Conferences
eSports betting vs classic sports betting in North America, a hot topic at Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America

All major sports leagues have been postponed and most of the major sports leagues have been cancelled until further notice – more and more countries are banning major events, fewer and fewer sporting events are taking place. But how should sports betting providers react when enthusiastic betting customers, who want to pursue their hobby, no longer have an offer to bet on? What can you do as a provider who wants to remain relevant and maintain a corresponding offer for your players?
The answers are Virtual Sports (betting on virtual sports events) and eSports (betting on competitions in computer games).
Bets on popular online video games such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Starcraft 2 and CS: GO can hardly be ignored on today’s betting market. Especially in the target group of under 30s, eSports are becoming more and more popular and are now being broadcast 24 hours a day via channels such as Twitch. The worldwide turnover on eSports betting amounts to more than USD 1.8 billion, a figure that is all the more impressive considering the comparatively small fan base. But eSports are steadily gaining more fans, on the one hand due to an aging target group and on the other hand due to an increasing awareness.
The top players themselves, who are comparable in their professionalism and skill to professional soccer or tennis players, are now activating more fans than the Superbowl, for example. The Intel Extreme Masters eSports tournament in Katowice, Poland welcomed more than 173,000 spectators on site and 46 million online in 2019. With prize pools of up to USD 100 million (Fortnite World Cup 2019), player salaries are in no way inferior to those of many professional footballers.
Just like with traditional sports, bets are placed on individual teams and players in eSports. Due to the large number of different types of eSports, the resulting number of betting markets is enormous – the simplest and most suitable betting type for beginners, of course, remains the bet on the overall winner of the game.
The offer of eSports betting is growing steadily – and since it is already common in eSports to play without an audience (most of the season matches are held in small studios), eSports events are a great alternative to the sports events that are currently being canceled.
Depending on the legislature of the respective target market, eSports can complement their offer and are becoming increasingly important. Particularly during the current crisis, interest in eSPorts is likely to experience a rapid increase.
The top industry companies have all confirmed their interest to join the Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference), which will open its virtual doors between 23-24 June.
The virtual seats are limited, so hurry and register now to secure your seat(s)! REGISTER HERE
And among the many topics, we are putting together a special panel discussion which is titled “ESPORTS BETTING VS CLASSIC SPORTS BETTING IN NORTH AMERICA”
The panel discussion will be joined by leading experts such as J Moses (Investor & Board Advisor of Bet.Works), Grant Johnson (CEO at Esports Entertainment Group), David McDowell (Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at FSB) and Mark Robson (Co-Founder at Champion Sports). The discussion will be moderated by Marek Suchar (Head of Partnerships at Oddin.gg).
J Moses
Investor, Advisor at Bet.Works
I have nearly 40 years of experience in sports, entertainment, technology, betting & games as a CEO, Founder, Investor, Advisor, Producer & a Director for public & private businesses around the world.
Currently I am hyper focused on the confluence of Technology, Games, eSports, Sports, Betting and Entertainment. I serve as a Director at Take-Two Interactive (Nasdaq: TTWO), publisher of Rock Star, 2K & Private Division Games. I’m also an investor & Board Advisor of Bet.Works (sports betting), ReadyUp (eSports team building), Prize Payments Pro (eSports), and SimulMedia.
After Princeton, I had the dream job of working at ABC Sports where I worked on sporting events around the world, including 4 Olympic Games. I spent 2 years as Special Assist to Roone Arldege, President of ABC News & Sports.
Grant Johnson
CEO at Esports Entertainment Group
Grant Johnson, B.A., Chairman and CEO, Esports Entertainment Group
Grant has served as Chairman and CEO of Esports Entertainment Group since 2015, where he oversaw the Company from its’ inception as an esports wagering company long before most of the world knew of the existence of esports, to a successful NASDAQ IPO and $8.4M raise in April 2020.
His experience in online gambling came from 1996 to 1999 where has Vice President of Vancouver based Starnet Communications International, Inc. a recognized leader in the Internet gambling industry. As Vice President of Business Development, Mr. Johnson led Starnet’s sales team and was a driving force behind Starnet’s leading market position in the B2B sector of the Internet gambling industry.
Mr. Johnson was instrumental in the business development activities at Starnet and was directly involved in establishing many of Starnet’s strategic industry partnerships. A subsidiary of Starnet, World Gaming, still exists today.
David McDowell
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at FSB
David is the co-founder and CEO of FSB. FSB was established in 2007 with the vision to build the industry’s first highly automated sports betting platform driven by live data. The company has become established as a leading B2B solutions supplier best known for its live sports betting technology and as a pioneer of delivering fully managed trading services.
Mark Robson
Co-Founder of Champion Sports
Mark Robson is the co-founder of Champion Sports, an innovative sports betting platform licensed by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. Over the last 15 years, Mark has held a number of high-profile positions within the iGaming industry, including the Head of eGaming for the Department of Economic Development on the Isle of Man.
Marek Suchar
Head of Partnerships at Odding.gg
Marek Suchar, Head of Partnerships at Odding.gg started his career in financial services where he held senior and managerial roles in various areas including business development and sales. His passion for esports brought him to the industry, specifically to the betting vertical. Leveraging the newest technologies at Oddin, Marek aims to significantly improve the engagement within esports betting and build partnerships that will shape the future of esports and esports betting.
Do not miss this unique opportunity to attend a virtual conference that gathers all North American gaming industry experts for 2 days of discussions and networking. Register your seat now!
Conferences
VIP Play CEO to Deliver Keynote at AI4 2025 Conference
VIP Play has announced that its CEO, Les Ottolenghi, will deliver a featured keynote at the AI4 2025 Conference in Las Vegas on August 13. The presentation, titled “Real-Time AI at the Edge: How Data Velocity Is Redefining Consumer Engagement,” will focus on how next-gen & AI technologies are transforming real-time player interaction and reshaping the future of gaming and entertainment.
Ottolenghi, a pioneer of innovative & disruptive technologies across various industries, recently transitioned from his role as Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Lee Enterprises to lead VIP Play, a tech-forward company applying real-time data modeling and predictive analytics to personalize engagement in high-velocity digital environments such as online gambling.
At AI4, Ottolenghi will unveil the Information Refinery Model—a strategic enterprise framework designed to deliver scalable, intelligent experiences in milliseconds. This model draws on Ottolenghi’s leadership in gaming technology, as CIO of Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, and Codere Inc, and his role in co-founding the Blackfire Innovation Center, a hub for gaming and hospitality technology innovation.
“Gaming and tech executives understand that speed is the new currency of engagement. This keynote at AI4 is about how real-time systems, intelligent automation, and predictive modeling can unlock new revenue and retention models—across gaming, media, and beyond,” said Ottolenghi.
AI4 is one of the most respected global forums for applied AI, drawing enterprise leaders, technologists, and venture-backed innovators. Ottolenghi’s talk is expected to provide immediate, actionable insights for CTOs, product leaders, and strategists seeking to deploy real-time AI at scale, particularly in high-frequency industries such as gaming, streaming, fintech, and mobile.
Conferences
Andrew Cardno to Present on Resilient Casino Strategies at the 2025 Casino Marketing & Technology Conference

Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) is proud to announce that Andrew Cardno, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Casino Marketing & Technology Conference (CMTC), taking place July 29–30, 2025, at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.
Cardno’s session, titled “Effective Database Strategies To Help Casinos Prosper During Tough Economic Times,” will be held on July 30 from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM on the Summit Mainstage.
In this timely presentation, Cardno will explore how traditional KPIs lose value during economic downturns and what database strategies actually work when markets shift. Drawing on his deep expertise and lessons learned from the 2008 financial crisis, Cardno will offer insight into how casinos can build decision agility, redefine success metrics, and adapt their business models in volatile environments.
“Andrew is a dynamic and forward-thinking speaker whose sessions are always among the most anticipated at CMTC,” said Deana Scott, CEO of Raving. “His ability to translate complex data strategies into practical solutions has helped countless operators improve performance, especially during times of uncertainty. We’re thrilled to have him back on the mainstage this year.”
In addition to Cardno’s session, the QCI team will be exhibiting at Booth #12–14, where attendees can explore private demos of the QCI Enterprise Platform, including Chatalytics™, QCI Host®, QCI Player™, and QCI Marketing®.
Also on display will be the newly released Book 12 of The Math That Gaming Made, Compendium—a full-color edition co-authored by Andrew Cardno and Dr. Ralph Thomas, offering a deep dive into data activation, AI, and casino optimization strategies.
QCI invites all CMTC attendees to visit the booth, meet with our team and see a live demo.
The Casino Marketing & Technology Conference is renowned for bringing together industry leaders and professionals to share knowledge, discuss trends, and explore the future of the gaming industry. Andrew Cardno’s session is set to be one of the highlights of the event, offering attendees a unique opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s foremost experts.
Conferences
FBM® returns to OIGA with new milestones and high-performing slots

FBM® is gearing up for another impactful participation at the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Conference & Tradeshow (OIGA), taking place from July 14 to 16 at the OKC Convention Center in Oklahoma City. This year, FBM will join Delta Gaming Solutions at Booth 918, presenting four standout slot products that represent the latest chapter in its expansion in the US gaming market.
FBM’s presence at OIGA 2025 comes at a strategic time, following a series of key accomplishments in the past 12 months. The company has deepened its market penetration by installing games in several new casinos across the country. The rollout of a broader catalog of titles reflects the operators’ growing confidence in FBM’s value proposition.
At this year’s OIGA expo, FBM will exhibit four titles that speak directly to enhancing player engagement and operator’s performance:
- Ji Hǎo Link™ game series includes four titles: Golden Lóng™, Fortunate Héping™, Eternal Fènghuáng™ and Great Weiyan™. The powerful dragon, the wise turtle, the eternal phoenix, and the brave white tiger promise to deliver thrilling gaming sessions in a mechanic where the common bonus triggered by the Jí Hǎo Link™ pagoda takes the spotlight.
- Jí Hǎo Link™ Spirits is the perfect choice for players seeking thrilling, long-lasting, and entertaining gaming sessions. The unpredictability of the Spirits feature, which can reward players with free “flights” and big wins during the main game or free spins, builds excitement around the Golden Lóng™ Spirits and Eternal Fènghuáng™ Spirits titles.
- Xing Fú Fortune Money Trees™ brings excitement, suspense, and adrenaline to any casino floor with game mechanics based on the Prosperity, Strength, and Fortune accumulators. The Xing Fú Fortune Money Trees bonus can offer up to seven different game experiences and is the gateway to collect the four available jackpots present on this slot theme.
- Croc’s Lock™ is a 30-line slot with an exciting storyline and compelling features. Super Croc is this gaming experience’s hero working with 15 independent reels, where the Extra Coins and Extra Spins accumulators lead player through an entertaining journey.
OIGA is one of the most important tradeshows in the North American gaming calendar, and FBM views the 2025 edition as the ideal platform to strengthen partnerships and expand operator relationships in this key market. Mike Medlin, FBM’s General Manager of Sales & Operations, together with Emily Snow, Delta Gaming Solutions sales director, will welcome and engage directly with all tribal operators, agents, and industry stakeholders trying FBM’s slots and seeking competitive, high-performing gaming solutions.
This momentum underlines the brand’s ongoing mission to deliver top-tier gaming experiences to U.S. players, especially within the tribal sector. OIGA 2025 also sets the stage for FBM’s larger showcase coming in October at G2E Las Vegas, an event that will mark the global reveal of new games and innovations designed to uplift the gaming experience in North America. Visit Booth 918 at OIGA 2025 and try FBM’s slots.
-
Latest News6 days ago
NASCAR and nVenue, Bring Groundbreaking Live Probabilities to In-Season Challenge Broadcast for Fans Watching Live Racing
-
Latest News6 days ago
Esportes da Sorte champions Responsible Gaming with strong internal culture and compliance focus
-
Latest News6 days ago
RG24seven Virtual Training and Cibelae Partner to Provide Training Across Ibero-American Lotteries
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
WA. Technology Receives GLI Certification in Brazil for Casino Aggregator Product
-
International News6 days ago
Scientific Games Wins Top Honors for Organizational Excellence in India
-
Latest News6 days ago
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Awards $22.8 Million in Grants from Community Mitigation Fund
-
Cryptocurrency6 days ago
Jackbit: The New Crypto Casino Shapes U.S. Gambling in 2025 with 7000 Games and No KYC
-
Canada3 days ago
INCENTIVE GAMES SECURES ONTARIO GAMING LICENSE