In spite of a period of intense upheaval, US land-based casinos are looking forward to a return to business as usual in 2021; as the vaccination program continues at pace and business restrictions lift. Promising though the outlook is, there is also an opportunity to learn lessons and to transform casino gaming so that it is sustainable for the long-term. In this interview, we sit down with the President of Hard Rock Sacramento to get his assessment of the challenges that lie ahead, as well as some predictions of where the casino experience is headed next.

As land-based casinos build back from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a renewed focus on delivering an exceptional service that extends well beyond the casino floor. Following a year of particular upheaval for Cache Creek, we speak to their GM and COO about renovating during a pandemic, coping with closures and reduced visitor capacity and building a frictionless end-to-end casino experience.

For land-based casinos, establishing or growing an online offering through a global pandemic has been no mean feat. The need to rapidly acquire business intelligence on online player behaviour and to build both infrastructure and market share – all whilst coping with a downturn in existing revenue streams – requires an agile approach to product development and shrewd partnership building with suppliers. This roundtable discussion invites land-based casino operators to discuss these challenges and to consider a path forward for omni-channel operators.

One of the foremost challenges for product developers is to balance delivery of a seamless user journey with a robust approach to compliance. Getting that balance right is particularly important in the rapidly growing US market, where a state-led approach to regulation creates unique compliance challenges that have the potential to slow product launch and limit growth. In this session we ask Entain’s SVP for US Regulatory Affairs how he supports product leaders in balancing UX with compliance, as well as what opportunities he sees to build an efficient approach to regulation across the US market.

For some larger casino operators, the intuitive response to the pandemic was to double down on digital, launching or growing an online offering to take advantage of drastically different market conditions. For some casinos, that has meant launching at speed into a competitive and increasingly congested market. For this interview, we’ll be speaking to an operator which has undergone just such an agile transformation under challenging circumstances.

Recently, payments in the gaming space has rapidly transformed. Affected by a fast changing regulatory environment, numerous technological innovations and the shift in the payments industry to a more open methodology. This timely and informative session, panelled by venerated gaming experts, will deep dive into the changes and challenges that iGaming operators are facing and share their unique perspectives and insights on how to adapt and triumph. Topics will include: In-depth analysis of the changing payments landscape in the iGaming industry and its impact on operators A new era in payments: The end of the monolithic payments architecture? Examining the disparity between “open” and “closed” approaches to payment processing Addressing regulatory pain points Leveraging innovations in payments technology to achieve frictionless deposits: The holy grail of high conversions

Following the live post-election discussion held in November, we’re getting our experts back together right after the US inauguration to reflect on what the new administration and the results in the states mean for the world of gaming, igaming, and sports betting in 2021 and beyond. A few months after the US Elections and on the day after the new President being inaugurated, have their predictions changed since November and, most importantly, how will the new political landscape impact on the regulatory progress in the USA, both on the federal and the state level? What should we expect for states that had gaming pass on the ballot (South Dakota, Louisiana, Maryland, and Nebraska)? How will emerging jurisdictions like Virginia move forward? How much will sports betting and igaming be influenced in those states that have not legalized yet Under a Biden administration, what changes will we see with the Wire Act and will we have a federal sports betting framework? What other advances will be pushed for the expansion of gaming or technology in 2021 and beyond?

Every year, iGB asks a range of industry professionals what they feel lies in store in the year ahead. For the first time, this will be presented as a live discussion, with a host of contributors from across the industry sharing their thoughts on the key developments expected for 2021. Among the topics covered, we’ll ask: Is the industry beginning 2021 in a stronger or weaker position than 2020? Will there be a wave of new M&A activity in 2021 in the latest round of consolidation? Will technology improvement and enhancement be a key focus in 2021, or will we see industry investment in new products and solutions slowing?

The annual Futures Survey gives the industry the opportunity to highlight the technology they believe can transform the sector. Informed by its results, in this webinar, a panel of industry investors and technologists will suggest practical uses for these innovations, while discussing what may be overhyped. Questions covered by the panel will include: What technology can disrupt the industry in the short term? How quickly is the industry adopting new software and solutions? Is technology innovation a key factor in securing investment? What will the industry of tomorrow look like?