Written by Editorial Board
The world of gaming and betting meets in November in the Cis Region.
Gaming doesn't stop, at least in the foreign events dedicated to the sector. It starts in November with Sbc Digital Summit Cis, a virtual event on the world of gaming and betting, scheduled for the 4th and 5th of the month.
“It is our first event entirely focused on the betting and gaming industry in the region”, Jaap kalm, Cco of Sbc – Sports Betting Community,highlights.
“We’ve had individual conference sessions about the opportunities in the Cis (Commonwealth of Independent States) at some of our previous international events and they’ve always proved popular, so we’ve decided to dedicate an entire edition of our successful virtual conference and expo series to the markets in countries such as Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Kazakhstan. We’re working with a great local partner, Tbilisi-based Sports Media Holding (Smh), to deliver the event. Smh has huge experience of working with gaming brands, broadcasters, media companies and sports organisations across the Cis and Baltic region, so its local-market expertise, combined with Sbc’s in-house knowledge and skills, will create a fantastic event for all delegates.
Sbc Digital Summit Cis will feature a conference with detailed insights on the opportunities for operators, affiliates and suppliers across the region. The agenda has been compiled to make sure there are lots of ideas for people already working in the Cis, as well as valuable information for companies considering launching there.
As well as the conference, there will be opportunities for operators to connect with suppliers and affiliates to talk business - something that people from across the industry have told us they really need during this period when physical trade shows can’t happen. Delegates can see the latest sportsbook, casino and payments innovations and chat to suppliers in the interactive product display area, as well as ‘meet’ people from their sector of the industry in the programme of themed networking roundtables”.
What are the main subjects that will be addressed?
“One of the main themes of the agenda is in-depth evaluations of individual markets, featuring reliable data and expert insights of the type that are very rarely available to the industry in the region. There are sessions about the opportunities in Ukraine following the introduction of new legislation earlier this year, the planned regulatory regime that would open up the market in Uzbekistan in 2021, and the huge success of Georgia’s regulated gambling industry. We will also be addressing some of the issues that influence the betting and gaming industry across Eastern Europe. We will also have practical insights on subjects such as the best marketing strategies for Cis markets, the type of payments solutions available in the region, and the growing popularity of esports”.
How will the conference be organized and who will participate?
“On our virtual platform, allowing industry professionals from around the world to join us direct from their desks. There are 18 conference panels over the two days, with every session available live or to watch on catch-up using the platform’s on-demand facility. 75 expert speakers are participating in the event and the roster includes senior executives from major operators in markets throughout the region, along with supplier representatives, legislators, legal experts, and marketing specialists”.
How is the Cis region betting and gaming market doing?
“The picture is mixed across the region, with very different regulatory regimes in the various countries.
For example, Georgia has a thriving regulated industry in which online sportsbooks, casinos and poker rooms are all legal. As a result, Flutter, Gvc and Betsson have all invested in local operators to allow them to enter the market there. However, in Russia the only legal form of online gambling is betting, while in Kyrgyzstan most forms of gambling are illegal. There are signs that the market conditions in a number of countries are about to go through a period of significant change. So the picture will be very different in two years’ time”.
What are the opportunities of this market?
“
Many international businesses are now searching for opportunities outside the increasingly saturated regulated markets in Western Europe. At the same time, a number of governments in the Cis and surrounding region have recognized the potential tax-raising and job creation benefits of establishing regulated gambling regimes.
This has been seen in the recent legislation to allow gambling in Ukraine, the clarification of regulations in Russia, and the Uzbekh government’s indications that it plans to legalize sports betting in 2021. Some of these moves appear to have created opportunities for operators, while there is still room for expansion in the more-established regulated markets in countries such as Georgia and Armenia.
The exact nature of these opportunities and how to take advantage of them are key themes of Sbc Digital Summit Cis, so anyone interested in those markets cannot afford to miss the event”.