq First
North” said Robert Andersson, the
company’s CEO. “This is an exciting
day for us and we are very motivated
to continue our hard work in order to deliver profitable growth and increase
shareholder value.”
Ulrik Bengtsson became
the new CEO and president
of Betsson AB
Malta was the most represented
nation on the exhibition floor of one
of the largest gaming shows in the
world, ICE Totally Gaming, which took
place in London.
Being an extremely successful CEO
at Betsson Malta, Ulrik Bengtsson
proved that he was ready for the
big step ahead. He replaced Pontus
Lindwall, who returned to his previous
role as Chairman of the Board.
For those who need more proof that
Malta is one of the hottest gaming
hubs in Europe, then the flowing
statistics should be enough. The
Mediterranean island topped the ICE
“I have been a part of an incredible
journey over the past four years
with Betsson but I think that we are
still only at the start of a structural
The Headlines | SiGMA
transformation of the entire industry,
which is enabled by a continued
transfer of the activity towards online.
In my role as CEO and President of
Betsson, I will continue to ensure that,
in the first instance, the group focuses
on customers, and that innovation
takes place where it is important
for them. In this way Betsson will
continue to gain market share. Our
strategy to grow both organically and
through acquisitions remains”, said
Ulrik Bengtsson.
LeoVegas share and now welcome
almost 30,000 new shareholders.”
Notable new investors in the Malta
licensed gaming giant include Catella,
Handelsbanken, Swedbank Robur,
Carnegie Asset Management, Keel
Capital, Fonden Alcur and AMF
Fonder.
Mattingley, who had been the
executive chairman since 13th May
2015, became a non-executive
chairman.
Gaming Innovation Group
acquired Delta Markets for
€4.2 million
MARCH 2016
Gaming Innovation Group (GIG),
an international internet gaming
company, negotiated an agreement
to obtain the assets of Delta Markets;
a Dutch based affiliate networking
company founded in 2015.
888 Holdings appointed
Itai Frieberger as new CEO
One of the leading gaming
companies, 888 Holdings, appointed
Itai Frieberger as their new CEO in
March.
LeoVegas public offering
met huge interest
The mobile gaming giant, LeoVegas,
generated huge interest from Swedish
and international investors when it got
listed on Nasdaq First North Premier
in Stockholm on March 17th.
Commenting on the IPO’s huge
success, Gustaf Hagman and Robin
Ramm-Ericson, co-founders of
LeoVegas, said: “Not even five years
have passed since that spring evening
when the concept for the mobile
gaming company LeoVegas was born.
We are happy about the extremely
strong interest to invest in the
In the agreement it is confirmed
that GIG will be paying a premium
of €4.2 million ($4.6 million) for the
acquisition, 30% of which will be
settled through new GIG shares,
amounting to 4,336,314.
Frieberger was promoted from the
position of chief operating officer,
which he had held since April 2011. In
May 2015 he joined the 888 Holdings
board.
Robin Reed, founder and chief
executive officer of GIG, declared:
“This acquisition will make Innovation
Labs the local leader for referring
paying users in the highly sought
after and soon-to-be regulated Dutch
casino market.”
Chairman Brian Mattingley
commented: “Itai is admired
throughout the online gaming industry
and has been instrumental in the
company’s development in recent
years. He is therefore, without doubt,
the natural choice to take 888 further
forward in the rapidly growing online
gaming market.”
“Innovation Labs has proven to
increase organic growth when bolting
on individual assets to our core
referral platform. We are continuing
to build out our distribution channel
for the top performing brands in the
industry, and look forward to deliver
even more quality online resources
for end-users.”
Meet Anthony, Sophie and Jarek
Shortly after dust settled on
SiGMA15 last November,
we felt it was the right
time to invest and grow
the show into a landmark,
international event. Serious
growth requires a talented
and motivated team and
we couldn’t be happier to
engage Anthony, Sophie and
Jarek. Anthony brings with
him a wealth of experience
in business development,
specifically in gaming. Sophie
and Jarek will be handling
all sales, marketing and
reservations.
Anthony Medica
Business Development
[email protected]
(+44) 7701 301 206
Skype: anthony.medica1
Sophie Crouzet
Sales
[email protected]
(+356) 7777 3092
Skype: s.crouzet
Jarek Górny
Reservations
[email protected]
(+356) 7777 3092
Skype: j.gorny
013
SiGMA | SEO Meet Up
SEO MEETUP
We’re proud to have
sponsored this
networking event - a
loosely organised meetup
for SEO professionals.
We met on a cool day
in February at Compass
Lounge, Sliema Front,
for a drink to share
experiences and chat
about the latest trends.
We look forward to more
events like this. hats off
to the folks behind SEO
Meetup.
014
SEO Meet Up | SiGMA
015
WE INVEST
IN OUR PEOPLE.
WWW.TIPICO-CAREERS.COM
Hot Jobs
UX Specialist
HR Business Partner
Data Scientist
FrontEnd Architect
Software QA Engineer
THE SECOND YEAR OF TIPICO CAREERS
Last year, the Malta-based German
company Tipico launched a new
employment opportunities website
called www.tipico-careers.com
through its subsidiary Tipico Careers.
First had a chat with Tipico Careers
brand manager Thomas Mahoney
about the website’s development and
how it is aimed at today’s dynamic
jobseeker.
With its headquarters at the
Portomaso Business Tower in St
Julian’s, Tipico offers a wide range
of pre-live and live sports betting
products delivered through cuttingedge mobile and online channels as
well as through a top-class portfolio
of approximately 1,000 retail outlets,
predominantly in Germany.
our work, which is all about acquiring
top talent and investing in our
workforce,” says Thomas Mahoney,
who is in charge of the Careers
brand.
The Tipico Careers site introduces
newcomers to the company with
a very innovative motion graphic
animation called: ‘What’s in it for you
at Tipico’ showing the company’s
history, its position within the German
market, its premium partner and
the benefits one would enjoy when
joining the organisation.
Another video available on www.
tipico-careers.com shows Tipico’s
high-end offices based in the iconic
Portomaso business tower, with an
amazing view of the Mediterranean.
One of the key drivers behind Tipico’s
growth is that it is an organisation
that attracts young people with great
tech skills, business understanding
and an international outlook. This is
why Malta was chosen as the hub for
European operations because it offers
a business-friendly environment with
access to well-educated staff – both
local and international.
Whenever possible, the company
employs local talent, but some jobs
are snapped up by people who
make Malta their new home. And
it is for these that the website also
features an introductory video to
Malta’s gems, gorgeous locations, the
island’s culture, beaches and nightlife
in the ‘Why Malta?’ section.
“Like the company, the Tipico Careers
website is young, fun, innovative,
intelligent and engaging. It reflects
“These days it’s all about attracting
people and engaging them with
initiatives through a multitude of
Data Architect
instant and effective social media
tools available on people-preferred,
often hand-held devices. These
include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram, Pinterest, Sykpe, Google+,
Skype, Whatsapp, Xing and many
others platforms,” Mahoney says.
“At Tipico we very much believe that
such tools are the way forward in
terms of communication and we feel
that they will take over the previous
and current generation of online
communication tools as we know
them today. We enjoy using social
media platforms to keep people
updated with what the brand has to
offer by engaging users via pictures,
videos and related approaches.”
tipico-careers.com
NETENT PRESENTS
©2016 AUTHENTIC HENDRIX LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Education | SiGMA
www.igacademy.com
Educating the Industry:
Gaming in 2016
BY JAime Debono
Director, iGaming Academy
“Fast forward to today and we can fortunately say that the concept of an
educational centre in Malta specifically addressing the needs of the Gaming industry
has become a reality”
So what is the next step in maintaining growth with
obstacles such as competing markets and multi-jurisdiction
license requirements?
One area in which we have identified significant demand and
vacuum is within the workforce, the backbone of the gaming
industry, and its operators. The companies require specific
knowledge-rich roles, and previous gaming experience is
often a requisite for many positions. This restricts locals
and expats, already residing in Malta, from tapping into
current and emerging employment opportunities and drives
company talent acquisition efforts outside Malta’s talent pool.
Which begs the question, how do we bridge this gap?
We decided to explore this need early in 2015 and found
out that not only were locals looking for a potential gateway
into gaming jobs through education but more importantly,
the operators themselves needed to train their staff on
gaming specific and compliance topics as part of their
license requirement. This led to the formation of the iGaming
Academy which initially offered introductory courses for
candidates exploring careers within the gaming industry.
Fast forward to today and we can fortunately say that
the concept of an educational centre in Malta specifically
addressing the needs of the Gaming industry has become a
reality. Over 40 leading gaming companies with collectively
over 5000 employees entrust us with the task of training
their staff to industry exacting standards. Our training
programmes have been developed in collaboration with
topic-specific experts currently employed in leading roles
within the industry.
It goes without saying that the Gaming industry has had
a significant impact on the Maltese economy with over
8,000 employees working within this market in Malta.
‘The Land-based casinos and remote gaming companies
together contribute more than €52 million a year directly
to the national economy in the form of company taxes’
[Malta Gaming Authority] and ‘approximately 10-12 per cent
contribution to Malta’s GDP’ [Gaming Malta, 2015]. Malta
has clearly set a benchmark with business incentives and a
moderate cost of living when compared to other EU states.
The iGaming Academy today offers over 15 gaming specific
online and face-to-face courses covering topics such as AntiMoney Laundering (AML), Responsible Gaming, Information
Security, PCI DSS Compliance and Introduction to iGaming,
Online Sportsbook & Casino Management, Anti-Fraud &
Payments Handling, Customer Relationship Management,
Affiliate Management, Social Media Marketing, SEO and
Customer Analytics.
019
SiGMA | Cover Story
A Love
Affair
with
I.T. & Mathematics
From representing Malta at
the International Olympiads in
Informatics (IOI) back in the 90s to
shaping Bit8 into the truly global
player iT iS today, Angelo Dalli’s
love for I.T., mathematics and
entrepreneurship is loud and clear.
SiGMA met with this inspiring CEO to
find out more about the journey
and his plans for the future.
020
Cover Story | SiGMA
Your offices are situated in the
beautiful surroundings of Ta’ Xbiex, in
the heart of the gaming industry. How
important has this been for the growth
of your business?
Choosing the right location for your
business is a very important decision
to make, as it has a direct impact on
the quality of work-life for employees,
the impression that we make on our
visitors, and in general the overall
image of the company as a whole. We
have chosen to invest heavily in the
Ta’ Xbiex and Gżira areas, building a
state of the art energy efficient office
block that was purposely designed to
accommodate the needs of fast growing,
high technology companies like Bit8.
Currently we are also building a second,
larger office block that will be provide
more than three times the current
capacity of our building, enabling us to
hit our growth plans. The pleasant and
secure working environment, with good
infrastructure and beautiful surroundings
nearby, is constantly being improved
in collaboration with the relevant local
councils, enabling us to be more efficient
and have a happier workforce in return.
By the end of next year we will have
secured over 7,000 square meters of
high quality office space spread over
two buildings adjacent to each other,
which aids in fuelling our growth in
the right manner. We have also shown
long term commitment to improving our
surroundings by encouraging the use of
healthier alternatives to private vehicle
transport, promoting green energy and
waste recycling schemes; we have even
been nominated for the prestigious
Mies van de Rohe architectural award
for our offices, due to the detail and
quality we have put in into our design,
infrastructure, and eco-friendly features
that reflect our philosophy of quality and
innovation. These values are reflected in
everything that we do, from the products
and solutions that we offer to the
partnerships and alliances that we have
built over the years.
How long have you been in the
business? Has it always been gaming?
Or was Bit8 a transition from other
sectors? How many people are
currently employed with Bit8?
I have been working in the IT industry
for over 22 years, and have had the
pleasure of being involved in various
different industries ranging from
enterprise business systems, intelligent
transport systems, search technology,
big data analysis and of course, gaming.
Bit8 sprang up from our conviction
that the platform should be a source
of competitive advantage, not just a
glorified transaction processing system.
Together with my two co-founders, Keith
Galea and Brian Fenech, we set up
the company and proceeded to gather
input from over 50 different country
and product managers in the industry.
In this manner, the Bit8 platform ended
up being highly relevant to the whole
spectrum of gaming operators, ranging
from small ones to large Tier 1 operators.
Bit8 was, in a way, a logical evolution
rather than transition, from other
companies that I was working with in the
gaming industry. We have grown over
time, having had two external funding
rounds, from a small team made up of a
handful of extremely competent people
to a team that is rapidly exceeding 80
people in size.
Tell us a bit more about the global
alliance with Intralot. How did it all
start? What made Bit8 so attractive to
the likes of giants Intralot?
Bit8 is attractive to giant organisations
like Intralot due to its availability of a
superior, best-in-class platform that
supported a wide range of gaming
verticals, and that is supported by an
innovative roadmap and solid business
model, while backed up with a solid
team of professionals.
We have found a very good fit and
strategic global partner with the Intralot
Group. As a very well-established global
player, Intralot will be collaborating
with Bit8 on a variety of products
and services, including both online
and land-based operators who want
to take their business online. A wide
range of products, such as advanced
player account management, loyalty
management systems, lottery and
sportsbook verticals as well as other
products are being enhanced and
developed between Bit8 and the
Intralot Group. These will be rolled out
worldwide in over 50 countries over the
space of the next few years, giving Bit8
the global reach necessary to achieve
our goals of becoming a global player.
Bit8 has already started delivering
exciting projects together with Intralot
in different parts of the world, including
Europe, Australia, Asia, and South
America, dealing with large state
organisations and national lotteries.
Our global alliance represents the
chance for us to leverage Intralot’s
expertise in the global market and
combine it with Bit8’s expertise in the
online gaming industry and our superior
platform and innovative technology.
For Bit8, partnering with Intralot was
a strategic, deliberate choice that
we made from a number of possible
alliances that we could have made. As
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SiGMA | Cover Story
a company, we wanted to have a global alliance partner that
helps us achieve the necessary scale and global reach for
our products and services, while enabling us to inject our
innovative sprit, nimbleness, and depth of expertise in online
gaming by growing as fast as possible.
Will you remain at the helm of Bit8 for years to come? Is
the company going through a phase of acquisition?
Bit8 has evolved as a company over the years, with subtle
shifts in the direction of our focus and also slight tweaks in
strategy over time. We are going through an exciting phase
of growing from a European-focused company to a truly
global company that operates across multiple continents,
not just countries, and that needs to offer a complete 24/7
service anywhere on the planet. This is an exciting transition
that requires a re-tooling of the skillset needed within the
company, and a general re-structuring of the company to
build up the foundations – human resources, processes
and infrastructure - to support operations on a much larger
scale than we have done before. I am excited to be leading
this process of transition at the helm and intend to continue
doing so, seeing Bit8 achieve its goal of becoming a global
company.
I have always focused on continuous
and incremental improvements while
ensuring that there is a sound overall
strategy behind our company
and business. The main reason
for success is our focus on
providing real added value to
our customers, ensuring that
we invest in real innovation,
research, and development
while also personally taking
an action-oriented approach.
We believe that actions speak
louder than words – and
prefer to have team members
who are implementers and get
whatever needs to be done
executed in the fastest and most
acceptable manner. Our company
has been described aptly as
providing a blueprint for the future –
a future where agile teams achieve a
lot in a lean fashion.
Regarding acquisitions, we are not currently
looking into any form of acquisition in the short
term, although we can never rule out opportunities that may
present themselves from time to time, especially to increase
our reach and operational resources faster than we can grow
them organically.
Most of your operation is based in Malta, still. Moving
forward, with Intralot’s new partnership, it is assumed you
will be recruiting more and more developers and other
non-technical staff. How feasible it is to maintain all your
operation in Malta? Is Malta’s educational system providing
the suitable workforce needed to join this working
environment? How tempting is it to relocate part of the
operation to other jurisdictions with cheaper wages, such
as in many East-European states?
Currently, we are experiencing a lack of available trained
people in our home country of Malta, which while auguring
well for Malta’s economy due to low unemployment, places
rather strict constraints on the amount and rate of growth
that we can achieve. Due to the excellent job mobility
opportunities offered in the EU, we have partially alleviated
this constraint by relocating people from all over Europe, and
currently we have more than 12 nationalities represented
within our company. We are looking at increasing the size of
Bit8 this year by over 25% and possibly up to 50% growth in
headcount by the end of 2016. The sheer scale of the global
022
opportunities that we currently have has created a large
amount of career opportunities to work with Bit8, for both
technical staff like developers, quality assurance, business
analysis, operational, infrastructural and technical support
staff, opportunities for experienced management who want
a serious growth challenge that is not typically easy to find
in Malta, and also other non-technical staff like sales and
account management that help us offer a complete service
and solution.
We have invested a lot of in building up our Malta operations,
and are already working on adding more physical space to
support our growth, with room for an additional 150 people
in Malta that should see through our projected growth for the
next two years.
Malta’s educational system is generally of a high standard,
although the quality of technical education has gone down
slightly in the last decade, due to the pressure of having to
introduce shorter tertiary level courses that force educators
to spend less time training our future workforce. In the
short term this is a sensible strategy, however the downside
of this strategy is that there has been an overall
lowering of the quality of people available
locally who are technically skilled. There
are numerous measures being taken
to address this, however the only
real solution is to attract more local
students to study technical subjects
that are relevant such as software
development, ICT courses,
business and computing
courses, mathematics, statistics,
and so on. The gaming
industry in Malta, together with
other industries that depend
heavily on technical skills,
provide excellent employment
opportunities that are rather
unprecedented.
The overall cost of running
operations like Bit8 from Malta
has risen considerably, mostly due
to increases in human labour costs.
Being a B2B operator, we are a more
stable company than B2C operators, yet
our business model is closer to a traditional
software development company. The shortage
of human resources in Malta leads to unnecessary
competition for resources – which while probably good
for employees in the short term – is making Malta rather
uncompetitive when compared to countries like those in
Eastern Europe, where the educational system is also good
yet human resource costs are a fraction of those in Malta. As
a company, we do now run part of our technical development
outside of Malta with a development office in Bulgaria that
is also experiencing rapid growth. The sheer volume and
availability of appropriate technical staff in such countries,
coupled with the lower overall costs, do make it attractive for
fast growth companies such as ours to seek out to expand
by opening offices in other countries. Our next aim is to grow
by opening an office in Asia and South America and we are
already looking at different options that enable us to offer a
24/7 offering using local resources around the globe.
Having said that, Bit8 is firmly committed to continue
expanding its operations in Malta, having built up one of the
most successful IT company that is also one of the fastest
ever growing. We have recently received the Best B2B
application Award from the Malta Communications Authority,
which underlines our strength as not just a gaming platform
company, but as a quality software development company in
general.
Moving forward, where are we expected to see Bit8? In
how many jurisdictions do you currently operate? And
what is the timeline for the next 2, 5, 8 years?
We envisage that Bit8 will become a truly global player in
the gaming industry, servicing both online and land-based
quality operators while building up the world’s most superior
platform. We are adding more than 6 new jurisdictions this
year and our aim is to have most of the world’s significant
jurisdictions added to our operations within the next two and
a half to three years.
Bit8 is also changing strategy significantly to become more
focused and offer more options on lottery content, building
upon the strengths of our platform and our global alliances.
In 5 years I envisage that our transition to a global status
would be complete, and that will see the transformation of
the team, processes, and services to reflect this over the
coming years as we grow onwards and move upwards!
Unfortunately I cannot predict much about an 8 year
timeframe – but I do see that Bit8 will have a dominant
position in certain niches in the industry, like lottery products
for the online gaming industry and the use of artificial
intelligence to make operators work smarter, not harder.
We view ourselves as leaders in these fields, as it has not
been our style to copy whatever the industry is doing,
but rather create new opportunities for ourselves through
innovative thinking. We have seen that over the years
various platform startups have been launched, partially also
due to our example of success, with some flattering us by
trying to emulate different features in our platform and even
adopting some of our well known catchphrases, which we
take as compliments to our success. Naturally, we will not sit
on our laurels and are aware that in this industry we need to
adapt quickly and remain nimble enough for us to spot new
opportunities and make the most of them whenever it makes
sense within our founding vision.
You have been involved in the industry for a long time,
since its inception in Malta with various companies both in
and outside gaming. How has this experience impacted the
overall success of the business?
The benefit of having over 22 years of experience in the
IT industry, with over 10 of them in the gaming industry,
is that it provides a long term perspective on what can
possibly work, what probably won’t work, and what trends
are potential winners. In Malta, I have been involved in the
gaming industry since the very beginning of the remote
gaming industry, when the Malta Gaming Authority (then
known as the LGA) was set up. Way back then, gaming was
regarded differently from the way it is being considered
nowadays, with fewer people involved in the industry
and definitely fewer Maltese that were somehow linked
to the initial companies that setup in Malta. As a result of
the overwhelming success of Malta as one of the premier
gaming jurisdictions, we are now faced with a different mix
of people who participate or are somehow linked to the
industry. This has made it easier for us to explain what Bit8
does to a local audience, and there is an appreciation of the
benefits that the gaming industry has brought to Malta.
The overall experience in the IT industry, both from a
technical and business point of view, has also proven to be
invaluable, especially in the practical experience gained in
raising funds for multiple businesses, growing them, and in
some cases, exiting successfully (including exits on stock
exchanges around the world). This kind of experience can
only be learnt through action and practice – and a few
failures dispersed among the successes – from which you
learn, adapt, and emerge in a better position than before.
Cover Story | SiGMA
On a more personal level, tell us a bit more about your
love for IT, mathematics. Which of the two is at heart – IT
or entrepreneurship? Tell us some of your foibles, your fun
stories growing up. Tell us also something about your own
personal journey – you obtained your PhD at a relatively
young age.
I have always enjoyed IT and the underlying mathematics
and computer science behind it; science in all its forms
has always attracted me from a very young age. My initial
introduction to computers was at a time when technology
itself was not so advanced – amber monochrome screens,
floppy disks, and processors that are probably now slower
than your average air-conditioning unit processor were the
norm. Learning how to develop computer code in those
times presented challenges in terms of the resources
available – which paradoxically forced you to focus on writing
elegant code that performs fast. The constraints that you
were faced with are virtually unimaginable today, although on
the other hand, you have a lot of new, fast-paced technology
that needs constant catching up with. By remaining active
in the field and staying close to the technology, you can
indeed keep updated of new developments in IT, yet the
computer science foundations at the base remain relatively
unchanged. I caught my bug for entrepreneurship in my early
teenage years, when I realised that you can actually earn
money by selling software – money which I promptly spent
on teenage stuff at the time. Later on I became wiser, started
saving some of that money and gained more life and work
experience than most of my peers had done, which helped
kick start my entrepreneurial career.
One of the early events in my life that cemented my love for
IT, mathematics and problem solving was my participation
in the International Olympiads in Informatics (IOI), which is
the equivalent of the Olympics for nerds, where the term
‘nerd’ is used as a compliment! This was way back in 1995,
and at the time there was very little training available in
Malta for anyone at that level – so I had to train using largely
Eastern European sources at that time and also solve a lot
of problems on my own at home. Every country sent a small
team of four students who represented it on an individual
basis, accompanied by two adults. I clearly remember our
briefing before flying out where we listened to the usual
approach of “the thing that matters is to participate” – which
was statistically true, as Malta had never won in any such
contest. I like to play to win – so I had replied “the thing that
matters is to win”, which was met by rather sceptical looks.
The event itself was held in the Netherlands, and took place
over two gruelling days solving three different problems
each day, for a total of six problems, while being marked
using automated tests, which in 1995 was almost unheard
of. On the second day, I managed to score a perfect score
on one of the problems which secured my position in the
overall rankings, and much to the surprise of our team leads,
I managed to win a bronze medal, the first ever that Malta
has ever won in an Olympics level event.
I have always believed that to excel at a skill you need to
perfect it and dedicate yourself to honing all that you had
learnt up to that point. For this reason, I read for my Ph.D. in
Search Engine technology in the UK at a young age – after
having previously completed an M.Sc. in Malta. The whole
experience of achieving the journey of obtaining a doctoral
degree was thoroughly enjoyable, despite the years of hard
work and research that you have to put into it. After three
years, I ended up with over 22 peer reviewed publications
and a lot of experience in presenting that still serves me well
to this day. Going to live abroad also helped me gain further
independence, which I recommend to anyone, especially
those with an entrepreneurial streak. I have always believed
that having a good foundation early on helps form a person’s
character in the right way, and keeping an open mind to
interesting new opportunities and developments ensures a
fresh and innovative approach throughout.
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026
Malta | SiGMA
Maltese EntrepreneurS
Fuelling the iGaming Industry
SiGMA met with six, young Maltese entrepreneurs to find out how they
benefitted from a solid presence of online gaming business in Malta.
027
SiGMA | Malta
Kristoff Zammit Ciantar
Nikolai Livori
Age: 37
Years in your industry: 15
Years in the igaming industry: 5
Number of employees: 16
Age: 31
Tell us a bit what your company does?
InFusion Solutions is an IT consultancy and experienced solution
provider. We offer a flexible approach with years of experience in
business analysis and technical architecture. The modular and easy to
use solutions that we provide are further enhanced by both technical
infrastructure and human resources.
Yobetit was founded in 2012 by igaming veterans and data mining
experts and has been operational since 2014 with Yobetit Surebets;
a browser based sports trading platform. In 2016, Yobetit Sports was
launched using the same proprietary technology which helps offer
unbeatable prices on select markets.
Head quartered in Malta and with offices in Spain and representation
in UK and Ireland, the company is today part of Mizzi Organisation,
one of Malta’s largest leading group of companies. We are proud to
have a portfolio of clients that include Bank of Valletta – Malta’s largest
local bank, Medserv Group of Companies, Forbes Fone, the Malta
Stock Exchange, the Malta Gaming Authority and international gaming
companies such as Betsson.
Tell us a bit about the product / service you are offering to the
gaming industry?
The Yobetit Surebets utilises the mathematical phenomenon known
as arbitrage which can be found in any type of trading. Our members
make a profit regardless of the outcome by placing two or more bets
simultaneously. Our engine scans the global odds market and not only
creates exclusive Surebets but also highly competitive prices through
the Yobetit Sports product. We are still working to expand that even
further with Unbeatable Odds, Last Minute Deals and Bargain Bet
Bundles.
Infusion – Solution Provider
gaming industry?
InFusion have developed a number of powerful and bespoke solutions
for the gaming industry, one of which includes FlexiTe. FlexiTe (Flexible
Taxonomy Engine) is an advanced real-time business intelligence tool
that maximises the value of Big Data and allows for the analysis of
patterns and behaviour making the solution completely tailored to your
needs. This tool will help present the information that the clients want
to see, before they know that they want to see it!
How did you adapt to the gaming industry?
FlexiTe was tailored in such a way that it offers real time reporting
of the data the igaming industry needs, such as spending pattern
and budget, which in turn helps to understand the game that will be
chosen beforehand.
Furthermore, having this real time data would allow the site to present
the right game to the right persona. One would want to present low
threshold games to low-budget users to be able to let them play for
as long as possible. On the other hand the high threshold games are
instantly presented to the high-budget users so that they can maximise
their winnings.
Any suggestions for budding entrepreneur out there?
Having an understanding of the industry, both IT & Web solutions
as well as gaming. Once you understand both markets, developing
a tailor made solution for them becomes easier. You also need a lot
of patience and trial and error. You not only need to keep up to date
with what the industry needs but also what the industry might need
tomorrow.
Yobetit – Solution Provider
It wasn’t as much about tailoring our services to the industry, it
was a matter of passion and experience coming together. I am a
mathematician by education, and a creator at heart. Working for over
a decade in the igaming industry, you can’t help but notice a lack
of differentiation and innovation. Yobetit Surebets enabled me to
bring together mathematics, data mining and igaming. The concept
of arbitrage is nothing new but it had not yet been applied in a
bookmaking fashion as Yobetit always takes one side. Funding and
audience has not been an issue, I think the main barriers we faced
was communicating our business model to regulators and other third
parties. With an innovative model, it is essential to be concise and
keep it simple.
1: Find a niche, 2: Be bold.
In hindsight, Surebets was quite an ambitious product however it did
target a niche and that’s where it all began. Most of the startups or
fairly new igaming companies choose to focus on one area and do
that really well, for example mobile or social. You have to find a way
to stand out because the industry is saturated, particular in certain
markets. There are many ways to enter the industry, and a myriad of
suppliers, so solid research and benchmarking is crucial. You should
partner only with those that share the same vision as you or share the
excitement about your business model.
.
028
Malta | SiGMA
Steven Grech
Adrian Sciberras
Age: 36
Age: 36
YakoCasino.com is an online casino, offering players from Sweden,
Norway, Finland, Central Europe and other markets the chance to
play their favourite slots, table games and live casino games from
the industry’s top game providers - NetEnt, Evolution Gaming,
MicroGaming, NYX and PlayNGO - in a vibrant and unique casino
experience.
Fairwinds Management Limited together with Accounting Services
Ltd and A+A Assurance Services Ltd, are a company formation and
administration specialist offering a wide range of corporate and
financial services. Our main services include but are not limited to
forming Malta companies but also foreign jurisdictions, and all related
services that a company brings along: company secretary service,
book-keeping, administration, VAT returns, payroll, accounting and
audits. Our setup is particular, in the sense that we are split in three
different team - three different companies, but we operate as one
single entity, under the same roof to provide a complete range of
fully functional business operation services for our customers. Our
collaboration and vicinity, and out young and dynamic team allows us
to serve the client in all his business needs in an efficient manner. We
believe that through the combined efforts of our staff, the diversity
of skills they bring to the table, as well as the customer oriented
methodology which we hold, our group can achieve the client’s
objectives faster and more effectively.
Yako Casino – Operator
gaming industry?
YakoCasino launched as a mobile-first design with personalisation
at the core of our product proposition. The brand name “Yako”
comes from Swahili and means “Your”, so YakoCasino translates to
YourCasino. We wanted to offer casino players a distinctive casino
product that places them at the centre of everything that we do,
be it product, marketing and customer support with the aim of
personalising every player’s experience. Personalisation isn’t just a
buzzword at YakoCasino, we pride ourselves on data-driven-design
and data-driven-marketing, with the aim of giving our players the best
customer experience possible no matter what device they’re using.
Our personalisation engine was built in partnership with Everymatrix
and it tracks what customers play across their mobile and PC devices
and recommends games based on their gameplay preferences in
their “My Casino Lobby”. For example, if a player plays different
games on their mobile device to their desktop, they will see different
recommendations across their devices; recommendations such as
“top picks for you”, “because you played Jack and the Beanstalk”,
“Favourite games” and “Games that are trending now” on their chosen
device. Here’s what a few of our players had to say about YakoCasino:
“This is a brilliant online casino. Very easy to use and navigate around
the pages. I’m very happy I joined this casino. Thank you.” “A good
site which is not too busy. Some casino sites have too much stuff on
their site so it will be difficult to find games and so on. Your menu is
perfect. What’s more than perfect are your fast withdrawals!!!”. “I have
found your site different and highly entertaining. I will be happy to start
recommending you to my friends.”
With YakoCasino’s unique brand proposition, the opportunity lay in
creating a product that was different in terms of design and offering
to what was already available in the igaming market, however with
this opportunity came great challenges, such as finding a platform
with an open and flexible enough API that could run our custom built
front-end and execute our personalisation strategy. We found this
partner in EveryMatrix. Our aim here was to hide any complexities
away from the users’ experience ending up with an intuitive and clean
user interface. Given my background is in digital, having worked in the
UK for over 10 years leading user experience design and development
projects across multiple industries for companies such as Nokia,
The Economist, Universal Music, D-Link, Channel 4, Eurotunnel and
Credit Suisse; I took learnings from these different industries and
applied them to YakoCasino giving our product a unique twist when
comparing it to all the other online casinos out there. Given that we
haven’t yet completed our first year, there’s a lot more that we will do
for YakoCasino – personalisation needs robust data and time whilst a
great product always needs to be tested and tweaked. We’ll get there!
Fairwinds Management –Corporate Services
gaming industry?
Mostly, and firstly, it’s the company formation that attracts customers
from the igaming industry. Many foreign igaming clients and affiliate
companies or individuals, relocate to Malta for tax benefit and we are
here to tailor a package suitable to cover their needs.
Business advisory and tax planning are core to our services as it all
revolves around the fact that we offer the best solution for the client,
depending on their needs, income, and targets. Once this step is
done, ancillary services become part of the package we offer to our
clients.
The igaming industry in Malta certainly bought with it a lot of
opportunities for everyone. Malta, combined with competitive tax
rates, and an overall high quality of life, made it attractive to many, but
once accountants and other corporate services providers understood
the needs and requirements for them, this also brought along a lot of
competition, which in my opinion is tough but mostly healthy. Adding
value to our services, and building relationships which high demand
clients was a challenge at first, which certainly helped our setup to
grow and expand our services.
Certainly, I would go for it, there are a lot of opportunities out there for
everyone. At the moment Malta is offering a lot of openings to locals
and foreigners to invest, grow and succeed so we should all make the
most of it. With a good focused mind, dedication and determination,
one is able to grow his or her own business and career effortlessly.
If you have a good idea, brand and a product that differentiates itself
from the rest, then I would say go for it. There’s plenty of room for
innovative products in the igaming industry whether you want to set
out as an operator or a supplier.
029
SiGMA | Talent
Jaime Debono
Jonathan Caruana
Age: 28 Years in your industry: 8
Number of employees:
7 operational staff + 15 trainers
Age: 30
The iGaming Academy provides ready to roll out courses that have
been developed in line with the regulatory requirements and training
needs of Casino and iGaming companies within many jurisdictions –
such as UK (UKGC), Malta (MGA) and US (NJDGE).
Tell us a bit in detail what your company does?
SMSwarriors offers all the required tools to use SMS marketing in
your marketing mix. It offers an intuitive, easy-to-use interface which
allows users to send bulk SMS to their contacts. Furthermore it offers
an extensive API, allowing seamless integration with other systems,
making it super easy for companies to send SMS, triggered at certain
events.
iGaming Academy – Training
Our online and face-to-face courses cover topics such as Anti-Money
Laundering, Responsible Gaming, Information Security, PCI DSS
Compliance, Introduction to iGaming, Online Sportsbook & Casino
Management, Anti-Fraud & Payments Handling, Affiliate Management,
Customer Relationship Management, Social Media Marketing and
Client Analytics.
We are currently delivering training to over 5000 employees within
companies such as Betclic Everest Group, Stanleybet, VideoSlots, Betit
Group, LeoVegas, Bear Group, Winners Group, Skybet UK, Evolution
Gaming, ComeOn, Mr. Green, Pala (US) who have taken up our training
services not only to satisfy regulators but also enhance internal staff
knowledge and awareness.
gaming industry?
The iGaming Academy offers a unique product to the industry in
the form of training dedicated to the needs and requirements of the
industry. We provide a suite of training courses in the Compliance,
Operational, Marketing and Analytical aspects of the gaming industry,
which are created and delivered by industry professionals with years
of experience, both in their fields and within gaming. Furthermore, our
training can be delivered in several different formats, to suit the needs
of the client – face-to-face, e-learning or a blended version of the two.
We also develop bespoke content to suit any company’s needs.
The content of our courses is provided by our trainers, our partners
and our course sponsors. Our trainers are all industry experts
with years of experience in their respective fields and of course
their individual topics. Our partners and course sponsors, leading
companies from the gaming industry, provide content and on
occasions have even provided the trainers on topics that they
specialize in. Our vision was always to provide the industry with a
service that did not exist, and as such we focus our content and our
delivery to the requirements and standards of the gaming industry.
What opportunities and barriers did you face along the way?
We found a real need in the industry for the services we provide, and
as the company was created to focus on the needs of the iGaming
market, the way in which we work is adjusted to the style of the
industry. Being based in Malta is of course also a benefit, as we
already had relationships with many of our clients prior to the IGA
being formed. A challenge we faced was instilling the importance of
training within an industry which did not already have a dedicated
training offering. When it comes to the needs of the industry, our
approach of working with industry experts when developing our
content and even partnering with clients to create new courses is
aimed at addressing these needs directly and comprehensively.
Yes, although the gaming industry is a competitive sector, from my
experience I have never seen such as openness to collaboration –
gaming operators and service providers are very willing to work with
new starters and brands, if they feel their product and/or service is
unique and complements their own business goals and visions.
030
SMSwarriors – Solution Provider
gaming industry?
Many bulk email marketing tools are available on the market, but
sms marketing tools on par with these email platforms are quite rare.
SMSwarriors fills this gap. Sending personalised, bulk SMS has never
been easier. SMSwarriors has 2 main facets. The company offers an
easy to use platform free of charge; no license fees are required, as
well as an XML and HTTP API for developers to connect SMSwarriors
services to existing systems. The SMSwarriors platforms allows users
to import existing data from excel and csv format, and map the data
to standard and custom fields. Custom fields allow gaming companies
to map non-standard fields to the system. These are then used to
filter data, in order to target the right players and audiences for the
SMS being sent. Automation tools include automatic Birthday SMS,
which are automatically scheduled every day to contacts who have
their birthday and automatic country code addition to lists which don’t
have numbers with country codes. SMSwarriors has a powerful engine
under the bonnet which is able to processes hundreds of thousands of
SMS in a way that the SMSes do not overload any network.
SMSwarriors was born with the igaming industry in mind, therefore
the process to target this industry was a more natural one. Every
little detail counts. The igaming industry is a less formal industry,
but requires specific needs that need to be satisfied in order for a
business to be successful. Informality starts from the routes of the
company – the name! Other informalities include using less corporate
words for SMS package names, as well as using fun graphics in the
marketing material and website. These go well with the informality and
the fun-factor that the industry globally offers. On the other hand, the
marketing message had to be clear and concise, making it clear what
SMSwarriors is bringing to the industry. Complex pricing structures
were avoided, and easy to use platforms as well as flexibility to
integrate the system to existing ones was crucial. SMSwarriors offers
an easy three tier pricing structure with flat rates internationally, as
well as an extensive API which allows igaming companies to integrate
SMSwarriors with their current business model without major changes.
Of course, knowledge of how the igaming industry works was crucial
in the process, and we had to create a marketing plan that targeted
these needs. For example, SMS can be used to increase retention of
dormant or inactive players, as well as to incentivise winning players to
play more thus reducing their global winning.
Knowledge of how the igaming industry works is crucial. Get to know
as much as possible about this industry; it’s never enough! Most
companies and people in this industry are open minded and ready to
listen to new ideas and ways to increase business, but make sure that
the idea is well planned and every box is ticked, else you will easily be
put on the side-burner. You only get one shot!
Spigo ad SiGMA A4 2b.indd 1
22-09-2015 11:00:11
The Affiliate Program
Affiliate | SiGMA
From
Affiliate to
Operator:
Disruptive Trends
You Need to Know
033
SiGMA | Affiliate
Frank Ravanelli outlines some of the trends which will reshape eGaming and
Affiliate Marketing. To know more, make sure to attend the panel he will moderate
on the same subject.
Egaming is flourishing, because operators and affiliates
alike found smart ways to monetize generational and other
demographics trends. A new tide of game-changers is
coming soon, and it is here to stay and reshape the eGaming
world, for good. Here, we explore some of these trends.
Is the device the message?
Paraphrasing Marshall McLuhan: the device is the message.
Different types of devices, different models, etc. You need to
tailor your players’ experience to the interface they are using.
You need to give them access through multiple devices.
And be aware this is a two way communication: they type of
device the players use to access your site tells you quite a bit
about the UI you need to provide etc. If you cross-reference
the multiple devices used by the same customer, you may
also understand how much she/he invests in technology etc.
If I use fairly expensive devices to access your site, I am likely
more responsive to a VIP program than to two free spins...
When one plus one equals a Royal Flush
Virtual Reality has been coming and going for a while.
The ones of us who were avid gamers already in the mid
90s, may remember the excitement of playing Doom in
VR at gaming expos, through bulky headsets and other
peripherals, that never made to the consumer market... But
now VR is, well, a reality.
034
If – as a platform provider or an operator - you add the
immersive power of VR to the entertaining value of monetary
gaming, you may have won the jackpot. VR is not only a
way to access existing games, it also creates game flows
that would have not been possible – or interesting – if
experienced through a traditional monitor.
eGamifying the World
UK bookies have historically been ahead of the learning
curve, allowing bets on almost every possible event in life.
Now, technology allows to make every event “playable”
and entertaining. National lotteries can be played from
everywhere in the World, sometimes by getting agents
to buy physical tickets from the respective issuers and
sometimes with Companies who insure themselves to pay
winners if the magic winning numbers come out. Improved
risk-management and real-time, mobile UI (like in the case of
Daily Fantasy Sports) are making every event an opportunity
to play, if one so desires.
Your Company is where your heart is
eGaming has always been one the most globalized
industries. Licensing is done in Country A, eProcessing in
Country B, players’ support in Country C, and marketing in
Country D. While there are clear regulations for operators
about where Companies need to be located, affiliates
have quite a lot of flexibility in choosing the seat of their
Affiliate | SiGMA
“It’s safe to say that this event
exceeded expectations and
delegates are looking forward
to next year.”
Rebecca Liggero
CalvinAyre.com
business. This makes necessary to understand
the financial and legal consequences of
incorporating in one place, versus another.
And also of doing business as/with an
operator incorporated where rules are clear
and fair, like Malta for example, versus an
operator incorporated in other jurisdictions.
Making each transaction manageable, and
commissionable
Bitcoin is making cost-effective to accept
players’ small deposits and gaming
transactions. It is also making possible to
reward affiliates for such transactions. Both
things would have been impractical in a world
ruled by the monopoly of banks, with high
minimum fees. This is creating opportunities
for operators and especially brokers. Some
financial brokers are accepting mini-deposits
and mini-transactions, in order to grow their
Clients’ list. In return, affiliates are rewarded
for life on the total financial value of these
traders. Each individual transaction makes
little difference for the broker and the affiliate.
However, during a lifetime, such transactions
become a majorrevenue.
by it anyway. There is a wave of mergers
and acquisitions. It some cases, it will create
massive value for players and share-holders
(by having stronger financial resources to
give a better service and unique gaming
experience). In other cases, it will be just a
way to cover for lack of innovation (“cannot
grow organically, has money, will buy other
companies instead of thinking creatively”).
No matter the end result of the companies
involved in the M&A, the cost of entering
the industry to cater to the general market
is growing, even faster than usual. But there
are also growing opportunities to provide a
boutique gaming experience to those niches
that are too small for the new eGaming giants.
“SiGMA is an excellent
networking and knowledge
sharing opportunity for local
gaming operators, service
providers and other industry
players seeking to operate
in or from Malta. I believe
that events like SiGMA can
showcase Malta’s unique
attributes and strengthen our
position as a world class
gaming jurisdiction”
Joseph Cuschieri
Executive Chairman,
Malta Gaming Authority
These, and many more trends that you need
to consider to grow your business, will be
presented at SiGMA in November. M&A: great opportunities, and risk to mask
inertia
I am listing this trend as last, because unless
you are the CEO or on the Board of Directors
of a major eGaming company, there is little
you can do about this. But you will be affected
About the author:
Frank Ravanelli helps companies to grow their business through
Performance Marketing. He manages and grows the affiliate
programs of leading eGaming brands and eCommerce companies.
Frank will facilitate a panel about disruptive trends in affiliate
marketing, with leading experts in VR, BitCoin, DFS, and Binary at
SiGMA16
035
Online by nature,
felt like real
Reach out to your luck with EGT Interactive games.
Anywhere you go, anytime you want they will
bring exciting experience on the go.
EGT Interactive
Mobile: +359 882 12 18 85
[email protected]
http://egt-bg.com/en/interactive/online
Doing
Business in
MALTA
SiGMA met with Valery Bollier, Fantasy
Football platform Oulala’s CEO, to find out
more about the benefits of setting business
foot in Malta.
Photo by Vanina de Turckheim
037
037
SiGMA | Fantasy Sport
Eleven years ago you left France and moved to Malta in
order to launch a new venture. Since then, people have
often asked you; “Why Malta?” Can you tell us a bit more
about your story?
In 2005, I was the Marketing Manager and shareholder
of a team aiming to launch ZEturf, the first competitor of
the French horse racing monopoly. The first few years of
legal battles were to be expected due to the illegality of
competing within the state monopoly in France, despite
being legal in Europe. Our decision to go with Malta as the
base for ZEturf proved to be an excellent one when Malta
strongly supported our cause and backed us up. After five
years, following the reception of the Brussels commission’s
opinion on the matter, France finally opened its doors to the
competition. ZEturf’s current position, with more than 11% of
the French market, would not have been possible without
Malta’s constant and firm support by its side.
Thus, when Benjamin Carlotti and I decided to create Oulala
back in 2012, Malta was the reasonable choice without a
shred of doubt. My extensive knowledge of the advantages
of setting our start-up in Malta further reinforced my decision.
One of these advantages includes the break-even point of
Oulala that would have been 3.5 times higher had we set
our company up in our home country. As a result, Benjamin
moved to Malta and, together, we rolled up our sleeves and
began putting executing our business.
Choosing the right location is a strategic decision that can
have vital consequences on the future direction of the
business; and is not exclusive to the financial part of the
business plan. When launching a start-up, it is imperative
that one does not delegate an excess of energy over, for
instance, Kafkaesque administrative issues. Here in Malta,
we are able to focus on what matters the most for our startup
company, which is critical since the survival rate of startups is
dramatically low.
Additionally, one thing I have observed in Malta is how
carefully guided start-ups are, with the help of numerous
business incentives specifically implemented to aid them.
Within just a few years, Malta has built an efficient ecosystem
for digital start-ups. Business incentives come from various
official sources: Malta Enterprise, Takeoff business incubator
and the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small
Business, to mention a few.
Moreover, it is essential to have relatively easy access to
government officials and other important decision makers.
For instance, February 2014 saw the Maltese Minister for the
Economy, Investment and Small Business, Dr Chris Cardona
personally visit our office to inaugurate Oulala. We also work
closely with the Maltese regulator (MGA) to build a tailormade framework for our activity, with hopes that Malta will
soon be the first European country to offer a specific license
for skill games.
Digital Malta
In the worldwide race to attract start-ups, Malta has been
very pragmatic in building a number of strong competitive
advantages. Indeed, the overall system must sustain
continuous improvement; however I believe that Malta
should start directing its attention towards raising awareness
of the brand “Digital Malta” in the start-up world.
Similarly, I believe that Malta must utilise its successful
business partners to promote Malta abroad and attract
new companies from all over the world. Local startups can
be highly efficient ambassadors in promoting the local
ecosystem in exhibitions and fairs. This February, the
Maltese community was possibly one of the largest present
at ICE, the biggest iGaming conference in Europe. Despite
this, the lack of integration as well as the absence of visual
displays proving their pride within the Maltese industry
clearly resulted in a certain lack of unity. At Oulala, we have
038
always been willing to participate in events that involved the
promotion of Malta. It would be beneficial for Malta-based
start-ups to follow as such in order to further our common
interest in building an efficient local cluster.
Our recent presentation of Malta’s first technology
business incubator, known as TAKEOFF, brings innovators,
entrepreneurs, mentors and investorstogether. This program
is the perfect tool for technology and knowledge-based
entrepreneurs as well as start-ups striving to transform their
innovative ideas into market and investor-ready businesses.
Less visible factors that are vital for success include Malta’s
excellent education system and its modern and efficient
health system. Indeed, my son was born at Mater Dei
Hospital and I stood amazed by the outstandingquality
of service. Moreover, Maltese people appear to have an
incredibly positive vision of the future – most Maltese believe
that tomorrow will be better than today. As a startup, being
surrounded by such a positive atmosphere is crucial.
Selling dreams
Although lifestyle is not an entrepreneur’s primary concern
during the first few years of the start-up process, the
Maltese way of life helps attract young, talented people
from overseas. The first 20-50 employees are critical for any
company as they are the ones who build up the business
and must bring substantial value to the table. Recruitment,
however, proves to be a rather tough challenge for a start-up
that cannot offer promising salaries. Thus, being located in
Malta benefits the “human resources” strategy.
In total, we aim to employ 43 employees over the span of
three years. Our constant search for people with technical
skills and previous experience is coupled with our search
Fantasy Sport | SiGMA
investors. We have been able to raise more than €2.5 million in
investments to date from business organisations and business
angels from Africa, India, England and the United States,
including the Malta Enterprise and Google, which acknowledged
Oulala as one of the most innovative startup businesses of 2014.
Despite our satisfaction with the outcome of the first round of
funding, we would have saved a lot of time and energy had we
been able to do it locally.
On a positive note, two of our investors fell in love with Malta
during their meeting with us. In fact, one went on to purchase
an apartment here while the other has decided to move to Malta
permanently. In addition, more and more VC’s are now aware of
where Malta is on a map. With a good communication strategy,
Malta should be successful in attracting a good number of them
in the near future.
Supporting Malta in return
Without Malta’s help, there is a good chance that Oulala might
not even be around anymore, a fact that we are well aware of
and will never forget. Therefore, we actively promote Malta
wherever we go, as a gesture of our gratitude.
I believe that any
company that
receives government
funding to help their
launch, as it was in
our case, should in
turn be willing to help
inpromoting Malta as
a destination for the
next generation of
companies.
for talented students from
respectable EU universities and
invite them to Malta, to work in a fast-paced, multinational
environment. Start-ups that have not raised funds yet, should
keep in mind that countless internship and student exchange
programs in the EU involve students paid by Erasmus or
similar organisations.
Lack of local business investors
Conversely, a disadvantage for startups in Malta is the limited
access to funding. Currently, there are no active venture
capitalists (VCs) and very few business angels. This lack of
local business investors forces founders to look overseas
for sufficient fundraising; though it is possible to arrange
seed investments in Malta. The fact that investors want to
invest locally, or at least domestically, means that Maltese
companies trying to raise money abroad must overcome
much larger challenges than those in London or California.
The SIGMA pitch this November is a great initiative and I am
sure the feedback will be very positive because demand
from both sides is sky high. We know that there are business
angels and investors out there, not necessarily involved in
gaming, who are looking for the right investment opportunity.
On the other side, there are several brilliant start-up ideas
too – so the SiGMA Pitch should be able to bring those two
ends together under one roof – and that’s brilliant.
Furthermore, raising money is a task that is extremely
time-consuming. The fundraising process involves founders
spending most of their time meeting potential financial
partners. Meetings abroad only increase expenses and
result in a loss of precious time that is both vital and tight for
founders of a startup.
At Oulala, we had no choice but to look abroad for potential
At Oulala, we are now
attempting to attract
this very young
industry to Malta. We
believe that with our
white label solution
and the creation of
a specific licence for our sector, Malta can rapidly become the
place to be for a fantasy sports business in Europe.
Malta is the future
Benjamin and I strongly maintain that one day, all of us
entrepreneurs in Malta will be proud to have been part of
the pioneering force that contributes to Malta’s impressive
expansion as one of the biggest digital hubs in Europe. Malta is
an island of opportunity; Malta is a promise of a glorious future!
Valéry Bollier has over eleven years of experience in the
iGaming industry. He is a regular speaker at industry
conferences and seminars, as well as a contributor to various
BtoB publications. Equipped with a passion for Daily Fantasy
Sports (DFS) and “Big Data”, Bollier is the co-founder and CEO
of Oulala.com, a revolutionary fantasy football game which
was launched three years ago. About Oulala:
Oulala.com is the first European Fantasy football game
to be a real skill game with more than 16,000 registered
users. The monetised product features new gaming options
such as team creation and live substitutions in order to
offer the closest experience to football reality. The game
is also available in white label for football clubs, media
and the iGaming operators that are interested in having a
Daily Fantasy Football plug and play solution. Recently, the
company signed a unique type of partnership with Premier
League leaders, Leicester City. It has a deal with Orange, and
will shortly announce the BtoB agreement that it has signed
with iGaming operators in Europe as well as other continents.
039
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Binary
Options
a hands-on
guide to the
recent trends
BY Tal Itzhak Ron and Aviya Arika
041
SiGMA | Binary Options
“In a crowded calendar
SiGMA was a personal choice
for me to attend. Love the
island, love the guys doing
it. EveryMatrix is proud
to be part of the inaugural
SiGMA.”
Ebbe Groes
CEO, EveryMatrix
“Malta is a major and highly
innovative hub for gaming
services; SiGMA itself is a
great opportunity for industry
representatives and regulatory
staff alike to access and
share valuable expertise and
networks.”
Simon Planzer
Planzer Law
A Binary Options Brokerage is an enticing creature. A seemingly
simple way to trade fluctuations in global markets, with risks
and rewards that would not shame a Formula 1 racer. Simplicity,
though, is only what is above the surface in this case. Binary
Options have raised so many question marks and controversy
since their emergence around 2009, that it is very hard to say
who’s right and who’s wrong, or to determine what lies ahead
regulation wise.
So what exactly are Binary Options? An easy
to use exotic options type, which appears
most popularly in the form of a high/low
option, or a fixed return option. In English, it
means that the trader gets access to stocks,
indices, commodities, and foreign exchange
and has to wager on the market’s direction
and price at the time of the option’s expiry.
If the trader believes the price is rising, he
would purchase a “call”, and if he believes it
will drop, he’ll put his money on the “put”.
Now, the plot thickens. Buyers and sellers are
not automatically matched to each other in
the binary options market in such a way that
the lost investment of one party is used to pay
for the gains of the other party. A middleman
is necessary in order to make sure that there
is enough volume of trade so that buyers
can get their orders matched to sellers and
vice versa. This middleman is the market
maker, and his job is to “make the market
happen”, meaning to provide the market with
liquidity. It gets problematic in unregulated
brokerages, where market maker operations
could open the door to a wide range of pricing
irregularities such as stop hunting against
traders’ positions. This is especially seen
in the 60 seconds contract and other short
term contracts in many online binary options
platforms. The American CFTC has indeed
punished many market maker brokers for such
infractions.
The unbelievably frequent emergence of so
many binary options operators has resulted in
the enforcements of regulatory requirements
in various locations around the globe. New
jurisdictions that joined the regulated list
include Israel, Russia and the Netherlands.
In the US, though regulatory requirements
are not new, the first approval of a regulated
broker was not granted until the passing year.
Some of the most popular licenses are those
offered by CySec (Cyprus), Isle of Man, Malta –
for those who do not want to spend immense
amounts of money- and UK, for companies
with deeper pockets.
Regulations vary not only in jurisdictions, but
also in nature. Controversy over the proper
classification of binary options is prominent;
while some regulators see binary options
brokers as financial services providers and
others see them as gambling operators. The
terminology is one of financial nature- users
are called “traders” and not “gamblers”;
technology companies call themselves
“platforms” and operators are named
“brokers”.
CySec has a very clear take on this, as binary
042
options are perceived beyond doubt as
financial instruments. Binary options licenses
are handled similarly to other investment
services licenses (forex, CFDs, ancillary
services), and licensing procedure is relatively
not expensive and fast. CySec is a member
of the MiFID, which enables the licensees to
passport the license to other EU countries
subject to the specific requirements.
The opposite of CySec’s approach is that
of the Isle of Man. The authorities there
chose to include binary options as gambling,
enforced by the OGRA (Online Gambling
Regulation Act) and overseen by the GSC
(Gambling Supervision Commission). Aside
from the regulators who have distinguishable
positions, there were several swingers such
as the UK which is said to be planning to
switch the regulatory framework for binary
options trading from gambling to financial
trading, and Malta which transformed binary
options from gambling to financial services.
Interesting legal developments also occurred
in the Netherlands recently, where after a
long debate regarding whether binary options
brokers offering short term options should
acquire an additional gaming license, the
Dutch court concluded that binary options are
undoubtedly financial instruments covered by
MiFID, and that therefore there is not much
room for interpretation and no need in a
gaming license.
From our view, the truth is usually
somewhere in between. It would be safest
to say that binary options trading is financial
entertainment. This expression allows room
both for the many undeniable financial
characteristics of binary options websites, as
well as for the speculative, high-risk nature of
the activity and the fact that the operators are
in position against their traders. The specific
location of a certain brokerage on the scale
between finance and gaming depends on the
products offered on the website, which vary
from one operator to another, such as the
term of the options. Very short-term options
are more likely to be viewed as gambling,
because the prices fluctuate erratically,
making whatever happens in the next 60
seconds or 5 minutes is highly unpredictable.
Moving away from the gambling issue,
there may be more room for confusion. We
are witnessing a big trend of convergence
between binary options and forex, and this
trend will also have to be taken into account
by regulators in the near future. But for now,
it’s more important for existing brokers and
newcomers to decide how they wish to
approach it. Let’s elaborate- Binary options
technology is becoming more like forex trading and forex
trading platforms are simplifying in resemblance to binary
options. This is why if one wishes to differentiate their
clientele, then an Addition of binary products into Forex
operations can contribute greatly, as having a simple trading
tool available provides a solution to those Forex traders
who may find systems too complex or who totally don’t
possess the financial knowledge. It also opens up potential
markets and audiences, and is without doubt a very good
acquisition tool.
Adv. and Notary Tal Itzhak
Ron is a General Member of
International Masters of Gaming
Law (IMGL), practicing in Hi Tech,
Mobile Applications law, Digital
Media, i-Gaming and Financial
Entertainment law. Tal graduated
from Haifa University School of Law
(LL.B.) and Faculty of Computer
Science (B.Sc.), and while working
as a software developer at a publicly
traded software company, NESS
Technologies group, has further
obtained a Master’s Degree in
Computer Science from Bar Ilan
University (M.Sc). Tal established Tal Ron, Drihem & Co.,
Law Firm in 2003, focusing on Online Trading, Ad Tech,
Hi Tech, M&A, Fin Tech and iGaming, quickly becoming
one of the first international law firms practicing solely on
these areas, advising top-tier international clients in these
fields. Over the years, Tal gained extensive knowledge in
Financial and Gaming regulation, International Taxation
and Payment services. Today his team of highly seasoned
attorneys and partnering professionals headquartered
in Tel Aviv and operating from 8 offices around the
world, offers an international one-stop shop for all legal,
incorporation, banking, M&A and licensing needs.
Binary Options | SiGMA
Offshore and Gaming Specialist
Aviya Arika is a seasoned gaming
entrepreneur who has been involved
in the gaming and binary options
industries for years. Through handson experience combined with legal
and financial academic degrees, Ms.
Arika’s areas of work extend from
offshore and international finance
law to regulated licensing and
gaming law, while she has a special
interest in lottery, fantasy sports and
e-sports. Ms. Arika assists many of
the leading operators and affiliates
in the gaming, forex and binary
options industries. Her contributions to the field can be
seen in articles published in leading financial and gaming
publications, as well as in lectures and panels she has led
in main industry events. Ms. Arika’s past work with the
state prosecution has given her a fundamental knowledge
in AML and other Criminal policies, knowledge that
enables her to instruct and guide clients on malpractices
and what not to do.
“Binary options technology is
becoming more like forex trading
and forex trading platforms are
simplifying in resemblance to
binary options.”
043
The
Importance
of SEO and
Reputation
Management
in iGaming
By Sergio, Fibonacci Marketing
we assist our clients in turning
their websites into serious
money making, brand-building
machines. With our expertise
in search engine optimisation
(SEO), we provide clients with
a comprehensive service
which will help them increase
targeted traffic and establish
online presence while building
credibility and protecting
their online reputation - but
how does this play out in the
iGaming sector?
045
SiGMA | SEO
There are many who aspire to be the very next big affiliate,
going to great lengths to design the ultimate affiliate website;
however, without generating consistent traffic or a robust
SEO strategy in place, the project will most likely crumble
into a non-starter and money-pit. With SEO becoming
evermore complicated, affiliates must either study how to
do it themselves or bring in an agency like Fibonacci to
help them generate traffic and increase site profitability.
Likewise, promoting a website in the wrong way or not
knowing exactly how to carry out reliable SEO could turn
out to be worse than not carrying out SEO at all. Failing to
establish and maintain legitimate or ‘white hat’ SEO practices
can seriously run the risk of being registered as spam, or
having the entire website delisted which is a near-impossible
situation to get out of.
Why SEO?
The online gaming industry is perhaps one of the most
successful and profitable in the business world today, worth
an estimated €100 billion in total globally. It follows quite
clearly, then, that iGaming is also a highly competitive sector,
with companies and websites constantly jostling for the top
046
spot in search engine results pages in order to be right in
front of potential customers precisely when they’re looking
for the company’s specific products or services. While it
is not essential for iGaming affiliates to have extensive
knowledge of what SEO means and entails, it is strongly
recommended that companies are educated about SEO
ranking factors, even if they are not necessarily directly
in charge of it and have opted to bring in a reliable and
transparent service to take care of this complex area for
them.
The competitive nature of the iGaming industry often
tempts some companies into more underhanded methods
of beating rivals out of top search engine rankings. These
methods, known in the digital marketing industry as ‘black
hat SEO’, include planting viruses on competitor websites,
creating toxic links to the site originating from questionable
sources like click farms, and keyword stuffing, among other
ever-evolving techniques. The proliferation of black hat SEO
in the industry has lead Google (the search engine currently
holds approximately 67.7% market share) is continuously
waging war against it, with special attention to keywords. The
SEO | SiGMA
“A top place on any search engine’s results page
is a major priority for agencies and companies in
general, however in an industry as competitive as
iGaming, ranking well is an absolute necessity.”
realm of SEO is one that
is continuously shifting
and evolving, requiring
even the most prominent
players in the iGaming
industry to have the right
professionals on hand to
keep up with Google’s
highly innovative nature
(e.g. introduction of new
algorithms which can
dramatically drop SEO
ranking form one day to
the next).
Key Benefits
Solid SEO capabilities
are a truly integral part
of any digital marketing
strategy worth its salt.
The overwhelming
majority of companies
do understand the
importance of building
and maintaining a
strong online presence,
and therefore invest a
great deal of time and
money in a mission to
create the ideal affiliate
site for a fantastic
and straightforward
user experience, but
that’s not where the work ends. On the contrary - building
an actual website marks the mere beginning of the SEO
journey, getting ones foot in the door, so to speak. Even
the most visually appealing and responsive websites can
be rendered utterly ‘useless’ without strong SEO behind
it; without a professional hand guiding SEO, a website is
essentially invisible to the online world, meaning a colossal
waste of time, money, and resources. Applying SEO to an
iGaming company comes with a long list of benefits, but here
are 4 key advantages to consider when looking to boost
online presence and profit hand in hand with a transparent
and SEO-savvy digital marketing agency like Fibonacci
Marketing:
2. Return On Investment
A sound SEO strategy means gaining unprecedented
insights in the form of measurable and trackable results,
thereby minimising ROI-related reporting issues by keeping
track of basically every aspect of the strategy. The ability
to measure data on such a truly granular level empowers
companies with knowledge and an ability to review and
reiterate strategy in order to continually improve ranking
and boost traffic. Such detailed analytics offer affiliates a
closer look at data relating to engagement and data on what
keywords are leading users to the site, and precisely what
keywords the website is ranking for.
3. Cost Effective
Since strong SEO methodology pinpoints users who are
actively searching for (in this case, iGaming products and
services) online. The inbound nature implicit in a marketing
strategy backed by legitimate SEO means that lead
generation takes place in a far more cost-effective way than
more traditional approaches like cold calling, which can be
around 61% more costly.
4. Brand Awareness
Clinching that top spot on any search engine results page
(Google in particular) means increased exposure for a brand.
Ranking high allows more people (and potential clients)
to know about the brand while building and significantly
boosting credibility, helping to instil trust in customers both
old and new.
1. Increase Traffic
A top place on any search engine’s results page is a major
priority for agencies and companies in general, however in
an industry as competitive as iGaming, ranking well is an
absolute necessity. Strong SEO involves crafting informative,
keyword-optimised title tags, meta descriptions, and quality
content that will not only attract targeted traffic to the site,
but also maintain the potential customer’s interest for as long
as possible.
047
Join Games is a new software casino provider founded in 2014 by
Luigi Spina and Borut Leban; two partners with ample combined
experience and a shared vision for creative slots.
The choice of the name Join symbolizes the merger of brilliant ideas
by each valued team member for one, bigger purpose – that of
becoming a reputable and trusted casino slot provider.
Our casino games are built entirely in-house for licensed operators.
We work with clients that own one or more of the following licenses:
MGA, Curacao, Alderney, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and AAMS. We look
forward to meet and work with new partners.
G2E Asia
May 17-19
Exhibiting
SiGMA
November 16-18
Exhibiting
Join Games Headquarters, 2C, 1st Floor, Forni Complex,
Valletta Waterfront, Floriana FRN 1913, Malta
t: (+356) 7928 4183 f: (+44) 33 0808 0004
e: [email protected] s: join.games (Malta)
www.joingames.net
Affiliate | SiGMA
How to Double your
Affiliate Business
How to Double your
Frank Ravanelli provides
actionable strategies and
tactics to grow your business as
an affiliate.
051
SiGMA | Affiliate
A drive for growth and genuine curiosity are
major traits I see in most of the successful
affiliates I work with.
What it takes to grow
“As a fast growing gaming
venture licensed in Malta we
are happy to see a dedicated
gaming conference established
down here. We are looking
forward to participating and
exhibiting at SiGMA.”
Johan Styren
CEO, LeoVegas
First, make sure you’re ready to grow.That
means scalability. You do not need to delegate
everything now, but you need to be ready to
do so, if you want to grow. Some easy steps:
1) Get to know which areas of your business
are bringing most of your revenues
2) See if you are both efficient and effective
in such areas. If so, do you still have time to
invest in these areas?
3) If you are not both efficient and effective
in your business key areas, or if you do not
have any more time to allocate there, then get
ready to delegate
For example, if you get most of your results
from media-buying, and you are good at it,
and you still have time to invest in it, great! If
your revenues come from media-buying, but
you are already maxxed-out, get help or start
using leaner techniques and technologies.
media channel comes with its own funnels,
messages, conversion rates, etc.
Third, increase the volumes of what works.
You have created a scalable work-load for you
and your team, you optimized your points of
contact, now get more traffic. For example,
if you are still doing direct media buying,
considering using RTB and start focusing more
on demographics and less on individual sites,
putting in place a tracking system which can
screen-out the good traffic sources from the
unproductive ones.
Fourth, analyze untapped verticals which
are relevant to your audience. If you have
bingo players, test to upsell entertaining
slots games. If you have hard-core bettors as
your key audience, provide high-adrenaline
casino games. From eSports to Lotto to
Daily Fantasy Sports and Virtual Sports,
most of the eGaming verticals have good
affiliate programs that can bring you more
revenues, while enhancing the overall gaming
experience of your audience.
Diversify Your Traffic Streams
“At CalvinAyre.com, we want
to cover the big conference and
interview the best experts in
the gambling industry. We
definitely wanted to be in
Malta to cover SiGMA”
Bill Beatty
Editor in Chief,
CalvinAyre.com
Second, focus on your audience to streamline the points of contacts they have
with you and the eGaming operators you
promote. Visitors have different mindsets,
depending on the channels you used to
connect with them. If you want to convert
them into customers, you need to resonate
with your expectations.
If you get visitors through SEO, depending on
the keywords you target, you may get people
who are almost ready to become players. You
just need to provide the last mile, connect
them with a relevant brand, and earn your
commission. For example, if you rank high for
“XYZ Casino Review”, you are reaching many
players who have already narrowed down
their potential eGaming venue to XYZ. You
just need to give them a reason to act now –
that can be a bonus, a highlight of something
unique about that casino, etc. If you get your
traffic through PPV, you will have to use a very
different approach. You are basically doing
“disruption marketing”, you better have a very
compelling message to get the attention of
your potential visitor. These are just some
extreme examples, to show each marketing/
Taking insurance is a losing bet unless you
make money in the process. If you are very
efficient, effective and profitable with a given
marketing strategy, make sure to dedicate
a smaller amount of resources (15% or so
of the total, including time and money) – to
explore new strategies. For example, if you
have a successful opt-in newsletter and
you get subscribers through SEO, test the
results of free or freemium infoproducts. You
do not need to reinvent the wheel. Choose
a competitor that is doing well with the
strategies you want to learn. Use the business
intelligence tools available to see where its
traffic is coming from, and/or test the point of
contacts used with its audience, by acting as
a typical customer. See what you learn, what
you can leverage, and what is incompatible
with your current strategies, implement it, and
benchmark the results. No business, not even
a “lifestyle business”, can relay on only one
strategy to get revenues.
About the author:
Frank Ravanelli
manages and grows
the affiliate programs
of leading eGaming
brands, focusing on
European and US
markets. Frank will
be discussing these
ideas in more detail at
SiGMA16 in November
2016. Make sure to attend his panel,
together with othereGaming experts.
052
iGamingJobsMalta.com
Launches Locally
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together’.
Let me introduce you…
The Maltese Islands have experienced a great
influx of world-class companies operating in the
gaming industry over the last few years, greatly
contributing to the country’s economy and providing
great opportunities to a myriad of disciplines. These
companies consistently seek talent in the following
areas: in marketing, creative design, software
development, finance and admin and legal amongst
others.
iGamingJobsMalta.com offers a number of online
presence options to companies operating in the
gaming sector, in the form of:
•
•
•
•
Vacancy Listings
Company Profile Pages
E-Banners
Guest Blogging
That’s us, now how about you?
Born out of the need to bridge the distance between HR
Departments and what could very well be the next best
thing to your organisation, iGamingJobsMalta.com
offers useful, content rich career resources.
Whether you’re already involved in the sector and
are interested in looking around to see what else is
available on the market, interested in setting foot into
the exciting arena of remote gaming, or are sitting on
the other side of the recruitment fence and would like
to showcase your company values, philosophies and
goals, iGamingJobsMalta.com offers a virtual space for
the two to come together.
Kindly visit
www.igamingjobsmalta.com
for more information
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At Fairwinds Management, we offer
you our expertise on corporate services,
company formation, accountancy
and administrative services.
Some of our extensive range of services include:
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in a Malta company
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• Malta citizenship
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[email protected] | t: +356 2704 0903 | m: +356 7926 0791
www.fairwindsmanagement.net
B2B | SiGMA
INTERVIEW WITH
Bto
Bet’s
ALESSANDRO FRIED
055
SiGMA | B2B
1
THE PRESENT
THE FUTURE TODAY
Single Wallet System
Advanced player segmentation
Player Management System
Geo-localisation of players’ activity
Advanced Reporting System
Clusterization of the player’s behaviour
Business Intelligence Tool
Player happiness level
Automatic and Target Focused Bonus System
Multi-brand Management System
High Performing Anti-Fraud System
Customised Management Betting Tool
Risk Management Tools
Betradar Data Feed and MTS Full Integration
Player’s performances graphic dashboard
Neuron
Reduction of resources
Fraud prevention assistant
Genius bonus Tool
Smart game provider integration
Game recommendation engine
100+ payment methods
You are known in the igaming world as an ‘industry
veteran’. What has earned you this title? Tell us a bit more
about your journey into gaming.
I have been in the gaming industry for over 22 years.
In these years, I have served as CEO and co-founder of
different gaming companies. As an entrepreneur, I designed
all the company products, their concepts and functionalities.
I remember the industry in its very beginning where physical
casino operators and slot machine suppliers were the only
exhibitors at ICE London. At the time internet was at its
peak and so most operators were thirsty to see possibilities
to transfer their business online. It was around 2002 that,
the company I had founded presented the first software to
gaming companies. It was a breakthrough.
The same company was the first to obtain the licence
number 1 in remote gaming from the Malta Gaming Authority
(MGA) which back then was LGA. This served as a catalyst to
expand the igaming industry in Europe.
The birth of BtoBet stemmed from the need to create an
innovative and forward-looking product. My aim is to always
offer the igaming and betting business an alternative solution
which is one step ahead of the market.
13 offices, 700 employees, 3500 clients – figures that
speak for themselves. Which factors would you indicate
as critical in the success story behind BtoBet? Tell us a bit
more about the company and its beginnings.
Btobet group is a multinational IT company with over sixteen
years of experience in software development, consulting and
outsourcing projects. We specialise in designing, developing
and implementing enterprise business solutions.
Through BtoBet we are setting a new standard for igaming
056
platforms. We strive to always anticipate the future needs
of our global audience. The talent of our research and
development team is the driving force which makes Btobet
one step ahead of the market. Having an alternative product
requires creativity and innovation, and this is what we do at
BtoBet, to put it succinctly.
Perseverance and persistency are our key to be successful
in what we do our key to success.
You and your team have recently extended BtoBet’s
portfolio with a new interesting product called ‘B Neuron –
intelligent sports betting platform’. In what ways can it help
the operators? How can they benefit from implementing it?
What makes the platform ‘intelligent’?
B Neuron is a powerful cutting edge gaming and sports
betting platform designed to add unique value to the
operators’ gaming business, helping them to grow fast while
limiting the risk in the competitive iGaming environment.
B Neuron intelligently assists both the operator and the
player, enabling the operators to reduce the manual
procedures and consequently reduce operational costs.
In essence, B Neuron built-in models and algorithms are
monitoring the player behaviour and dues serving the
operators recommendations and suggestions for their future
preferences and actions. B Neuron gets the operator closer
to the player needs and dues player happiness.
While the other systems need the guidance of the operator,
B Neuron guides the operator in setting up and managing his
business especially when it comes to risk & fraud and player
segmentation.
B2B | SiGMA
One of the thirteen offices is located in
Malta. How significant is this presence to
the overall company BtoBet? How would
you describe Maltese business ecosystem in
relation to gaming?
I have been living in Malta for the past years. I
have seen an incredible growth in the quality
of life. Malta has invested substantially in its
infrastructure and this has been a prerequisite
to keep attracting investment to the country.
The iGaming industry employs over 8,000
people directly, and another 5,000 indirectly.
This is a significant amount for Malta.
Having an office in Malta for Btobet was and
is appealing for different reasons. I must say
that Malta has an attractive legal framework
and I dare to say that it is one of the most
structured and clear in all Europe. All this is
attracting new talent to the country and it is
also opening doors to the locals especially in
the field of technology.
Malta was wise enough to set up MGA. It was
the first organ to regulate the iGaming market.
MGA paved the way to the other European
countries of how they should set up iGaming
regulations and it served them as a point of
reference. Most established companies have
at least one office in Malta. The amount of
gaming companies, including start-ups, speak
for themselves.
helps the operator get closer to his clients
and recommend to every bettor or player
what can be of interest to him. We are firm
believers in research and development in new
technologies and this is what we will keep
doing in the years to come.
We appreciate your presence at SiGMA last
year too and hope to see you again later this
November. How important do you think it is
for Malta to have its own expo? Is the market
already saturated or is there room for the
show in Malta to grow?
Compared to ten years ago, the market has
superseded any expectations and I’m sure
that it will keep on the increase in the years to
come.
Malta, being at the centre of the
Mediterranean is easily reachable via plane,
and therefore travelling in and out of Malta is
simple.
Platforms like SiGMA, where you can discuss
and share new trends is essential. It is also a
means to exchange professional experiences
in a smaller environment because at times
bigger fairs in other countries can be
distractive.
Appreciate your time, Alessandro. We
wish you the very best at the helm of this
prestigious company.
Moving away from BtoBet – how do you
think will sports betting look like in five years
from now? In which area do you see the
biggest opportunity for further innovations?
Licensees must think of futuristic solutions
and not get stuck to the present. They must
heavily invest in research and new technology.
We as BtoBet are working on tools to give our
clients the tools to be able to study deeply
their players.
Today betting content is very vast, and as time
goes by this will keep on the increase. As a
result, bettors will find themselves bombarded
with content which is of no interest to them
and this can backfire on the operator’s
business. Keeping this in mind, BtoBet is
working on the first real Recommendation
Engine which will be able to suggest to the
bettor, bets which are to his interest. These
will be based on the bettor’s preferences
and behaviour. This is the only way to remain
competitive and be successful in the industry.
Talking about the future – what are the plans
for BtoBet? How do you think the company
will react to those changes you have
mentioned?
Due to the ever growing game offers, we at
BtoBet are investing in research to continue
refining one of our successful tools, the
Recommendation Engine. This is a tool which
Photo by John Cassidy - The Headshot Guy
057
Affiliate | SiGMA
RUNNING
AT FULL
SPEED
SuprNation, co-founded by seasoned iGaming entrepreneur
Joakim Stockman, is on the verge of launching its biggest and
boldest product to date. In this interview, Stockman talks about
bold decisions, building long-lasting relationships and his love
for the Maltese Islands.
059
SiGMA | Affiliate
New office premises in Malta for Joakim Stockman’s latest venture.
Joakim Stockman discovered a passion for design and
user experience during his very first job within the iGaming
industry with NordicBet in Talinn. “It was a time when poker
was booming in the Nordic countries and I was recruited to
manage the marketing of NordicBet’s poker product, which
I did for a while before moving into more generic marketing
related roles. The most interesting challenge I had during
my time at NordicBet was to manage the complete overhaul
of the company’s website, which let me work extremely
close with the various product managers over a long period
of time. That role, I think, gave me a much more in-depth
understanding of gaming. Until that project I would have
considered my strengths to be more generic and less
iGaming-specific, but after spending a few years as Head of
Online & User Experience I definitely felt I had a pretty good
grasp of our products and their users.”
After NordicBet, Stockman was recruited to manage the
Betsafe brand soon after it had been acquired by the
Betsson Group in 2011. It was the biggest challenge he had
faced up until that point. “When I joined, Betsafe was only
a week away from migrating to the brand new and, quite
honestly, not entirely complete, technical platform that
Betsson used to be. The Betsafe team was quite nervous
about this migration and rightly so. The migration hit us
extremely hard – we basically saw a 50% decrease in
revenue and roughly half of the database abandoned the
brand. The Betsafe team and I worked around the clock for
roughly six months straight to save the business. Had we
not had such a great and dedicated team in place during
this critical time, the business could have easily continued
its downward spiral, and Betsafe might not have survived to
become one of the major players in today’s market. However,
we managed to turn the business around completely - during
my last couple of months at Betsafe, we were posting all-time
highs on revenues and all of the important underlying KPI’s. I
am definitely very proud of what the Betsafe team achieved
during my time at Betsson!”
While Stockman enjoyed working at Betsafe, he wasn’t
entirely happy with the company culture at Betsson, and left
the company after a year to seek greener pastures. “That’s
when I spoke to Henrik Persson about Betit for the first time.
Henrik, along with Andre Lavold and Mikael Harstad, had
decided to co-found a new iGaming company after their
success with Betsafe. They offered me the position of CEO
position and I quickly accepted - it was the perfect next step
for me at the time because it was a very challenging role
where I would get the opportunity to build and shape an
iGaming company from scratch. I loved almost every minute
we spent building Betit into what it was when I left.”
But even Betit couldn’t satisfy Stockman’s thirst for
entrepreneurship. Having started his first company at the
age of 23, he always felt that somewhere down the line, he
would be bitten by the bug again - the only question was
when. “Henric Andersson, [former COO, Betit Group, and
co-founder of SuprNation] and I were having a beer and
talking about the journey we’d had so far with Betit. Almost
jokingly, we said that we should do it ourselves. I guess it
struck a nerve with both of us. We resigned from Betit quite
quickly after that; it wasn’t more than a couple of weeks
from when the idea first surfaced. It was a bit scary for me to
take such big step without knowing exactly what the future
would hold, but it was so obvious to both of us that it was the
only way forward. And with hindsight I couldn’t be happier
with the decision. After all, here we are about a year later,
and SuprNation is running full speed and this year we’ll be
launching what in my opinion will be the best product on the
market.”
It seems that more than a handful of people would agree –
SuprNation has been receiving a lot of interest from potential
investors. “There are a few reasons for that. First off, iGaming
is no doubt a very hot, fast-growing industry where startups who know what they are doing can create significant
value quite rapidly. Just look at the recent LeoVegas IPO.
Professional investors probably recognize that. Second,
Western Union Business Solutions helps you conduct business
in over 130 currencies across more than 200 countries and territories.
Benefits include:
• Risk management services
• Affiliate payments and partnerships
• Direct access to our currency market trend and resource centre
mt.business.westernunion.com | [email protected] | Phone 00356 2328 9221
Visit us at stand M16 for more information
© 2016 Western Union Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. Western Union Business Solutions is an operating division of The Western Union Company. Services in Malta are provided by Western Union
Business Solutions (Malta) Limited, a limited company registered in Malta (Company Number C22339) with its registered office at Il-Pjazzetta, Tower Road, Sliema, SLM 1605, Malta and which is
licensed and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority to undertake the business of financial services in terms of the Financial Institutions Act.
060
Affiliate | SiGMA
even though there are many new operations
being started, I think myself and Henric are a
good combo as founders. Both of our track
records include successful start-ups, as well
as managing large-scale existing operations
within iGaming. Together we cover a rather
broad spectrum of the necessary skill sets
required to succeed within this industry. I
can see why that might be interesting to an
investor.”
When it comes to affiliates, Stockman says
SuprNation will be working purely on a CPA
pricing strategy, without offering any revenue
share agreements, and avoid traffic that’s
focused around organic searches around
SuprNation’s own brand name. “There are
some affiliates who capitalize on ranking
better than the operator on their own brand
and we will simply avoid those because we
don’t think it adds any value. Instead, we will
be focusing on working with affiliates who
will bring us traffic and customers that we
would not expect if we only relied on our
own marketing and SEO investments. I’ve
sometimes heard that affiliates are hesitant to
trust new brands, but that’s not the experience
I’ve had with the brands that I’ve been part
of taking to the market. If I were an affiliate I
would make my decision based on two factors
- whether I believe in the new brand and what
the opportunity cost for me to start pushing
that brand would be. In the end, if I were an
affiliate who truly believed in the new brand
I’d probably want to get in on that right away,
rather than wait and see.”
With his emphasis on building long-lasting
relationships built on trust and mutual benefits,
Stockman believes firmly that a company’s
greatest asset is a strong, competent and
highly motivated team. “To achieve that, it’s
not enough to recruit the right people – you
have to get the right type of culture as well.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast – I’d take
a strong culture and a weaker strategy in
favour of a weak culture and a great strategy
anytime. Since we spend so much time and
effort on finding the right people to join the
company, the last thing we want is to give
any of them a reason to leave. We want
everyone to feel that they are working with
the best people at the best office with the
best managers, in the best culture. Of course,
it’s not enough just to say those things during
interviews and around the water-cooler, you
have put your money where your mouth is.
Not only do we have an office with a garden,
a pool, snooker, ping pong and foosball
tables, we also believe strongly in work-life
integration rather than separation, and kids,
friends and family are more than welcome in
the office any time. You know, next week my
kids will be on Easter holiday and they just
can’t wait to get a whole week at daddy’s
office, because they have so much fun there!
We’re working in a 24/7 industry where
people are more or less connected one
way or another all the time anyway, so why
should you try so hard to keep your personal
life away from your work? There’s much less
friction if you allow them to coexist; but that
must not only be true with regards to bringing
your work home with you - it also means you
must be allowed to bring your personal life to
work. Relationships that are built on one party
trying to take advantage of the other never
last.”
Stockman is no stranger to the Maltese Islands
- it was where he lived and worked during his
time with Betsafe, and although he spent a lot
of time overseas due to the nature of his work,
he was also based in Malta during the Betit
years, since the company was headquartered
there. “We decided to place 100% of our
operations in Malta and we made that decision
after having experienced starting up Betit
with the staff split over multiple offices. It’s not
uncommon in this industry, but as a start-up
you want to remain fast and agile, and you will
never achieve as efficient communication and
as strong a company culture if your team is
spread out across multiple offices. Malta has a
great pool of iGaming talent for us to tap into,
and most of the companies we partner up with
are present here as well. Rather than getting
on phone conferences or Skype calls, we can
meet our providers face to face on a frequent
basis. I don’t feel new to Malta at all and it’s
a great place to call home for an iGaming
business. Personally I like it a lot - even
though Marbella captures the top spot out of
the places I’ve lived in. But nothing in Marbella
can compare with Malta’s rocky beaches
and crystal clear water. Now that summer is
coming, I’m planning to spend most of my
free time enjoying them with my children and
girlfriend to the max!”
“We plan on flying down
many of our affiliates to
SiGMA16 and combine some
quality networking with a bit
of fun in Malta!”
Dennis Dyhr Hansen
MatchingVisions
“SIGMA is a nice place to
meet business partners, old
and new. Malta is the perfect
place to hold a conference,
simply because almost all
Casinos operate from there and
it is a great place to make big
business.”
Tuomas Jauhiainen
Affiliate to Operator
All work and no play? Not in this building.
061
Content Marketing | SiGMA
Content
MarketiNG
is all about
chemistry
the FIVE pillars that will set you
up for content success
By Stephanie Fiteni
Content Marketing is a lot like dating. The way you present yourself and the way you talk,
act as a filter for whether people think you might be a good match for them or not.
In an industry like gaming where the product is similar or
identical to that of the competition everyone understands
the value of differentiating themselves through customer
service levels, usability experience and engagement and yet
very few are using content to truly stand out from the rest by
driving engagement.
Most iGaming platforms provide the facility to collect massive
amounts of data about customers and their behaviour.
Whether you sell online games or gaming platforms,
your customers’ pain points are where the gold is. By
understanding the frustrations and online behaviour of your
audience you can start getting some clarity with regards to
what content might engage them.
This is where brand personality and brand voice come into
play. Your content needs to be based on a specific customer
persona and reflect the true personality of your brand.
A distinctive brand voice will help you weed out customers
that perhaps would not be a good fit for your product
or service. This is where getting it right is key. If you get
the Brand voice wrong you could be getting the wrong
customers and these will often not hang around for very
long.
No matter what you’re selling, improving the following
content marketing pillars will set you up for success:
B2B Industry Experts and Free Advice
As a Brand owner especially in Business to Business,
purchases are based on trust. The only way to build trust
without meeting every prospect is to have a highly strategic
content marketing campaign.
The main target of your B2B content campaign is to be
generous. It may sound strange but the key element of
success in Business to Business content is generosity. You
need to give away enough information to truly help your
customers take informed decisions. Somewhere along the
process they will realise that you are a trust worthy expert in
your field because you have truly helped them learn more
about your industry and this has been proven to influence
their purchasing decisions.
B2C Marketing ecosystems
In B2C content marketing becomes a little more complex.
Most consumer products are similar in nature, like iGaming
products, and differentiation through expertise is not an
option. Alignment with influencers such as prominent
personalities help position a brand and win loyalty however
long term relationships require content marketing to be
supported by marketing ecosystems that aim to build client
relationships. There is a sizeable overlap between marketing
and customer service tools. With the onslaught of social
platforms the lines between customer service and marketing
have truly become blurred as both work toward the same
goal of creating customer loyalties and increasing sales.
Brand Personality and Core Values
When creating content the key is getting your Brand voice
right. You can only do this by being true to yourself and
seeking clarity. To create the right Brand Voice companies
need to look at their history (and founders), their core values
and translate these into clear brand statements that drive
commitment and inspire action. A Brand’s true personality
can only come from knowing where its foundations lie and
where it needs to be in the future.
Online Video
By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet
traffic, according to Cisco. The thin line between online
content and PR is quickly disappearing and oftentimes your
online presence carries some weight with regards to whether
your PR gets taken seriously or not. Video has become a big
part of Online PR and its significance will continue to grow.
Employer Branding and Brand Personalities
Once the Brand personality and voice are established it
becomes much easier to find employees that are the right
match. Just like the dating metaphor if your personality and
values come through clearly it will be easier for others to
know if they are a good match for you. This creates longer
lasting relationships and lower attrition rates.
In the next few years we will see the current surge of blog
content evolve into more and more video. Although the
gaming industry has so far not embraced live broadcasting in
a significant way, we can be sure to see some important new
developments in this direction this year. Video-on-demand
and live broadcasting tools like Meerkat, Periscope and now
also Youtube Broadcasts and Facebook Live are a strong
indication that this trend is accelerating and will likely hit
much faster than was originally predicted.
063
06
08
07
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Experienced, up-to-date and certied professionals
that can help in legal consulting and advising.
Exclusive focus on the Central and Eastern Europe Gambling markets
SiGMA | Affiliate
Partner
SiGMA caught up with
entrepreneurs and
affiliate buddies Max
Noremo & Magnus
Karnéus Hall from
Slotsia.com
Tell us more about the success story
of your affiliate business; how did it
happen, how did it all start? Can you take
us through a journey in time, shedding
light on some of the most remarkable
moments, challenges and achievements
in history?
It hasn’t been a short journey, I can tell you
that. We started out very small, creating
our first website about three years ago.
Back then we had no clue what we were
doing, but we had the motivation to keep
trying and failing until it worked. We also
consulted our good friends in the industry,
like Oliver Fagerdahl at Betsafe, who has
been a great mentor.
One day I remember clearly was when we
made our first €100. We had, before that,
not made a single penny, and we were
not 100% sure this would actually work
out. I guess that’s the success story put
succinctly; to never give up on your dreams
and to keep work hard.
With Slotsia.com we tried to create
something new. We wanted our website
to look and feel more like a casino than a
regular affiliate site. Trust, conversion and
user friendliness were our keywords during
the whole site-building project, and now we
can see that a lot of competitors are using
our ideas in their new sites, which, to us, is
like a stamp of approval.
In terms of the end user, what
distinguishes your affiliate site/s from
the many competitors out there? Can you
name the traffic sources you currently
have?
I would say the design and the user
friendliness. We’ve tried from day one to
do something different and new, and I’m
glad to say we succeeded with our goal.
Competing affiliates, operators as well
as regular people have given us great
feedback on the website.
Photo by Picasa
066
Before starting the project we used friends
and family as test pilots, getting them to
visit loads of different affiliate websites.
This would let us know what they liked
and did not like, and also how to make the
experience as easy as possible for the user.
What made you move to Malta and how
was your experience settling here? Most
of the operators on your site are also
based in Malta – is this coincidental?
We used to live here for three years and
we have both missed the island since
then. We started working together after we
moved away and our goal since then has
been to come back. Being able to work in
a county filled with driven entrepreneurs
really makes a big difference and, as you
mentioned, being based on a walking
distance from the operators we work with
is definitely a plus!
What’s next for your business? Do you
plan on selling or merging? How do you
plan on growing this business?
Our next step is to go into new markets;
in Scandinavia but also in Asia. There are
a lot of exciting new markets as well as
new products we are looking at. That’s
a keystone in growing our business;
branching out, reaching more users.
What is your main source of traffic? SEO
& content writing? Email marketing? SMS
marketing? White Hat, Black hat, Google
algorithms keep changing constantly.
How do you stay afloat?
Our main source of traffic is organic search,
so SEO and content writing is a big part of
it.
By constantly keeping an eye on what
competitors and other websites do, but
also by trying (and sometimes failing)
new methods of ranking. It’s definitely not
easy to work against an algorithm which
is constantly changing, but it’s exiting and
very rewarding when you try something
new that work.
Do you work directly with the operators
or did you find it easier to work
with an affiliate network such
as Matching Visions? What’s
your relationship with
these affiliate networks?
How helpful have they
been in helping your
business take off the
ground?
We used to
ship
always work directly with operators, but this last year we
have also worked with a few different networks. Both ways
have their pros and cons, but I would say that an affiliate
network such as Matching Visions really can save you a lot
of time. A good example is at the end of the month when you
have to do all the invoicing to a bunch of different operators.
With Matching Visions, for example, you only need to invoice
them; they take care of chasing all the operators.
Affiliate | SiGMA
We certainly hope to catch up over a pleasant dinner
during SiGMA. What do you think of having a show like this
in Malta? Have you ever attended SiGMA before?
That sounds like a plan. We’ve only been to iGB Berlin and
London so far, but this year we’re definitely attending SiGMA.
We’ve heard so much about the conference, and since all the
operators are already here, it’s quite logical to host such a
show in Malta, to be honest. Plus, the island lends itself quite
well for wining and dining.
What are your passions outside the office environment?
How do you spend leisure time outside work?
Our main goal is to find balance, so we try to do a little bit
of everything. We spend a lot of time with friends and try to
enjoy life, which is not that hard living in Malta. Dinners and
some shenanigans does of course also take place from time
to time!
On an employee level, what makes employees stay with
the company? How many employees do you have or plan
on recruiting in the coming months?
I think you can go far with a good environment where
the employees get feedback and appreciation from their
employers. At the moment we do not have any full time
employees, but we’re looking at hiring content.
E-sport, daily fantasy sport, binary; has
any of these buzz words made it to the
board room yet? Are there plans to
delve into these markets?
They definitely have,
particularly e-sports. We
used to play games when
we were younger, and we
are impressed with how
big the e-sports market
has gotten since then.
Definitely something
we’re going to explore
further!
067
Interview | SiGMA
Online Lottery
a Comprehensive Review
BY Tal Itzhak Ron and Aviya Arika
Every attractive thing has its main source of attraction, its Mojo. Some believe
that in the case of online gaming, this Mojo is the fact that this powerful hobby,
which often becomes a profession (or obsession) for many called gambling, was
twisted, turned, and plunked out of its physical geographical constraints into a
global enterprise surmounting boundaries or COUNTRIES.
This phenomenon is even more visible and meaningful
in the case of Online Lottery. Lotteries, the good old
government controlled product which was once able
to offer to the betters only governmental financial
assets in clearly restricted territories, and under
predetermined, limited odds and jackpots- has
transformed completely through online lottery, which
broke any limitations of geography, odds and jackpots.
This relatively new market, which started to rise
above the radar only around 2014, has been growing
steadily ever since and an increasing number of online
operators want a bite of the big revenue cake that state
lotteries have been baking for years.
The breaking of geographical boundaries is the main
accomplishment of the Lottery Messenger Model, which
turned the traditional country-dependent lottery into
a global market open to everybody, everywhere. This
is the first model that emerged in the Online Lottery
scene, and this is how it works: the player fills in a
virtual lottery ticket and bets on numbers. Then, the
operator uses a local agent in order to buy the real
lottery ticket with the player’s selections. The player
gets a scan of the ticket and in case of winning, the
agent collects the prize and funds the player’s account
accordingly.
From the better’s point of view, beyond the fact that
foreigners can buy tickets enabling them to participate
in lotteries outside of their domicile, this is a big
improvement compared to the traditional lottery.
Instead of going physically to buy the ticket and then
having to check whether they won, they can just buy
the tickets online and get notified instantly of their
winnings, as well as participate in a much wider range
of lotteries. However, the online advantage is also a
disadvantage when encountering some users who are
suspicious when they do not have the actual ticket
in their possession. This is why, when one is keen on
starting their own lottery website, proper legal advice
should be received regarding the ways to make
the website as legal and as consumer protective as
possible.
The Lottery Messenger model is also known as the
Courier model and it relies on the traditional game rules
of lottery and doesn’t really try to challenge them. Due
to the simplicity of the model and the messenger-like
069
SiGMA | Interview
role of the operator, lottery couriers often operate without
gaming licenses out of the belief that they are not providing
gambling services, but rather merely providing the citizens of
the global village with access to existing gambling services.
This position may or may not hold in different countries
and we advise our clients and our readers to inspect the
legal status of this model on a state specific basis, using
experienced attorneys.
In case you were starting to feel bored, do not despair for
there exists a more revolutionary variation of the Online
Lottery and that is the Lottery Insurance Model. The
Insurance Model does not feature physical purchase of
lottery tickets, but rather accepting the player’s bets on real
lottery outcome and using a powerful insurance policy. This
is how it works: the first stage is identical to the Messenger
method- the player fills in a virtual lottery ticket on the online
lottery operator’s website with preferred numbers. Then,
the operator passes the player’s choices to the insurance
company and in case he gets lucky, the insurance company
pays out the prize to him.
In the Insurance Model, the player does not actually
participate in the lottery itself, but only bets on the outcome
of it- kind of like sports betting. The betting element here
makes it interesting, because unlike traditional lottery
services, the player can bet on a range of numbers or
070
even place side bets. For the operator, this model is much
easier logistically, but also riskier because it bears a greater
resemblance to gaming. Unlike the Courier Model, this model
engages the operator in the game by making him bet against
the player on the outcome of the lottery- and as we know,
once the house takes a position, the door of the house is
much more likely to receive a knock from the authorities.
For this reason, online gaming licenses are much more
popular and needed in the case of Insurance Model
operators. The Isle of Man’s e-gaming license covers
lottery operators, and the Online Gaming Regulation Act
(2001) specifically identifies lottery as a form of online
gambling. The definition of lottery in this act is very wide,
as it includes any form of acquiring a chance by means of
a telecommunication. Another popular regulator for lottery
operators is the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), which was
once named the Lottery and Gaming Authority (LGA). In
2001, it was rebranded out of a vision of broadening the
responsibility area of the authority and uniting all kinds of
licenses into one umbrella. The lottery license is, again, the
regular online gaming license, which enables the operator to
provide B2C gaming services and take a position against the
players.
A faster route towards regulated operation is purchasing a
sub-license from a platform which owns B2B license. Well-
Interview | SiGMA
“To conclude, the online lottery market provides a
good opportunity to observe a developing market,
which is constantly innovation although based on
traditional concepts. We think it will continue to
intrigue and draw attention across the industry, and
we do advise you to stay tuned.”
known actors in the field are Lottonetix and
Lottotech, which have managed to dominate
the online lottery platforms market. By the
way of sub-licensing, the licensees can even
start their own network of white labels, an
interesting business option for those who
have the resources for it.
Beyond the mass of new operators entering
this market as white labels or through labels
of their own, the online lottery market faces
many exciting forms of innovation in the
present and the future. Some options may
include the emergence of social lottery
websites, online scratch cards, raffles, and
instant lotteries. Even governments are
following the online lottery trail and are
starting to offer online lottery tickets. A minirevolution occurred in the US in 2011, when
the DOJ responded to requests from Illinois
and New York to sell lottery tickets online,
and not be in violation of the Federal Wire
Act. Assistant U.S Attorney responded to
the request through a game-changing legal
opinion, which upheld that nothing in New
York’s or Illinois’ lottery plans involve sports
wagering, rather than garden-variety lotteries
and confirmed that the proposed lotteries are
not within the prohibition of the Wire Act.
offers an international one-stop shop for
all legal, incorporation, banking, M&A and
licensing needs.
Offshore and Gaming Specialist Aviya
Arika is a seasoned gaming entrepreneur
who has been involved in the gaming and
binary options industries for years. Through
hands-on experience combined with legal
and financial academic degrees, Ms. Arika’s
areas of work extend from offshore and
international finance law to regulated
licensing and gaming law, while she has
a special interest in lottery, fantasy sports
and e-sports. Ms. Arika assists many of
the leading operators and affiliates in the
gaming, forex and binary options industries.
Her contributions to the field can be seen in
articles published in leading financial and
gaming publications, as well as in lectures
and panels she has led in main industry
events. Ms. Arika’s past work with the state
prosecution has given her a fundamental
knowledge in AML and other Criminal
policies, knowledge that enables her to
instruct and guide clients on malpractices
and what not to do.
“With Malta being an
important and well regulated
iGaming jurisdiction in
Europe, a conference like
SiGMA was an absolute
necessity. I look forward to
participate at this event.”
Ory Weihs
XL Media
“We are looking forward to
participate in the SIGMA
conference in our home country
of Malta, where we will
share our vision for using our
innovative gaming platform
as a source of competitive
advantage in a business
friendly context that is well
attended.”
Angelo Dalli
Bit8
To conclude, the online lottery market
provides a good opportunity to observe
a developing market, which is constantly
innovation although based on traditional
concepts. We think it will continue to intrigue
and draw attention across the industry, and we
do advise you to stay tuned.
Adv. and Notary Tal Itzhak Ron is a General
Member of International Masters of Gaming
Law (IMGL), practicing in Hi Tech, Mobile
Applications law, Digital Media, i-Gaming
and Financial Entertainment law. Tal
graduated from Haifa University School of
Law (LL.B.) and Faculty of Computer Science
(B.Sc.), and while working as a software
developer at a publicly traded software
company, NESS Technologies group, has
further obtained a Master’s Degree in
Computer Science from Bar Ilan University
(M.Sc). Tal established Tal Ron, Drihem &
Co., Law Firm in 2003, focusing on Online
Trading, Ad Tech, Hi Tech, M&A, Fin Tech and
iGaming, quickly becoming one of the first
international law firms practicing solely on
these areas, advising top-tier international
clients in these fields. Over the years, Tal
gained extensive knowledge in Financial and
Gaming regulation, International Taxation
and Payment services. Today his team of
highly seasoned attorneys and partnering
professionals headquartered in Tel Aviv and
operating from 8 offices around the world,
071
SiGMA | Employment
Betting Connections
Recruitment Solutions
With over 30 highly skilled recruitment professionals, Betting Connections is the largest
and most multilingual Recruitment Specialist solely dedicated to the iGaming industry.
As Recruitment and iGaming experts, we
understand your needs as a job seeker and
also the challenges that you may face along
the way. Betting Connections is the link
between you and your future employers, and
we will be here to guide you through every
step of your journey!
Here’s a list of IGaming vacancies
currently available:
072
Paid Search Specialist – Malta
Fraud & Payments Agent – Malta
Payment and Fraud Operations Manager
– Malta
Affiliate Manager – Malta
Marketing Coordinator – Malta
SEO - Norwegian speaking – Malta
SEO Swedish speaking – Malta
SEO German speaking – Malta
Head of Online Marketing – Malta
Accounts / Office Admin Executive – Malta
Swedish speaking Financial Assistant –
Stockholm
Junior Accountant – Malta
Product Owner – Slovakia
German speaking Website Promoter –
Malta
Swedish speaking Website Promoter –
Malta
German speaking Translator – Malta
Norwegian speaking Translator – Malta
Project Manager – London
Project Manager – Japan
Head of Operations – London
Company lawyer / Attorney – Malta Norwegian speaking VIP Executive –
London
Affiliate Director –Malta
Affiliate Manager, Norway – Malta
Affiliate Manager, Finland – Malta
Affiliate Manager, Sweden – Malta
Telesales Manager – London
VIP Team Manager – London
For more information about all IGaming
career opportunities available to you,
contact us on:
[email protected] or call to
speak to us on (+356) 2720 4520. c
Re
Project Manager (Digital) x3 – London &
Maidenhead
CRM Manager – Malta
UK and Australia Country Manager –
Malta
Head of Performance Marketing /
Acquisition – Malta
Senior Graphic Designer / Art Director –
Malta
HR Manager – Malta
Office Coordinator – Malta
Norwegian speaking VIP Manager – Malta
Director of Traders – Bulgaria
Senior Sports Analyst – Bulgaria
R&D Group Leader – Bulgaria
Sportsbook Marketing Team Leader –
Bulgaria
Payment Product Manager – Bulgaria
iGaming Platform Product Manager –
Bulgaria
German speaking CS/Technical Support –
Cork
QA Engineer – Malta
VIP Support Agents – Malta
Turkish speaking CS – Malta
Finnish speaking CS – Malta
German/English speaking CS – Malta
Norwegian speaking CS – Malta
Danish speaking CS – Malta
Danish speaking CS –Gibraltar
Dutch speaking CS –Malta
Dutch speaking CS – Gibraltar
German speaking CS – Malta
Senior Swedish speaking Customer
Support – Malta or Remotely
Senior Chinese speaking Customer
Support x5 – Malta or Remotely
Customer Communication Coordinator –
Malta
Finnish speaking Junior Casino Manager
– Malta
Affiliate Coordinator – Malta
Gaming Service Coordinator – Malta
Japanese speaking CRM – Malta
Technical Support – Malta
Technical Project Coordinator – Malta
Senior QA – Poland
Salesforce Developer – Gibraltar
Salesforce Developer – Malta
Client Developer – London
QA Tester – Malta
Tech Support Analyst – Poland
DevOps Engineer – Poland
Database Administrator – Malta
PHP Developers – Malta
Ruby Developer – Malta
Android Developer – Malta
Java Developer and Network Architect –
Malta
Python Developer – Poland
Software Architect – Malta
IT Project Manager – London
.NET Front End Developers – Malta
.NET Developer – Belgium
Frontend Developer (Russian speaking) –
Malta
Frontend Developers X 30 – Malta
FrontEnd Developers x 2 – Slovakia
FrontEnd Developer – Belgium
Backend Developer – Malta
Games Developer/Programmer – Japan
Web Developer with Mobile Hybrid Apps
Knowledge – Istanbul / Stockholm
HTML/ Javascript Developer – Stockholm
Senior Front End Developer – Malmo
Senior Back End Developer – Malmo
Senior Data Analyst – Malta
Data Analyst – Malta
UK Copy Writer – Malta
NOC Engineer – Malta
Banking Operations Analyst – Malta
Data Architect – Malta
Director of Infrastructure – Malta
Data Warehouse Developer – Malta
Community Managers x 5 (FINNISH, SWEDISH,
DANISH, NORWEGIAN) – Malta
Czech speaking VIP – Ireland
Reconciliations Analyst – Ireland
Marketing Specialist – Belgium
Graphic Designer / Art Director – Belgium
Junior Systems Administrator – Malta
German speaking Games Presenter – Malta
Content Writer - Malta
German Content Writer – Malta
Content Manager / Writer, Swedish– Malta
Senior Swedish Casino Content Writer –
Malta
B2B – Relationship Manager/ Account
Manager - Malta
Account Manager – Malta
Account Sales Manager – Malta
VIP Coordinators (UK/Scandi/ German) –
Malta
Junior Legal Counsel – Malta
Live Casino Business Manager – Malta
Head of Parternships – Malta
Junior Product Manager – Malta
German speaking Live dealers – Malta
Norwegian speaking Live dealers – Malta
Greek speaking Live dealers – Malta
Czech speaking Live dealers – Malta
Dutch speaking Live Dealers – Malta
Polish- Italian Live Dealers – Malta
on
s
The Betting Connections team is committed
to making your career development and job
seeking process an enjoyable and successful
one!
ru
itme
uti
nt Sol
Binary | SiGMA
BUILDING
TRUST IN
BINARY
073
SiGMA | Binary
He built his career in iGaming but Lars Kollind is on a new mission - to
rehabilitate the typical approach to binary trading and make it a more
trustworthy and appealing option for the Scandinavian market.
Lars Kollind’s career in gaming started around 15 years
ago, when he launched a poker venture that became
very successful when the game was booming online.
The business came to a halt after the 2011 crackdown
known as Black Friday, hitting many major poker
brands based in the US, which was what Kollind’s core
business model was based on. However, his impeccable
reputation carried him forward, and he was approached
by Bet24 to become the firm’s Head of Poker, a role he
carried out with great success. When Unibet bought
Bet24, he held several leading C-level roles in a
number of gaming companies. But he still felt as if he
wasn’t utilizing his skills and experience to their full
potential - so he decided to go solo. “A few years back,
I realized that my vast and broad skills could be applied
to consultancy. Since then I have been running my
own gaming consulting venture, assisting both mature
companies and start-ups to grow or launch,” Kollind says.
With the launch of his own company, Kollind moved to
Malta seven years ago to be closer to his customers and
be able to meet them face-to-face whenever necessary.
“Malta as a country is very accommodating to foreigners
who want to start a business. Its tax system and business
infrastructure are more developed than one might think.
The only downsides are the pace at which things are
done and the service level, which can sometimes be a
bit frustrating, I’m from Sweden where we are used to
certain things, and the structure I was used to doesn’t
exist here.” However, he quickly adapted to his new
home, and found that overall, there were more positives
than negatives. “It’s also worth mentioning that Malta as
a country has evolved dramatically since I moved here,
so many things – from a business perspective and from
a personal view – that were a hurdle a few years back
are no longer an issue.”
And Malta has proved to be a suitable base for Kollind’s
newest venture, which has seen him move away from
gaming and into financial trading - more specifically,
the binary market. “Malta, Cyprus and Sweden were
the logical countries for us to be based in, as our
Scandinavian clients need to feel the comfort of
European control. We are confronting the way binary
is presented to the public today, focusing on the
Scandinavian market as it has shown the most restraint
to the industry. Even though binary operators are seen
at the same trade shows as gaming operators, it’s only
because we share similar client demographics in some
areas. The binary market is not a game and it cannot
be approached as such. The numbers don’t lie - forcing
profit and pushing to trade has not, and will not work in
the Scandinavian market.”
Kollind wants to change the way the binary market is
portrayed by offering clients a highly competent operator
that they can trust. “Many people in Scandinavia have
trust issues when it comes to dealing with binary options,
because of what they’ve seen from leading operators
and their way of approaching the market. Our team has
evaluated the approach used by our competitors for
some time now and found that they are all making the
same mistakes in client and personnel relations. Our staff
needs to feel secure to be able to make the clients feel
secure. We have decided to take on a more educational
approach to build the much-needed trust rather than
pushing hard-core sales. We are fully aware that this
way of acquiring customers will take a longer time and
will cost us more money. However, this is something that
we are well prepared for. We will invest heavily so the
customers feel safe and secure, and have trust in us and
binary trading.”
While Kollind is well aware of the power of affiliates and
the CPA that some binary brokers pay out, he believes
binary operators can’t move away from the gaming
industry if they continue to use the same channels. “We
are living in the era of social media and interactions.
Link-sites are in the Scandinavian region seen as junkmail. That said, we have great experience working
with affiliates, especially those which are specialized in
binary. If they are open to the change in communication
that is necessary in order to extend into the binary
market, we want to work with them.”
“Malta as a country is very accommodating to foreigners
who want to start a business. Its tax system and business
infrastructure are more developed than one might think.”
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075
coming soon...
Last November SiGMA teamed up with
Casumo to bring together some thirty
of Europe’s elite affiliates for a Grand
Slam that was held one day before the
official start of the Summit. Affiliates
had the chance to bring their business
practices up to date with the latest
strategies and strengthen their
professional network in a
leisurely environment.
Affiliate | SiGMA
The Casumo Grand Slam included activities
designed to give affiliates plenty of
opportunity to interact in a relaxed setting and,
why not, find areas for collaboration between
one drink and another. They were treated like
royalty to champagne breakfast on the beach,
powerboat rides and adventure activities
around Malta, a five-star dinner and, finally,
escorted to a networking poker tournament in
exotic sports cars.
“Imagine Europe’s best igaming
affiliates all together under one
roof—an affiliate manager’s
dream; an operator’s dream;
our dream come true,” is
how Dennis Dyhr Hansen
described the idea for this
Grand Slam.
Following this
success in 2015, in
an unprecedented
move, the organisers
decided to extend this
hospitality treat to all
operators exhibiting or
sponsoring at SiGMA16.
This year, operators are
entitled to invite any
number of affiliates in
Malta throughout SiGMA.
The organisers will absorb
the costs of a whopping
300 flights.
Hospitality goes a long way and,
let’s face it, Malta lends itself quite
well for a few days of wining, dining
and networking.
077
SiGMA | Affiliate
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Affiliate | SiGMA
079
Photo Gallery | SiGMA
PHOTO GALLERY
NETWORKING POKER TOURNAMENT: NOVEMBER 4TH 2015
HILTON HOTEL, ST. JULIAN’s
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SiGMA | Photo Gallery
NETWORKING POKER TOURNAMENT: NOVEMBER 4TH 2015
HILTON HOTEL, ST. JULIAN’s
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CONFERENCES: NOVEMBER 5-6TH 2015
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EXPO: NOVEMBER 5-6TH 2015
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NETWORKING DRINKS: NOVEMBER 5-6TH 2015
TAPAZ LOUNGE, ST. JULIAN’s
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NETWORKING DINNERS: NOVEMBER 5-6TH 2015
CAVIAR & BULL, ST. JULIAN’s
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CLOSING NIGHT: NOVEMBER 6TH 2015
THE PAVILLION, WESTIN DRAGONARA, ST. JULIAN’s
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MORNING BRUNCH: NOVEMBER 7TH 2015
PARANGA, ST. GEORGE’S BAY
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Affiliate | SiGMA
Matching
Visions:
solid growth based on trust
So tell us, what exactly is Matching Visions, what do you
do?
Basically, we’re an online gaming network and we
specialise in quality casino campaigns. As we’re based
in sunny Malta, we have close connections to a lot of
the operators and therefore, we’re able to get the most
out of working with them. Currently, we work with over
100 brands, which gives our affiliates access to over 500
quality gaming campaigns. Our aim is to make our affiliates’
lives much easier, as they only have one login, one
payment and one point of contact to deal with. We love
affiliates and so far, it seems affiliates love us back!
How did the Matching Visions adventure begin?
Matching Visions was born in Denmark in late 2013 and
began operating out of Malta at the start of 2014. We
had many years experience in gaming and affiliation and
saw a gap in the market to offer a complete solution for
gaming affiliates. Therefore, we decided to go for it and
joined forces with a successful media house based in
Copenhagen and built the company from there - starting
off with two employees in a tiny office. Since then, we
haven’t looked back. Now we have a large office, with 10
employees and are growing rapidly.
You mention 10 employees, tell us a bit about the team
you have behind Matching Visions...
We’ve always stuck by the motto that you don’t need a big
team, you just need the right team - and that could not be
more relevant than with us! We’re lucky enough to have a
young, talented and fun team, with decades of experience
in the gaming and affiliation sectors. With employees from
the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Malta and even as far
afield as South Africa, there’s a very International vibe to
our office. This helps with the quality of service we offer our
affiliates, as we can provide support in multiple languages,
as well as providing top quality native texts and content.
Our team may be small, but it is mighty!
Speaking of your office, we’ve heard rumours that you
guys are very active in the social scene, can you tell us
more about that?
Yes we love to work hard and play hard, especially when
it comes to our office environment. For example, we
recently threw a Paddy’s Day party in our office for friends
and business partners which was a huge success! We
dressed the office up in green, and ourselves of course,
and hired a live band to play in the afternoon. It was a great
atmosphere and over 100 people came by for a drink and a
catch up, which is always nice. In general, we love people
and being social, so we often host VIP events, or take our
partners out for nice dinners and drinks, as we feel it’s vital
for building long term partnerships, plus it’s so easy to do
in Malta.
You also are involved in the Malta sports scene, right?
We couldn’t be happier here in Malta - great people,
amazing weather and excellent business opportunities in
general. We love it here and therefore, we like to do our
bit to support the local sports community. For example,
we sponsor one of the young Maltese boxers, plus a local
football team. It’s good for the island and as a positive side
effect, it also shows that we’re a good company, with good
values, that can be trusted.
We also noticed you travel a lot, do you have any big
plans coming up?
Yes, we love to travel and have been to Las Vegas and
Thailand for conferences this year already. It’s great
for us to see how different markets work and look for
opportunities all over the globe - we’re planning some
more exotic trips in the near future. More recently, we
all attended LAC in London and exhibited outside of
Malta for the first time, which was a huge success. We’ve
just booked a stand to exhibit again at the Amsterdam
conference, so you’ll be seeing a lot more of Matching
Visions around the world, so keep your eyes open!
What makes you stand out from other networks?
When we started Matching Visions, we always said we’d do
things the right way. Many networks have a bad reputation,
especially surrounding payments to affiliates. We always
pay and most importantly, we always pay on time! This is
a major factor which contributed to our success and has
earned us the great reputation we have today. Aside from
on time payments, we have a state-of-the-art dashboard
and stats delivery system, so affiliates can follow exactly
how they’re performing very easily. We also host all
materials in our system and insert tracking automatically,
which further enhances the user experiences and makes
life easier for our affiliates. Another important factor is the
value we offer, as we have an array of special promotions
and competitions every month, which keeps our affiliates
hungry and our operators happy!
What does the future hold for Matching Visions?
Thankfully, we’ve had huge success with the network since
its inception. We’ve reported steady month-on-month
growth every month, so it seems we found a winning
formula! Our next steps are to ensure that we continue
offering the top quality service and value that people
have come to expect. From there, we’re looking for global
domination - we want to expand our services into as many
countries as possible. In 2015 we entered the UK, Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, Poland and more, so we want to
continue to build on this for 2016. We also have a talented
IT department who are working on some revolutionary new
tools and features that should continue to set us apart from
the competition for many years to come!
0105
Customer Service
for your online gaming
for your outsourcing
for your start-up
for a higher quality
for more availability
for the extra mile
contact: [email protected]
www.extramile-services.com
Payments | SiGMA
SECURE
MOBILE
PAYMENTS
Smartphones have become a big part of our everyday life and they offer infinite
possibilities. We consume media, do bank errands, play games, communicate, and engage
in many other activities. Seamless, a Swedish global mobile payments company, has
capitalized on this phenomenon by applying their transaction switch technology to
develop a mobile payment application called “Seqr” (pronounced ‘se-cure’) for consumers
in 2012. Back then, Seqr was launched as a way to pay in physical stores, but quickly
developed into a fully integrated payment platform for smartphones that works in
pretty much all payment scenarios. Active on twelve markets, Seqr is headquartered in
Stockholm Sweden, home of Betsson, Vera & John, Cherry and Expect and we sat down
with Mr. Peter Boström, the company’s Director of Global Sales & Markets to discuss how
Seqr plays its role within the iGaming industry.
0107
SiGMA | Payments
Why are you entering the gaming industry?
When SEQR was launched about 3 years ago the strategy
was to target physical everyday-purchase outlets, such
as supermarkets, convenient stores, fast food outlets and
parking to attract every-day-usage and create a consumer
base when breaking into niche industries such as iGaming.
We succeeded and here we are, with a varied consumer
base and an offer to the iGaming industry that solves some
of the traditional problems.
Many operators think they have their payment system
covered, with multiple ways. How is Seqr different?
Seqr is much more than a payment method. All payment
processes follow the same logic; scan a QR-code, enter pin,
done. But that is just an enabler for a range of value-adding
services that solves real problems for on-line and physical
merchants. We can cover basically any payment situation
where a user today would use cash or cards. The payment
platform works for all types of funding but the dominating
solution is through the direct debit network. Unique for Seqr
is the ability to route transaction outside of the credit card
rails to keep costs down.
This makes it possible for us to offer the
gaming industry the lowest transaction
costs on the market. We feel that
this combined with a simplified
customer acquisition process
combined with instant top
up and withdrawal from
customers’ gaming accounts
and the highest level of KYC
is a very strong offer to the
iGaming companies.
When you say simplified
customer acquisition,
what does that mean in
reality?
The iGaming customer
acquisition process basically
means that the user accepts
an offer by clicking it and
confirm the transaction by
entering a personal PIN. As
the user is registered with SEQR
there is no need to fill in any
personal details such as name and
address. The user connects their bank
account to Seqr, i.e. there is no need to
fill in any card details. Just by clicking on an
offer and enter their PIN the user has applied for
a gaming account and made an initial deposit, a customer
experience way simpler than existing methods. And, the user
never has to leave the gaming site. To enable SEQR as a
payment method a simple integration is carried out through a
standard API.
What is the added value to operators and white platforms
in plugging Seqr?
The added value is quite straightforward; cheap transactions,
easy customer acquisition and easy and effective
transactions to and from the gaming account.
In addition the KYC and security levels are very high. To
process transactions to, and withdraw from, the gaming
account via the user’s bank account requires a bank
standard KYC of the users. This is made once during the
customer’s SEQR registration process.
Tell us a bit more about how the model works? What makes
it unique from other payment gateways?
From the payments perspective, the main difference is that
Seqr offers lower transaction cost due to the way we route
0108
the transactions. This is possible since we use our own
transaction switch that has been in the market since 2001
and processes 3.7 billion transactions annually via more than
525,000 active outlets.
But the big advantages are from a service perspective,
where Seqr offers services that allows our customers to
create new sales channels. For example, users can make
purchases from various kinds of transaction points—cash
registers, printed media, e-commerce sites, vending
machines and many more. This is what makes it possible for
SEQR to offer a very fast and simple onboarding process for
the gaming operator’s customers.
Are people ready to pay with their smartphone and give up
the card?
Consumers basically live with their smartphones 24/7.
Question is how you use this fact to generate sales.
The mobile payment industry itself is relatively new and
changing the consumer behavior is a part of the concept.
The possibilities with a smart device as the payment tool
compared to a plastic card are huge, and the payment
industry as such is going through radical
changes due to this. A number of large,
well known companies have spent
tremendous amount of efforts to
enter the mobile payments market,
so the potential is with out a
question there. As always when
something new is introduced,
that includes a change in
consumer behavior. And
that’s pretty much where the
mobile payment industry is
at right now.
To give an idea of the
SEQR market I can mention
that somewhere between
5% and 10% of the total
Swedish population has
used Seqr technology to
make payments. Considering
how new the Mobile payments
concept is that must be seen as
an exceptional result within a very
short time span.
Could these all be potential players the
operators could reach out to?
Yes, of course! We have a wide range
of channels that we can reach our users with
campaigns and offers. We are also confident that the
operators will see the advantages of the value-added
services that Seqr offers and have an interests and
motivation to promote Seqr as a payment tool to their users.
How would the customer acquisition work?
Once Seqr is implemented as one of the payment methods
it is an excellent tool to drive sales and help you understand
your gamers better. With Seqr you can turn any type of media
into a customer acquisition channel and a sales channel.
Place a QR-code and your message in the Seqr app, the
operator’s app, on a gaming website, in social media. A user
can then become a customer of for example the gaming
operator just by scanning a QR-code and entering their PIN.
All the user information is already in the app and the initial
deposit is made using the same process.
Gaming operators can convert marketing and advertising
efforts into a direct sales channel just by using Seqr. We
work closely with our partners to create joint campaigns and
marketing efforts that boost each other businesses.
You have proven that QR codes are far from obsolete.
Tell us how this app is slowly, but steadily revolutionizing
payment in online gaming.
Yes, the QR-code has somewhat of a bad reputation. But
that’s because it hasn’t provided any real value to the user.
The QR-reader is integrated in the Seqr app and is a hundred
times faster than people expect before trying it out. It is also
the enabler to make transactions and create sales channels
in a way that has never been done before. Just imagine
that you can purchase something from a billboard while
waiting for the bus by just scanning and pinning. No need
to fill out any information, it’s already there and the product
gets shipped to your door. You can sell anywhere! For the
iGaming world the QR code enables an acquisition directly
from any printed media.
Payments | SiGMA
Your headquarters are in Stockholm. With such a heavy
presence of gaming operators in Malta, are you looking at
setting up an office here? How do you plan on staying in
touch with this community of C-level executives based in
this five mile radius in St. Julian’s?
Our strategy is to always build our own organization in each
market we penetrate, for example, Belgium, Portugal, the US,
UK, Romania, and Finland. At the moment we have a close
partnership with a Malta based company that represents
Seqr. We are looking at the possibility to make Seqr
available in physical outlets in Malta and are in dialogue with
Malta based retailers. When and where, the future will tell.
Can you give an example of a collaboration from the
iGaming industry?
We only started approaching the iGaming industry in
November 2015, so within a very limited time span we have
reached quite interesting results. We launched our first
commercial campaign with one of the well-known operators
already over Christmas; one month after the go ahead was
given. The conversion rate on that campaign was 30%, even
with a limited concept. We have signed and are presently
working with multiple operators and other actors within the
industry with the plan to launch a full concept in the near
future.
0109
Who’s Who | SiGMA
WHO’S WHO IN THE
MALTA GAMING INDUSTRY
Alistair Sparrow
Affiliate Manager
21 Casino is a high-end, luxurious themed online casino. A
younger player in the igaming industry, but ran by enthusiastic
and experienced igaming professionals. 21 Casino offers
players a simple, high-quality gaming experience. For affiliates
we offer high default commission rates, different campaign
types and high-quality promotional materials.
www.21casino.com
Ofir Gerzon
Affiliate Director
Since its inception in ’97, over 25M players have experienced
888’s exciting action, making it the largest e-gaming portal.
The 888 Group headquarters are situated in Gibraltar and is
operated by Cassava Enterprises (Gibraltar) Limited under
a license granted by the Govt of Gibraltar. In Sept ’05, 888
Holdings made a successful initial public offering of its shares,
which were traded on the London Stock Exchange.
www.888.com
Claire Camilleri Gauci
Director
Aid Compliance provides tailor-made compliance support
and consultancy services to the financial services and
gaming sectors both at pre and post licensing stage. After
having worked with various leading institutions, the team at
Aid Compliance have broad and hands-on experience as
compliance officers, anti-money laundering officers, internal
auditors and risk officers.
www.aidcompliance.com
Dinos Stranomitis
Director
Altenar offers a complete fully managed Gaming Solution. Our
speciality is Sports Betting. Altenar product offering features
of BetInAction Sportsbook software with premium content,
24x7 trading, risk management and business support. You can
choose from wide range of Casinos. BetInAction Sportsbook
solution is also offered as a flexible B2B module.
www.altenar.com
Roy Pedersen
Managing Director
All In Translations is the official translation provider for SiGMA
and the preferred language service provider of companies
like Playtech, William Hill, Betfair, Betsson and many more.
Their high quality and service level is trusted by several of the
biggest affiliates, platform providers, operators and developers.
Both their translations and content writing services are
available in 70+ languages, with quick deliveries and great
value. All In Translations was founded in Malta in 2008 and
have established themselves as the industry leading language
service provider for the gaming industry.
www.allintranslations.com
Pierre Lindh
Managing Director
Ambassadör Events Ltd has become Malta’s leading event
management company, specializing in event management
solutions catered towards the Igaming industry. Over the past
three years, we have developed internationally renowned
brands such as ‘Events by Martin’ and ‘Showers’, delivering
hotly anticipated events on all year around as well as
delivering unbeatable B2B event management solutions and
VIP concierge services. Our prestigious clientele include many
of the established iGaming and finance companies based here
in Malta and abroad. www.ambassador-events.com
0111
SiGMA | Who’s Who
Geert Polmans
Affiliate Manager
Amsterdams Casino is a veteran in the igaming industry,
with a steadily expanding team. A strong brand with special
monthly player promotions that offer unique engagement.
We are offering our affiliates complete transparency, open
communication and creative customized marketing materials
with flexible solutions and campaigns to cater to your traffic.
www.amsterdamscasino.com
Eero Villikka
Affiliate Director
Anna Casino is run by the Maltese company Anna Casino
Gaming Ltd. and is operating under an MGA license. The
casino caters to primarily the softer gaming audience and is
presented with a soft color scheme and a clear female touch.
The brand focuses on elements such as trust, security and high
value offers for regular customers. Net Entertainment, Play
N Go, Microgaming and Spigo products make up the game
environment. Anna Partners, the affiliate brand of Anna Casino,
offers high value deals to affiliates with a focus on growth
through customized promotions based on the specific target
audience of the affiliate. www.annacasino.com
Ian Pellicano
Managing Director
ApcoPay is a fully integrated payments solution, an all-in-one
platform that provides clients with all they need to cater for
multi-channel and multi-currency payment options through
a single interface. The solution is designed to cater for high
transaction volumes, scalability and continuous improvement.
We are specialists in payment solutions with over 12 years’
industry experience driven by a passionate team of experts.
With headquarters in Malta, Apco encompasses a blend of
over 26 acquiring partners and over 150 payment options to
800 merchants in over 25 countries across the globe.
www.apcopay.eu
Jon Grafton
Creative Manager
Azure Malta provides Vacation Ownership opportunities,
making dream vacations a reality. Azure tailors luxury club
memberships to today’s demanding market and has fast
become a worldwide leader in the Vacation Ownership
industry. Providing exclusive membership opportunities at the
prestigious Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Golden Sands, Malta
and with a member base of over 5,000 families at this resort
alone, Azure offers flexible usage options and luxury vacation
experiences in some of the most sought after destinations in
the world.
0112
Kristina Hambardzumyan
Regional Director
BetConstruct is an award-winning developer and provider of
online and land-based betting and gaming solutions.
BetConstruct’s innovative and proven offerings include an
extensive range of market-leading vertical products including
Sportsbook, Sports Data Solutions, Agent System, Retail
Betting Shop Solutions, RNG Casino Suite & Live Dealer
Casino.
www.betconstruct.com
Aiste Garneviciene
COO
While most of the companies are offering traditional software
platforms with classic casino games in the offering, Betgames.
tv is thinking outside the box, trying to develop a unique
niche in an industry that could stand an infusion of fresh
ideas. We have introduced a revolutionary approach to live
casino gaming and are confident that our live games offer
our partners the highest quality, the most authentic and
entertaining live gaming experience and the widest choice
of unique content. We are constantly working on adding new
cutting-edge games unlike any other on the market today.
www.betgames.tv
Christofer Holmgren
Head of Affiliates
Founded in 2012, Bethard Group consists of a team of
passionate individuals whose vision is to create and promote
extraordinary brands in iGaming. With five gaming sites up and
running: Bethard, SverigeKronan, SverigeCasino, SuomiVegas
and NorgeVegas, Bethard Group has managed to develop
successful brands maintaining its energetic culture and fine
identity. Our offices are located in Malta, where the team enjoys
life and sunny days at its fullest.
www.bethard.com
Ulrik Bengtsson
CEO
Betsson is a unique venture of its own. Its story has become
history in the Maltese iGaming sector. It is known as being the
largest local employer in the sector and has an overwhelming
story of success. Betsson has been welcomed in Malta and
has become ‘Maltese’ throughout the years. The set up is done
by skilled and professional individuals that contribute to its
success. For Betsson, Malta is simply a great place to work and
live in for skilled internet professionals.
www.betsson.com
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Allister Bajada
Head of Affiliates
c
Re
on
s
Affiliate Lounge and its brands Betsson, Betsafe, Casino
Euro and Cherry Casino are all part of the public listed
holding company Swedish Betsson AB. Betsson AB invests
in companies who provide quality gaming services over the
Internet. The demand for transparency and auditing practices
employed in public listed companies guarantees that your
commission is always fair and 100% right. With a dedicated
staff and a comprehensive back-end system, affiliates have
support and guidance at hand. Affiliate Lounge strives to be
the best partner regardless of the size of your company.
www.affiliatelounge.com
ru
itme
uti
nt Sol
Kay Vella
Head of Recruitment
Betting Connections is a leading provider of International
IGaming Recruitment Solutions! With more than 30 highly
skilled recruitment and career consultants, we provide the
best and most personalised service in the industry. Utilising
our unique ‘30 Step Recruitment Process’, which focuses on
quality of communication, delivery of results and consistency
of service, you can rest assured that all your recruitment needs
will be met in a thorough, professional and timely manner. Your
recruitment solution is our goal!
www.bettingconnections.com
Angelo Dalli
CEO
Bit8 is a gaming platform company that offers an innovative
intelligent gaming backend and game content catering
for current and future needs of modern gaming operators,
both online and land-based. Available in both standalone
and hosted versions, and complimented with a variety of
professional services, our solutions provide a source of
competitive advantage. Operators can customise additional
modules to achieve the precise system that satisfies business
needs, across multiple game providers, products and verticals
and multiple channels.
www.bit8.com
Marius Filip
Senior Affiliate Manager
We are part of the Bonnier Group, one of the largest publishing
and entertainment companies in Sweden since 1804. Evoke
Affiliates (Bonnier Gaming) Ltd is based in Malta, and is a
regulated online gaming company, we have been offering a
thrilling and enjoyable online gaming experience to millions
through brands that include Redbet.com, Heypoker.com,
Whitebet.com, Bertil.com, Vinnarum.com and Mamamiabingo.
com. The business remains true to its founding mission, to offer
a fun and responsible gaming experience.
www.bonniergaming.com
Jonathan Caruana
CTO
Bonus Vikings is an affiliate platform providing top rated CPA
and revenue share offers in casino, poker, bingo, sportsbook
as well as Forex and binary.
The parent company is Viking PC Health Ltd which operates
from Malta, offering antivirus software.
www.bonusvikings.com
Daan Mulder
Creative Director
Branders is everything design. We are branding, concepts
and graphic design. A highly experienced international team
that takes every brand to the next level. Design that goes
beyond visuals and communicates your business philosophy.
Specialized in iGaming and service providers.
www.branders.rocks
Alessandro Fried
CEO
BtoBet, an online gaming solutions provider, is a pioneer
in new technologies for iGaming operators and the betting
industry by using technological intelligence as the main
base for its products. Its unique, customizable, secure and
flexible iGaming platform and Sportsbook software deliver
unprecedented capabilities to drive Sportsbook and iGaming
businesses.
www.btobet.com
Louise North
Business Development Manager
Callcredit Information Group is expert in managing
consumer data for businesses across every sector, from
financial services, retail and utilities to public sector,
telecoms, insurance and many more. The Group is focused
on developing innovative products and services to help
businesses make smarter, more informed decisions throughout
the customer lifecycle.
www.callcreditmarketing.com
0113
Malta’s largest data centre facility
Tailor made solutions to host your mission critical data
and applications in a secure and scalable environment
Our services:
Hosting & Co-Location
Carrier neutral Tier 1 international connectivity
Nationwide fibre connectivity
Managed services & cloud
DDoS mitigation solutions
24/7/365 technical support
E
[email protected]
T
+356 2727 3535
W datacentre.melita.com
datacentre.melita.com
Meny Monka
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Who’s Who | SiGMA
David Wainwright
Director
CasinoCruise.com is a complete multi-vendor online casino
gaming platform, offering over 1000 high-quality games from
the world’s top suppliers and software developers. The brand
showcases a multi-vendor gaming platform including Evolution
Gaming and more.
Right from your home, smartphone, or tablet. CasinoTV is an
online gaming experience featuring live games that stream
directly from the acclaimed Casino at Portomaso, Malta.
CasinoTV isn’t just an online gaming company—we’re a real
live casino in the online gaming business.
CasinoCruise was also granted the IGB award for best affiliate
program new comer.
www.casinocruise.com
When you’re at our tables, you’ll enjoy the same high
standards, excellent service and peace of mind as you would
while playing in any one of the Tumus Group’s world famous
brick and mortar casinos.
www.casinotv.com
Christos Charistas
General Manager
Casino Malta by Olympic Casino provides the most exciting
casino experience in Malta. With a mix of Las Vegas type
entertainment and the best customer service, they’ve created
a unique ambiance of elegance and top quality. The 3000
square meter casino features 285 slots, 2 electronic roulette
tables and 29 casino and poker tables as well as a wide
sports betting and bar area. In addition, there is an EZ-Pay
payment ticket system installed throughout the casino. The
slot machines installed in the casino are the newest and most
modern in the country, guaranteeing the highest world class
level of entertainment and gaming. www.casinomalta.com.mt
Kristian Svensson
General Manager
CasinoRoom.com is run by Ellmount Gaming and licensed by
Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gaming Commission. An
established brand offering its customers a innovative product
on all devices. Operating out of offices in Sweden, Curacao,
Costa Rica and Malta. One of the fastest growing online casino
operators world wide in 2015.
www.casinoroom.com
Magnus Alebo
CEO
Casino Heroes, formerly known as Casino Saga, was the first
casino brand from Hero Gaming. It was launched in June 2014
and immediately took off to become the fastest growing online
casino world wide. By playing traditional casino games of
their choice (currently from Evolution, Quickspin, Play N’ Go,
Microgaming, Yggdrasil, Betsoft and Netent), the customers
progress in the Casino Heroes adventure by fighting bosses
and reaching new regions.
www.casinoheroes.com
Christian Ferreri
Affiliate Manager
Casumo is an award-winning online casino based in Malta. By
combining social and real money gaming, Casumo has built
the world’s first casino adventure, where the player not only
collects winnings, but also points and trophies for every round
played. Through design, technology & innovation Casumo aims
to disrupt a young but in many ways immature industry. Since
the launch in 2012, Casumo is still one of the fastest growing
online casino operators in Europe.
www.casumo.com
Robert Andersson
CEO
Catena Media is an online lead generation company. We
generate valuable traffic to our clients using various online
channels. We aim to build market leading web portals that best
suit the needs of our client’s customers. We use our expertise
to attract the desired leads and forward them on to our clients
in the form of paying customers.
www.catenamedia.com
Nadia Pace
CEO
At Centrecom we are a multi-lingual International Business
Process Outsourcing (BPO) company offering back and front
office services through our Contact Centre based in Luqa,
Malta.
Our contact centre is manned by native English speakers,
as well as a multi-national team speaking more than seven
languages – so that we can definitely speak your customers’
language.
www.centrecom.eu
0115
SiGMA | Who’s Who
Julian Kunimine
Head Affiliate Manager
Chance Hill is a brand new online casino . The multi platform
site features some of the best software providers around
including Netent, Microgaming, and Endorphina to name
a few. The site offers a modern design with no download
required.
Standing out for a relaxed approach and great service all
players and partners feel like they are true VIPs.
www.chancehill.com
Elaine Gardiner
As one of Europe’s most established gaming brands, at Cherry
Affiliates you will see your earnings blossom! Cherry Affiliates
is a forward thinking, flexible and professional program offering
up to 50% commission with no negative carryover when
promoting our award winning brands: CherryCasino, EuroSlots,
EuroLotto, SpilleAutomater, SveaCasino and SuomiAutomaatti.
www.cherryaffiliates.com
Angela Tabone
Director
Citadel Insurance operates with a forward-thinking strategy
built on its established reputation as a provider of high-quality
and value-for-money insurance products and services for both
individual and business customers.
The company offers an extensive and flexible range of
products comprising of motor, home, marine, travel, business,
professional indemnity and life insurance including retirement
and savings plans, besides other tailor-made products
designed around customer’s requirement.
www.citadelplc.com
Stefan Jonsson
Affiliate Director
ComeOn! is a Casino, Sportsbook and Poker site running
its operations from Malta, operating locally in 10 languages.
With their main focus on the Nordic regions, ComeOn! is the
proud betting partner of Liverpool FC in Sweden, Norway and
Finland. Besides the outstanding Sportsbook, ComeOn! only
works with the best Casino game providers including Net
Entertainment, Microgaming, Playtech, Play n Go, Yggdrasil and
Evolution amongst others. ComeOn are at the forefront of new
design and industry leading product features.
www.comeon.com
0116
Anton Cristina
Executive Director
CSL is a Systems Integrator with its own Data Centre Facilities,
which are Tier 3 rated, Carrier Neutral and a very aggressive
level of service for DDOS mitigation, with a total capacity of
2000 square meters of rack space plus a team of 24 technical
resources skilled and experienced in delivering Cloud Services,
Colocation, Managed Services up to OS level, plus BC&RS to
our customers. We migrated many gaming customers to our
data centre over the past 4 years and they will tell you that we
can do it faster, better and cheaper.
www.csl.com.mt
Stefan Jonsson
Affiliate Director
Initially the affiliate platform of ComeOn.com, earn Affiliates
nowadays gives access to 7 amazing brands, each targeting
different geographies and player segments with their own
unique brand identity and values. The earn Affiliates brands
are: Comeon.com, Folkeutomaten.com, Mobilbet.com,
Suomikasino.com, Casinostugan.com, Kasyno.pl and GetLucky.
com. All brands are licensed and regulated by the Malta
Gaming Authority and most brands hold the UK Gambling
Commission license.
www.earnaffiliates.com
Michael Golembo
Sales Director
EGaming Online may be the only affiliate program you will ever
need. All brands feature effective, workable promotions, solid
player support, and conversion. The company guarantees that
whether you are looking to promote one brand or all of them,
EGO will work with you every step of the way. Their dedicated
team of experienced affiliate managers provide 24/7 support in
many languages. EGO offers buttons and text links in a variety
of colors and sizes, along with free banners in a number of
sizes, including custom made.
www.egamingonline.com
Todor Zahariev
Managing Director
EGT Interactive games are renowned throughout the industry
for their intuitive gameplay that will captivate the current
players and dazzle new players, encouraging them to return
every day for more exciting iGaming entertainment.
We are known for the iconic video slots and we also proudly
offer classic casino favorites such as Roulette, Video Poker,
Table Games and Keno.
http://egt-bg.com/en/interactive/online
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Jan Urbanec
VP Sales
Endorphina is a software provider that offers a wide range of
Flash-based slot games for online casinos. Games provided
by Endorphina are remarkable for the stability of the system,
circumspect logic of the client side and versatile API which
allows several types of integration, a full report with statistics
sent to the Client’s back office, etc. Choosing Endorphina
means choosing a trustworthy provider of PROFITABLE
ONLINE casino software. www.endorphina.com
Bernard Mallia
CEO
Equinox academy is the training and education arm of
Equinox Advisory Ltd. It specialises in the delivery of high
quality training programmes designed to improve on-the-job
performance, and is backed up by the Corporate services arm
of Equinox Advisory Ltd. which conducts, among other things,
industry surveys in relation to skills gap, trainig needs analyses
and HR Audits.
www.equinoxadvisory.com
Elaine Gardiner
Niclas Johansson
Affililate Manager
Established in 2013, Energy Casino is deemed as thriving
and briskly developing casino which offers a wide range of
cutting edge games from the land-based slots manufacturer
Novomatic. Soon its game portfolio will be updated with games
by Netent and Microgaming. Licensed and operated by Probe
Investments Limited which is registered under the laws of
the European Union member state of Malta, EnergyCasino is
backed my multiple languages, currencies, expeditious support
and it invariably entices enormous throngs of customers.
www.energycasino.com
EuroSlots offersone of the widest variety of the leading games
available online. The company’s motto is: “If the games are
not good enough for our customers we simply do not publish
them.”
www.euroslots.com
Alex Capurro
CEO & Founder
With over 15 years experience, EPG is the next generation one
stop payment platform. We offer an online gateway with an
ever growing list of over 210 different online payment methods
and acquirers worldwide. EPG can offer any online merchant
everything they need in order to process transactions online
via one simple yet heavily secure API integration and a unique
back office where non IT staff can maintain and configure
payment accounts, create payment routing rules by drawing a
flow chart on the screen using our custom built rules engine or
prevent fraud.
www.easypaymentgateway.com
Iwo Bulski
CEO
Since 2003, E-Play is associated with the best quality of
reliable source on gambling from e-casinos to legal studies.
Information portal www.e-play.pl, printed magazine about
gambling E-Play as well as numerous sites about the latest
news, exclusive interviews, expert studies and reviews on all
aspects of the gaming industry. In 2016 we launched the E-Play
Online mobile app, in which we exhibit offers selected from
gambling companies we cooperate with. The E-Play brand has
been cooperating with leading industry organisations making
us able to provide first-hand information and the best quality.
www.e-play.eu
Ebbe Groes
CEO
An independent software development company providing
the world class gaming products for the iGaming industry,
EveryMatrix was founded in 2008 by a visionary team of
people. Their story and journey are special and they will
present it at the Malta iGaming Summit in detail.
Some of their Awards are: EGR 2013 Award – White Label
Partner of the Year, EGR 2011 Award – Sports Betting Rising
Star, EGR 2010 Award – Innovation in Sports Betting.
www.everymatrix.com
i
services
Joern Klister
CEO & Founder
Extramile Services offers you an all-round customer service
via phone, email, live chat or social networks, including also a
structured quality and complaint management.
If you are a start-up, want to improve your service quality or
want good availability with a low price, the experienced team
of Extramile Services is your partner.
www.extramile-services.com
0117
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Patrick J O’ Brien
Director of Communications
EXANTE Limited was founded in March 2011 with its
headquarters located in Malta. EXANTE is a next generation
award winning brokerage company that aims to give its clients
access to a broad range of financial instruments and markets.
Our aim is to design, produce and support cutting-edge
infrastructure for greater financial market accessibility and
pricing transparency.We believe in liberal financial markets. Our
vision is to become a benchmark for transparency and market
accessibility in the financial intermediary sector.
www.exante.com
Adrian Sciberras
CEO
Fairwinds Management Limited is a company formation
and administration specialist offering a wide range of
corporate, legal and financial services. Our customer oriented
methodology helps us achieve the objectives of our clients
within a cost-effective structure in order to maximise their
profits within legitimate and transparent business structures.
Whether you would like to start up a company to operate your
business or would like to avail of our back office administration
services, Fairwinds Management will offer you a level of
service which will exceed your expectations.
www.fairwindsmanagement.net
Sergio Montebello
Managing Director
Fibonacci Marketing is a results-driven marketing agency
specialising in SEO, content creation, social media marketing,
email marketing and online reputation management. Since
inception, Fibonacci Marketing has grown to help companies
in Europe, Asia and the USA to implement effective digital
marketing campaigns.
www.fibonacci-marketing.com
Mikael Gummerus
CEO
Frosmo enables companies to modify any aspect of
their online business, regardless of complexity. With our
technological approach, you can develop your website faster
than ever before. At Frosmo, our mission is to transform
online experiences, and take the web to a whole new level,
benefiting both businesses and consumers.
www.frosmo.com
Boštjan Torkar
Director of Business Development
GameART is an independent online casino software provider
and developer, providing innovative games and cuttingedge solutions dedicated to online and landbased gaming
operators. The company was founded in 2013 by a group of
serial entrepreneurs who have had successful experience in
the online and industry in the past 20 years and evolved into
a premium B2B provider and developer with offices in Malta,
Slovenia, Serbia and UK. GameART’s core business is the
development of high quality slot games and gaming contents
not only for online operators as well as VLT and casino industry
in the regulated markets. www.gameart.net
Trevor De Giorgio
Managing Director
As a worldwide pioneer, GREENTUBE GMBH is the leading
developer of online gaming solutions, specialized in Casino
gaming. Through longtime experience, excellent Novomatic
and inhouse technology, as well as distinctive intuition for
gaming trends, Greentube offers unrivaled gaming quality.
Constantly complying with international regulation, we only
offer our products in well regulated markets with precise
regulatory frameworks.
www.greentube.com
get CONNECTED.
Daniel Yuen
President
Gunggo has been a Global Advertising Leader in the iGaming
space since 2006. With expertise on both the Demand and
Supply side of the industry, we have been the catalyst of
success for thousands of iGaming campaigns, for some of the
top operators in this market.
www.gunggo.com
Robin Reed
Managing Director
Hailed as one of the most successful online casino launches in
history, Guts.com has seen rapid growth since going online in
2013. Focusing on key factors such as 24/7 customer service,
fast withdrawals, a wide selection of games and recruiting
some of the business’ top professionals, Guts continues to
be one of the fastest growing online gaming providers in the
business.
www.guts.com
0119
SiGMA | Who’s Who
Yancy Naughton
CEO
HasTraffic.com is the traffic monetization side of the platform.
If you are interested in capitalizing on the increased margins
available by offering Zero Click redirects to advertisers, but do
not want to build your own bidding platform then HasTraffic.
com can help. Offer your internet traffic directly to the end
consumers of the traffic, avoiding the high margins demanded
by the likes of Google, Yahoo, Bing and the Second Tier
Networks.
www.hastraffic.com
Magnus Alebo
CEO
Hero Gaming is a Malta based rising star company operating
Casino Heroes (Europe/World), CasiTabi (Japan) and providing
Wuxia88 as a B2B partnership for China. The company was
founded in 2014 by a group of passionate and experienced
iGaming professionals. The company has a vision of creating
WOW! experiences for customers and partners and having the
most engaged and loyal customers worldwide.
www.herogaming.com
Anna Jonson
Affiliate Manager
HonestPartners is the dynamic affiliate program of InstaCasino.
com. InstaCasino is live since late 2015 and among the
targeted markets you find Scandinavia, all german speaking
countries, UK, Australia and Canada. A premium plattform and
great CRM strategies is InstaCasino’s recipe of high conversion
rates and loyal players.
www.honestpartners.com
Wayne Said
Business Development Executive
SG Solutions Limited has pioneered Apple products and
services in Malta and has successfully represented the brand
locally for over 30 years. iCentre is the only Apple Authorised
Service Provider in Malta. As Authorised Service Providers
we specialize in MAC product repairs, data transfer and
recovery, upgrades and support as well as MAC system and
software deployment in homogeneous and mixed platform
environments.
www.icentre.com.mt
0120
Tommi Maijala
CEO
To date our company is composed of 100 ambitious individuals
working in Malta and Estonia. The iGame team consists of a
wide range of nationalities and offers its services in several
languages. We cooperate with industry leaders such as
Microgaming, Net Entertainment and Relax Gaming and serve
to date around 1 million customers all over the world.
www.igame.com
Jaime Debono
Director
The iGaming Academy is a leading training provider to the
lotteries and gambling industry. Our portfolio of face-toface and online training programmes include topics such
as Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Responsible Gaming,
Information Security, PCI DSS Compliance, Introduction to
iGaming, Online Sportsbook & Casino Management, AntiFraud & Payments Handling, Affiliate Management, Customer
Relationship Management, Social Media Marketing, SEO and
Client Analytics. We are currently delivering training to over
40 gaming companies with collectively over 5000 employees.
www.igacademy.com
Ben Clemes
Managing Director
Who are we? We are entrepreneurs, innovators, iGaming
enthusiasts with extensive industry experience. We have
created and developed iGC using experts in each area to bring
together a lean iGamingPlatform which we are proud to call
iGaming Cloud.
www.iGamingCloud.com
Roderick Briffa
Business Development Executive
i-GSN is a dynamic Network of Companies focusing mainly on
i-Gaming Turnkey solutions, offering a vast range of products
and services. Apart from accepting ad-hoc Development
projects, i-GSN can offer a fully customizable and very user
friendly Back office, Sportsbook and Poker platform. Through
our direct collaboration with several providers from the
industry we can offer several RNG Games, Live dealer studios
& casinos, all integrated into one back-office using a seamless
wallet. We have a large variety of payment providers integrated
to us and you may choose the best option for your Operation’s
needs. www.i-gsn.com
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Pierre Mallia
Managing Director
iMovo works with customers to face business challenges from
all sorts of directions – whether it’s increased regulation in the
financial services industry, an increased need for governance
in the public sector or the need to improve customer services
in the face of increased competition. iMovo helps organisations
to take advantage of new business opportunities by
strategically using technology and innovation.
www.imovo.com.mt
Ciara Kaneen
Key Account Manager
Isle of Man Post Office can help you drive customer acquisition
and retention with an integrated approach, using the power
of direct mail. Their mission is to meet your every need with a
holistic range of secure services that bring you peace of mind.
Their secure data management services make sure you and
your customers are protected to optimise your investment.
They hold international standards for security and quality. ISO/
IEC 27001:2013 and ISO 9001. Discover more about what they
can do for your business with their first class services.
www.iompost.com
Luigi Spina
CEO
Join Games Malta Ltd is a new Software Casino Provider
founded in 2014 by a partnership between 2 professional
business manager who have ample experience in the
gaming industry and who share the same vision of creating an
innovative Slot Concept.
The choice of the name “Join” symbolizes the union between
different ideas of the team who together work to reach the
same goal; that of becoming a renowed Casino Slot Provider
for our creativity.
www.joingamesmalta.com
Ilan Nachmani
Head of Affiliates
Karamba Affiliates brings the most innovative slot and casino
gaming websites into the largest affiliate program. We’re 100%
committed to bringing players to the best, fairest, and most
trustworthy online gaming sites, and this is evident through
the dedicated service we have always provided. We offer the
leading slot & casino gaming brands, including Karamba.com
and Hopa.com, as well as the dedicated Scratch2Cash.com
gaming site, all of which feature an impressive portfolio of more
than 200 slots, scratch cards, instant win, and casino games.
www.karamba.com
Etienne Gatt
IT & iGaming Recruitment Manager
Nearing a decade since it was established, KONNEKT is
Malta’s leading professional recruitment agency. Operating in
a number of industries, a dedicated in-house team specialises
in recruiting candidates for the Information Technology and
iGaming industries. We make use of an extensive international
pool of active candidates, in order to ensure a long-lasting and
rewarding relationship between your company and the ideal
candidate.
www.konnekt.com
Don Bush
VP Marketing
Boost Sales, Beat Fraud with Kount Complete™. Kount helps
online businesses simplify fraud detection and dramatically
improve bottom line profitability. Our all-in-one, SaaS platform
is designed for companies operating in all kinds of card-notpresent environments, including mobile. Merchants using
Kount accept more orders from more people in more places
than ever before. Kount Complete™ is easy to implement and
easy to use. Kount’s proprietary and patented technology
reviews billions of transactional data points every year and
provides maximum protection for all size businesses.
www.kount.com
Russell Mifsud
Senior Manager
KPMG in Malta is one of the leading providers of audit, tax
and advisory services. KPMG is effectively the largest provider
of professional services on the island. As we work with our
clients, both international and local, we bring our experience
and knowledge to bear for the purpose of inspiring confidence
and empowering change. We continue to build on past
successes thanks to a clear vision, rigorously maintained
values and, above all, our people. KPMG has recently acquired
Crimsonwing plc. This will see the Microsoft Dynamics and
eCommerce workforce rise to some 350 staff, including a
200-strong highly skilled in Malta. www.kpmg.com.mt
Johan Styren
CEO
LeoVegas - Awarded iGB Affiliate Program of the Year 2016
LeoVegas is the innovation leader in gaming entertainment.
The new LeoVegas Sport is the most intuitive, engaging and
fastest way to bet on sports. LeoVegas’ multi-award winning
casino currently offers the world’s strongest suite of casino
games with 700+ games on desktop, mobile and tablet. This
in combination with top-notch live casino entertainment in HD
quality 24/7. Join LeoVegas’ award winning Affiliate Program of
the Year 2016: www.leovegasaffiliates.com
0121
Elad Tsafany
Head of Business Devolpment
LuckyStreak takes the live casino experience to new heights
by merging innovation, style and gamification into an engaging
and rewarding live casino experience. We increase player
value by integrating personalization features and reward
hooks into the live gambling experience that create habit
loops, which translate into more engagement and player
stickiness. Built on the latest technology LuckyStreak’s live
casino platform runs on a high grade, scalable and flexible
infrastructure to deliver the optimal user experience for mobile
and desktop. www.luckystreaklive.com
James Grech
Managing Director
We are a team of specialists passionate about our work and
with a common ambition to share learning experiences with
people in the business community as well as with civil servants
and civil society.
This makes us the only professional training organisation in
Malta that can offer cutting edge training programmes across a
broad spectrum of topics.
www.leadtraining.com.mt
Lorenzo Mulè Stagno
Managing Director
Malta Business School has been running customised training
for over 10 years on an extensive range of subjects to
companies and public agencies and is licensed as a Higher
Education Institution by the NCFHE Malta.
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Giorgos Papadopoulos
Head of Acquisition
Marsbet is one of the leading online gaming company that
operates worldwide. We insist on open, honest and fair
relationships with each other, our customers and business
partners. We believe this is the only way to do our business
and make gambling enjoyable.
Our mission is to create innovative, technologically advanced
gaming concepts of top quality that pervade as many different
environments as possible, bringing numerous physical and
cognitive benefits to their users while they are having fun.
www.marsbet.com
Connah Howell
Publisher Manager
Matching Visions is one of the fastest growing affiliate
networks in the industry and is offering its affiliates a long
string of high value CPA and REV share deals with some of the
best performing operators in the industry. Matching Visions
also offers affiliates simplicity and security. Simplicity in the
sense that affiliates will be able to promote a wide variety of
gaming operators and receive only one summarised payment
per month, directly from Matching Visions. Security in the
sense that Matching Visions, through its large volume, has a
large influence with operators, ensuring that affiliates get the
best treatment and value available. www.matchingvisions.com
Joseph Cuschieri
Executive Chairman
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is the single, independent,
regulatory body responsible for the governance of all gaming
activities in Malta, both online and land-based.
www.mga.org.mt
Working with some of the best and most experienced tutors,
our mission is to deliver high quality and applicable knowledge
which can be translated immediately into practical use.
www.mbs.edu.mt
Vasileios Kasiotakis
CEO
Maltco Lotteries Limited was set up in 2004 shareholding
by INTRALOT S.A. and high profile Maltese individuals. The
company operates the National Lottery and other additional
games: Super 5 lottery, Lotto, Grand Lottery, Scratchers (instant
lottery), U*BET - Fixed Odds Betting and Horseracing, Quick
Keno, Bingo75 and Fast Bingo through an extensive retail
network.
www.maltco.com
Karl Dukes
Sales & Marketing Director
Mediahut are the leading supplier of specialist direct mail
(physical mail) to the gaming industry. From initial acquisition
and throughout the player lifecycle, we can print and
personalise anything that drops through a letterbox.
www.mediahut.co.uk
0123
SiGMA | Who’s Who
Malcolm Briffa
Director of Business Services
Melita owns and operates Malta’s largest data centre. The
purpose-built facility is fully perimeter-fenced and built to Tier 3
specifications. With more than 20 years’ experience as Malta’s
leading telecommunications provider, melita peers directly with
Tier 1 carriers Level 3 Communications and TeliaSonera.
www.melita.com
Gustav Cuschieri
Director
Mobilbet was founded by 4 industry veterans that are driven
by the ambition to make the game that little bit more exciting,
accessible and user friendly. That’s why everything at Mobilbet
has been crafted towards supporting a gaming experience that
suits our customer’s lifestyle, timetable and game. Mobilbet.
com – Win anywhere, everywhere!
Mobilbet is licensed and regulated by the European Union
member state of Malta safeguarding the highest security
standards in Online Gambling worldwide.
www.mobilbet.com
Patryk Klimer
Head Of Affiliates
Mr Green, voted ‘Online Casino of the Year’ for 3 years running
and ‘Mobile Operator of the Year 2016’. We’re proud to say that
the gentleman Casino is the fastest growing Casino online. A
fair but fun approach to Casino entertainment is proving hugely
popular with players and with growing markets alike. Hosting
multiple game providers and unique promotions, you too can
get your slice of the Mr Green pie today thanks to Mr Affiliate,
the official affiliate program for Mr Green.com and your No. 1
partner for success.
www.mrgreen.com
Enrico Bradamante
Head of European Market Operations
NetEnt is a leading digital entertainment company, providing
premium gaming solutions to the world’s most successful
online casino operators. Since its inception in 1996, NetEnt has
been a true pioneer in driving the market with thrilling games
powered by their cutting-edge platform. With innovation at its
core, NetEnt is committed to helping customers stay ahead
of the competition. NetEnt AB is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm
(NET-B), employs 750 people and has offices in Stockholm,
Malta, Kiev, Gothenburg, New Jersey, Krakow and Gibraltar.
www.netent.com
0124
Xenophon Giannis
Vice President, Sales
Nexusguard is the global leader in DDoS mitigation, protecting
clients against a multitude of threats to ensure uninterrupted
internet service. Nexusguard provides highly customized
solutions for customers of all sizes, and also enables turnkey
anti-DDoS solutions for service providers. Headquartered
in San Francisco, Nexusguard’s network of security experts
extends globally.
www.nexusguard.com
Niklas Hellberg
Managing Director
Nickes.Com Sports & Concert Trips is a tour operator offering
travel packages to sporting events. Since 1997, we have
arranged packages to all major football leagues/tournaments
around the world, Formula 1, Tennis and much more.
Packages included event tickets and accommodation. Plus
flights, local transports, events before/after game if required.
www.nickes.com
Veiko Krünberg
Managing Director
OlyBet is freshly established online operations of the Olympic
Casino brand. OlyBet’s Casino Suit includes Playtech, NetEnt,
Microgaming, WMS, Novomatic, Evolution and other games,
whereas poker enthusiasts are served over MPN network. New
players are welcomed with competitive bonus and retained
by bespoke loyalty program which runs in parallel with our
landbased establishments - Olympic Casinos.
Olympic Entertainment Group operates more than 100 casinos
in Europe and employs over 3000 people in 8 countries.
www.olybet.com www.olympic-casino.com
Chris Vella
Group Chief Operating Officer
Pentasia is the global leader in iGaming recruitment. We
provide permanent, contract and search recruitment services
to leading businesses worldwide.
With over fifty recruitment specialists and offices in Malta,
the UK, Gibraltar, Ireland, Singapore and the USA, we are
iGaming’s trusted recruitment partner of choice.
To find out how our business can help change yours, visit
us now at www.pentasia.com
Johan Törnqvist
Group CEO
Play’n GO is the leading developer of smart systems and
games for mobile devices, terminals and websites. In addition
to premium quality slots and table games, Play’n GO ensures
its clients are equipped with superior back-office administration
for reporting and unique marketing tools. Their Gaming
Account Toolkit (GAT) is an independent e-gaming platform
delivered with a comprehensive back office application. It now
hosts over 100 games in more than 32 languages, including
several bespoke games designed for some of the world’s
leading casino brands. For more information about Play’n GO
please visit www.playngo.com
Jason Prasad
Head of Affiliates
Pokerstars Partners, is the affiliate program that supports
Amaya Inc. brands, including the world’s largest poker
site, PokerStars. Amaya brands have recently launched 2
new verticals; Betstars which currently host 28 Sports in 12
languages and online casino through PokerStars Casino, which
offers slots, table games, video poker and live dealer games,
both proprietary and from industry third-party suppliers.
PokerStars Partners is managed by a group of seasoned
affiliate specialists who bring value and growth to any type of
affiliate. www.pokerstarspartners.com
Yossi Barzely
Head of Sales & Business Development
Pragmatic Play is one of the fastest growing online casino
game providers worldwide, offering operators a unique
and innovative in-house library, with an unparalleled player
experience that is second-to-none.
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Johan Friis
Co-founder
PugglePay is a Swedish mobile payment service specializing in
iGaming. Our unique service allows players to make deposits
directly from their phone without any pre-registration or apps.
PugglePay is integrated with most platforms such as DevCode,
Easy Payment Gateway, EveryMatrix, Intelligent Payments,
Playtech, PPRO, Safe Charge, SoftSwiss, TAIN and more.
www.pugglepay.com
Peter Bugeja
General Manager
PTL delivers tangible and measurable business value through
the implementation of IT Business Solutions. PTL Services and
Business Solutions cut across many sectors with specialisation
in Banking, Retail, Hospitality and Health including
Infrastructure and Managed Services. With main offices in
Malta, PTL has also delivered solutions in North Africa and the
Middle East through its channel partners.
www.ptl.com.mt
Enrico Piccinini
Senior Engineer
Quinel is an ISO 17020/25 independent testing lab, providing
certification services for gaming. The company is located in Ta’
Xbiex and operates in regulated markets in the EU, Asia and
America.
www.quinel.com.mt
Our portfolio of 150 slots and table games is designed to
create a thrilling gaming experience, driven by passion,
excitement and skills.
www.pragmaticplay.com
Danny Trieger
Affiliate Program Manager
Comprising top gaming brands, Prime Partners has the
experience and know-how to be the most profitable affiliate
program you’ll ever use. Become a Prime Partner and let
us impress you! We have a dedicated team of international
marketing, analysis and affiliate experts ready to work with
you. Plus, to make things extra easy, we take care of your
marketing, advertising, accounting and analysis infrastructure.
www.primepartners.com
Michael Holm
Affiliate Director
The poker software on Redbet.com is powered by Ongame
Network Limited. Ongame Network Limited has been Licensed
by the Government of Gibraltar and regulated by the Gibraltar
Gambling Commissioner. Third party gaming operators
approved by Ongame Network may operate under this license.
Redbet Gaming Ltd and thereby Redbet.com is an approved
platform subscriber for poker. The live casino software provider
Evolution Gaming is certified by the Alderney Gambling Control
Commission. Betsoft Gaming Ltd are subject to the Alderney
Gambling Control Commission and are hence not under the
supervision of MGA. www.redbet.com
0125
NEED AN EXTRA BOOST OF COFFEE? WE HAVE THE ANSWER.
NEED AN EXTRA BOOST OF COFFEE? WE HAVE THE ANSWER.
P. Cutajar & Co. Ltd., Capital Business Centre. ,Triq Taz-Zwejt San Gwann.
SGN 3000 Malta. Tel: 00356 21448466. Email: [email protected].
P. Cutajar & Co. Ltd., Capital Business Centre. ,Triq Taz-Zwejt San Gwann.
Wesbite: www.pcutajar.com.mt
SGN 3000 Malta. Tel: 00356 21448466. Email: [email protected].
Wesbite: www.pcutajar.com.mt
Silvio Schembri
Chairman
The Responsible Gaming Foundation supports good
governance, awareness initiatives and enactment of
regulations in order to protect vulnerable people in the gaming
sector. The purpose of the Foundation is to collect funds for
the promotion of responsible gaming through preventative
and support measures. Hon. Silvio Schembri is currently the
chairman of the Foundation.
www.rgf.org.mt
Richard Carter
CEO
Established in 2007, SBTech is a leading provider of interactive
sportsbetting solutions and services and has become a
global market leader within the online gaming industry in
both regulated and traditional markets. The complete offering
includes an innovative, dynamic and customizable suite of
turnkey and fully managed solutions specifically designed for
top gaming operators, existing bookmakers and land-based
networks.
www.sbtech.com
Peter Boström
Director Global Sales & Markets
SEQR offers the gaming industry a simplified customer
acquisition process combined with instant top up and
withdrawal from customers’ gaming accounts, the highest
level of KYC and the lowest transaction fees on the market.
Launched in 2012, SEQR handles all kinds of payments from
retail to e-commerce while creating new sales channels. SEQR
is active on 12 markets and powered by Seamless Payments
(Nasdaq OMX).
www.seqr.com
Tore Friskopp
CEO
At Sidekick we strive to help those of you who work with
online marketing to become even more profitable. Our clients
include SEO agencies, Affiliates and E-commerce businesses.
We have worked with online content since in 2009.
The company is run by Tore Friskopp who has worked with
E-commerce and Internet marketing since 2005. At Sidekick,
we have extensive experience in writing text that sells and in
producing content for the web. Not only do we know how to
create such text, we also know how it should be implemented
in systems and used. www.sidekick-content.com
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Michael Golembo
Sales Director
SkillOnNet provides the best value entertainment of the
highest quality for casino players and the most state of the art
flexible, customizable and user -friendly online gaming platform
for their B2B Clients and Partners.
With a decade of front line online gaming experience
SkillOnNet have a fully customizable turn-key solution for
your online gaming needs . Powering over 21 successful
Online casinos come and find out how their ‘Winning Formula’
software solution can work for you!
www.skillonnet.com
Alex Tomic
Co-Founder
SlotsMillion, owned by ALEA, is the world’s first real-money
virtual reality casino.
SlotsMillion VR is fully functional, Oculus-ready, futuristic
and features existing games from developers like NextGen,
Microgaming and NetEnt.
Nominated for several innovation awards, SlotsMillion VR
ramps up players’ engagement levels and creates exciting new
social aspects.
www.slotsmillion.com
Pramod Kumar Singh
Managing Director
SMTP Provider is one of the leading cloud-based email
delivery service companies offering high quality & customized
Transactional and Promotional email services with worldclass deliverability. We offer specialized services that enables
our clients to keep track of sent & received emails, opens,
bounces, unsubscribes, spam reports and more with the best
deliverability, scalability and reliability. SMTPProvider users are
located all over the world - the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa, France, the Netherlands, Mexico,
Spain, and other countries. www.smtpprovider.com
Natasha Tikasz
Director of Sales
Sending personalized, bulk SMS has never been so easy and
affordable. SMSwarriors is a new and easy way to send local
and international personalized, bulk SMS.
We’be been in the industry for a long, long time and
understand well what the marketer needs. We’e put a great
deal of energy into making SMSwarriors simple, reliable and
effective. Introduce bulk SMS in your marketing mix and enjoy
better results!
www.smswarriors.com
0127
SiGMA | Who’s Who
Kasper Kau
CEO
Through innovation and ingenuity, Spigo lead the way in
developing both customised, branded slots and casual games
for the casino industry. Our unique products allow operators
to stay ahead of the pack and capitalise on the ever growing
casual gaming sector, creating a cross over where casual
meets casino.
Thomas Mahoney
Employer Brand Manager
Tipico Careers was launched in January 2015 and has since
become an established careers brand within the online gaming
sector in Malta.Tipico-careers.com displays the benefits Tipico
has to offer, the company’s history and success story, its offices
and a spotlight video about Malta.
www.tipico-careers.com
Easy to integrate and HTML5 based, our portfolio includes
casual games as well as bespoke slots games, where we
work with clients to create a game tailored to localisation or
branding needs. www.spigo.com
Ylona Schroevers
Head of Acquisition
SuppClupp is the outsourcing solution to your support
challenges. Specialized in customer support and VIP
management, we tackle any challenge that involves support
and retention. A flexible solution for all your support needs.
Contact us to talk about all the different solutions available.
www.suppclupp.com
Erik Hedberg
Affiliate Director
Thrills Casino was founded by a group of casino enthusiasts
with a clear goal: to bring colour and life to the world of casino
entertainment.
Our vast experience from the casino industry has taught us
both what’s important to players and what could be done
simpler and more exciting.
The journey towards a more entertaining and colourful casino
experience has started.
www.thrills.com
Mark Debono
Director
Systemato is a boutique online agency, staffed by internet
marketing professionals and copywriters. We do nitty gritty, from
planning and executing all kinds of internet marketing efforts,
to managing social media campaigns, handling email marketing
from A-Z, and writing top quality and SEO friendly website copy.
In fact, we’re lucky enough to write for Betting Expert, Bettson,
Highlight Media, Frontloop, and a few more. Founded and run
by Mark Debono, an online advertising guy and copywriter,
Systemato’s goal is to ensure you get your players to click, sign
up, and deposit, using powerful copywriting techniques and our
experience. www.systemato.com
Tal Itzhak Ron
Advocate
Tal Ron, Drihem & Co. Law Firm - the award winning gaming
law firm since 2003, boasts a team of 11 lawyers and jurists
headquartered in Tel Aviv, part of a larger group of privately
owned companies spanning 8 jurisdictions. The group, headed
by Advocate and Notary Tal Itzhak Ron, focuses exclusively
on Online Gambling law, Ad Tech and Financial Entertainment,
representing the biggest names in these sectors and
recommended by all leading platform providers as the first
point of contact. www.rd-law.co.il
0128
Ondrej Lapides
CEO
Established in 2008, Tom Horn Gaming is a leading casino
software provider for online and land-based gaming operators,
with offices in Malta, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Costa Rica.
The company offers a comprehensive list of game titles for
desktops and mobiles developed in-house. Integration is easily
done with a simple API ready for several types of operations
and the robust back office system includes a complete set of
tools for land-based operations.
www.tomhorn.eu
Gijs Liekens
Sales Manager
VIP Response is an online marketing network. From our offices
in the Netherlands, Spain, Canada and Malaysia we work
worldwide in lead generation, affiliate marketing, mobile user
acquisition, mobile subscription and list management.
www.vipresponse.nl
Stephen Ford
Business Development Manager
Western Union Business Solutions is one of the world’s leading
providers of cross-border business payments. With expertise in
moving funds around the globe, access to over 130 currencies,
and a global financial network spanning more than 200
countries and territories. www.mt.business.westernunion.com
Olga Finkel
Founder & Partner
WH Partners is a Malta-based business law firm with focus and
a sound reputation for its work in gaming and gambling, ICT,
digital industries, privacy and data protection, financial services
and e-payments, corporate finance, M&A and taxation.
The firm has won international awards for its service levels and
is ranked and recommended, together with its partners and
lawyers, by the foremost independent legal directories.
www.whpartners.eu
Mark Abela Schinas
Head of Product
Wikibetting offers Social betting solutions that can be tailored
to Operators specific requirements. Wikibetting is the first
P2P social betting platform to be licensed by the Malta
Gaming Authority under a class 4. The platforms tap into a
new demographic of players and offer players a customised
betting approach, where they can literally “Bet On Anything”.
The revenue opportunity for the Operator is 100% risk free.
It can also help with B.I, player acquisition and retention. The
integration is a seamless streamlined process, which can be
either a standalone setup or integrated into your current core
platform as a product addition. www.wikibetting.com
Who’s Who | SiGMA
Ory Weihs
CEO
Leading provider of digital marketing services XLMedia uses
proprietary tools and methodologies to drive high value traffic
to their clients’ websites.
XLMedia runs their operations across a variety of vertical
markets with specific expertise within the online gaming sector
where they team up with some of the leading brands and
portals in order to deliver quality services to their clients.
www.xlmedia.com
Nikolai Livori
CEO
Yobetit was founded in 2012 by iGaming veterans and data
mining experts and has been operational since 2014 with
Yobetit Surebets; a browser based sports trading platform. In
2016, Yobetit Sports was launched using the same proprietary
technology which helps offer unbeatable prices on select
markets.
www.yobetit.com
Stewart Townsend
Channel Director
Zendesk is a customer service platform. It’s designed for
companies that want to create customer relationships that are
more meaningful, personal, and productive. It starts by helping
companies provide great support and then mature with selfservice and proactive engagement. The software is now built
all over the world, by a growing group of talented, charming
people.
www.zendesk.com
Matt Lovett
Managing Director
WOW Trk is a global affiliate network with over 400 direct
and exclusive offers for affiliates to promote. We have offers
available in a wide range of verticals; freebies, competitions,
deals, gambling, gaming, dating and much more. Get paid
per lead, action or click. We also offer a range of free tools to
boost affiliate commissions such as tools to automate certain
aspects of your ad space, automatically optimising ad space to
get the best EPC or Conversion Rate.
www.wowtrk.com
0129
Media Partners | SiGMA
MEDIA PARTNERS
Ros Wade
Managing Director
Asia Gaming Brief is an intelligence service providing up to
date information for worldwide executives on gaming market
issues in Asia. Our services include a daily eBrief featuring the
latest news and headlines across 22 jurisdictions in Asia, and
weekly intelligence articles for AGB members that go indepth
into specific markets or recent developments. Asia Gaming
Briefings is our print magazine, published alongside the major
global gaming shows, which provides essential jurisdiction
updates as well as feature articles.
www.agbrief.com
Ed Grundy
Sales Manager
iGB Affiliate is the biggest provider of information, insight
and analysis for the iGaming affiliate market. The affiliate
facing brand of iGaming Business, iGB Affiliate specialises in
providing high quality information to everyone working within
the online gambling affiliate industry, whether through our
events, publications or online content.
www.iGamingBusiness.com
Garvan Keating
Director EMEA
CountryProfiler Ltd is a specialist publisher of country
information that assists corporations managing operations
across national borders with trade, investment and relocation
decisions. CountryProfiler is recognised by senior business
executives, government representatives, institutions and global
organisations as a leading provider of informative, insightful
and actionable country intelligence.
www.countryprofiler.com
Stephanie Fiteni
Online Marketing Consultant
At Defined Branding we help our clients build strong, enduring
brands that stand out and inspire loyalty. We believe in
analytical research, strategy and creative digital solutions that
engage the hearts and minds of your audience. We help our
clients grow their businesses through sharp online strategies
with a serious digital edge.
We are a team of creative thinking ghost-writers and
bloggers, branding creatives, content marketing specialists,
online strategists, web developers, 2D & 3D artists and
videographers. www.definedbranding.com
Rebecca Liggero
Reporter
The well renowned CalvinAyre.com is participating again in
SiGMA this November. The leading iGaming online publication
has beenthe global destination for online gambling news,
lifestyle information, conferences, industry shakers and event
coverage since its inception.
CalvinAyre.com is a non-profit website, aiming to be carbon
neutral and encouraging other players in the online gaming
industry to follow this philosophy. All profit generated goes to
support initiatives of the Calvin Ayre Foundation.
www.calvinayre.com
Zoltan Tundik
Founder
EEG is the hub of igaming in Eastern and Central Europe and
offers quality B2B services for companies looking to expand
to this region. Whether you are looking for affiliate programs
or operators, licensing and legal updates, recruiting or printed
magazine, you will find an A-Z service on their portal.
www.eegaming.org
SiGMA | Media Partners
Ollie Wood
Global Sales Director
GamblingCompliance is the leading provider of independent
business intelligence to the global gambling industry. We help
industry professionals, advisors and investors reduce their
regulatory risk exposure by specializing in legal, regulatory,
political and market information; eLearning; and bespoke
research; to understand what regulatory change today means
for business opportunities tomorrow. Find out more at
www.gamblingcompliance.com
Deepak Malkani
Commercial Director
Gambling Insider is the premier event-driven B2B publication
for the entire gaming industry. Full of current, compelling
editorial, GI offers essential information to senior management
worldwide, acting as an additional tool to advance
understanding of key strategic issues. Accessible to members
via print, online, Apple AppStore, Google Play and Kindle Fire.
www.gamblinginsider.com
Michael Corfman
Director
With nearly 15,000 registered members, the Gambling Portal
Webmasters Association is the only professional organization
of its kind. We are committed to supporting the success of our
members, and all of our programs are designed based on this
objective. Membership in the organization is free and is made
possible by the support of our sponsor affiliate programs.
www.gpwa.org
Natalie Lees
Marketing Manager
Published bi-monthly, iNTERGAMINGi is read by thousands
of online gaming executives around the globe. Each issue
is full of industry news, analytical features, interviews with
industry leaders and trade show reviews. It regularly includes
regulatory updates and jurisdictional supplements. Each issue
contains sections dedicated to the sports betting, casino
gaming and affiliate sectors.
www.intergameonline.com
0132
Ruby Grima
Film Maker & Music Producer
Pure Media Malta is an evergrowing company which
specialises in producing various forms of visual film media
from trailers, event features, TV Adverts, corporate films,
documentaries, music videos & more, all with a creative touch
& attention to the little things that are often overlooked.
www.puremedimalta.com
Cristina Doganini
Director
PressGiochi.it is a digital daily newspaper dedicated to the
Italian gambling industry. All the elements of the industry are
inside: Newslot, Vlt, casinos, poker, betting, bingo, lotteries,
on- or off-line with editorial content, articles and interviews.
In PressGiochi.it you can find information about companies,
international and national events.
www.pressgiochi.it
Andrew McCarron
Managing Director
Sports Betting Community (SBC) is dedicated to raising the
profile and coverage of gambling operators, software suppliers
and industry start-ups in the complex and saturated online
gaming market. It does this via its news website
www.sbcnews.co.uk, its industry events such as Betting on
Football Conference, Betting on Football Awards, Betting on
Sport & London Baby, and is consultancy arm SBCmedia.
www.sbcnews.co.uk
Showcase your brand in the heart
of
the
igaming
industry
Fall 2016
The second edition of SiGMA took
place in November 2015, cementing
itself as the largest igaming show
in Malta. Twice the delegates,
twice the exhibitors, twice the
conferences – this pretty much
sums up the response we received
since SiGMA took off in 2014.
Some might still ask, “But why Malta?” Malta
is host to some 300 gaming companies, 450
licenses and a strong workforce of 10,000.
The idea of creating a platform to showcase
the industry had been brewing in many
minds until SiGMA took off in 2014.
The SiGMA goal, ultimately, is to bring
together the entire gaming community, from
affiliates and operators through to regulators
and vendors. If you’re looking at an exciting
show where this industry can meet, learn
and do business, look no further; SiGMA16
ticks all these boxes.
L-R: Honourable Jose’
Herrera (Gov. of Malta),
Eman Pulis (SiGMA),
Joseph Cuschieri (MGA)
SiGMA Closing Night
L-R: Speakers Steve
Donoughue, Santiago
Asensi, Justin Franssen
Following feedback, we identified EIGHT features that should make SiGMA16
a worthy investment:
INDUSTRY TREND
The three distinct pillars within the industry –
solution providers, operators and affiliates – are
coming closer together. Today’s affiliate, for
instance, is fast becoming a successful operator
within months. SiGMA is the only 360° igaming
showcase in Malta that reflects this trend.
TRUST
Virtually all our exhibitors from 2014 and 2015
will exhibit again in 2016. SiGMA also won the
trust of many exhibitors who did not take part
before.
KNOWLEDGE
SiGMA16 will feature five conferences and an
investors session: 1 – Gamification;
2 – Payments; 3 – Affiliates; 4 – Regulatory;
5 – Binary: 6 – SiGMA Pitch.
VALUE
A free admission policy for affiliates and a low
entry fee for all other participants is indicative of
a solid turnout. Not bad for a show that enjoys
worldwide coverage thanks to an exhaustive list
of media partners.
RECRUITMENT
With some 300 gaming companies and a solid
workforce of 10,000 based in a five mile radius
in Malta, you are likely to find the right talent for
your company’s recruitment needs.
HOSPITALITY
Great weather in autumn calls for free, open
air networking events close to the venue itself.
SiGMA16 will include networking pre-registration
drinks, networking poker tournament,
conference open bar drinks, closing party.
LOCATION
Different format. Different organisers. Different
crowd. Different affiliates. Different deals.
SiGMA guarantees quality and quantity with 1
Expo, 4 Conferences, 40+ Affiliate Programs,
60+ speakers, 100+ Exhibitors and 3,000+
participants.
EARLY BOOKING
Book your booth or sponsorship package by
31st March 2016 and enjoy a number of extra
perks, including free hospitality flights from top
gaming destinations, extra coverage on SiGMA
publications and premium booth location on the
expo floor.
CONTACT US
Eman Pulis
Partner
[email protected]
Call: (+356) 9926 3626
Skype: eman.pulis
Dennis Dyhr-Hansen
Partner
[email protected]
Call: (+356) 9954 0187
Skype: dennisdyhr
www.maltaigamingsummit.com
“Luck is what
happens when
preparation meets
opportunity.”
Seneca (ca. 4 BC – 65 AD; Roman philosopher, dramatist, and writer)
www.kpmg.com.mt
© 2016 KPMG, a Maltese Civil Partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.

Here`s - Malta Gaming Authority

Transcription

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