Press Releases
Shaping the Future of Betting: SBC Summit North America Announces ‘Sports Betting’ Track
The ‘Sports Betting’ conference track at SBC Summit North America will gather some of the top luminaries in the industry to share their thoughts on the latest sports betting trends, innovative technologies, and the evolving North American sports betting landscape.
The dedicated track will unfold on May 8th-9th, the two core days of the leading iGaming & sports betting event in North America, which is set to host 5,000 attendees at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey
The comprehensive track will provide delegates with the opportunity to bolster their educational prowess on key topics such as forging successful operator-league partnerships, exploring the emerging technology set to innovate the sports betting market, the intricate world of media partnerships, and much more.
Opening the first day of the conference track is the panel titled “The Bright Side of Betting: Product Innovation Incoming,” which will explore the expansion strategies employed by operators through new cutting-edge technology. Expert speakers David Senior (Head of Sportsbook, Betsson), Tomer Imber (Senior Director of Sales, Optimove), Joey Levy (CEO, Betr), Scot McClintic (Chief Product Officer, Fanatics Betting and Gaming) and Tim Whitehead (Head of Sportsbook, Rush Street Interactive), will discuss how player-focused augmented experiences can attract new audiences and will explore methods operators can adopt to maintain relevance in this rapidly evolving industry landscape.
The female-led panel, titled “Women’s World Cup in the Spotlight: How Operators Seized Opportunities From the Rising Popularity of Women’s Sports in 2023”, aims to dissect the notable surge in sports betting on women’s sports over the past year. Experts Nicole Pawlak (Senior Director, Special Projects, Athletes Unlimited), Meghan Chayka (Co-Founder, Stathletes), Nancy Hensley (Founding Member, Mercury13), and Jennifer Matthews (Vice President, Brand Strategy, FanDuel), will delve into the strategies employed by operators to capitalize on the growing interest in women’s sports and will examine the essential factors surrounding audience engagement in betting on women’s sports.
The conference’s track’s second day opens with the panel titled “DFS 2.0 – Skill Game or Just Sports Betting With Another Name? How Regulators are Responding,” which will delve into the ongoing debate over whether daily fantasy sports (DFS) primarily involve skill or luck. Esteemed figures Julie Brown (Vice Chairman and Inaugural Chairman, Florida Gaming Control Commission), Derek Schmidt (Partner, Husch Blackwell), Nick Green (General Counsel at Underdog Fantasy), and panel moderator Daniel Wallach (Partner, Wallach Legal) will examine diverse perspectives on the skill versus luck argument, evaluate the future trajectory of DFS regulation, and analyze its broader implications for the industry.
The panel “What Does Regulated Betting on Video Games Look Like?” will focus on the intricacies of regulating virtual gameplay across North America. Industry experts Brett Abarbanel (Ph.D., Executive Director, UNLV International Gaming Institute), Michelle Sadaf-Pena (Executive Director of PMO and Gaming Operations, Wondr Nation), Barbara Demarco (Vice President, Porzio Governmental Affairs, LLC), Seth Schorr (CEO, Fifth Street Gaming), Michele Fischer (Vice President, SIS Content Services, Inc.) and panel moderator Anthony Gaud (Founder, Esports Illustrated) will explore the potential for increased revenue as new audiences are reached. They will also consider the compliance measures necessary to ensure continued healthy, legal growth for stakeholders.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said: “Since the regulation of sports betting in 2018, an impressive 38 states now offer sports betting in some form, which is an amazing achievement. Couple that with the emergence of new sports betting technologies, products, and services, the sports betting track provides a unique opportunity to explore innovative strategies, regulatory updates, and market trends shaping the future of sports wagering.
We believe that by hosting the sports betting conference track across both core days of the event, we will be able to provide delegates with comprehensive discussions encompassing every major development within the sports betting landscape, ensuring they are equipped to capitalize on one of the most exciting verticals in the market.”
Alongside the ‘Sports Betting’ track, delegates will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the North American market through the dedicated conference tracks such as the ‘Leaders’, ‘iGaming’, ‘Affiliates & Marketing’, ‘Tribal Symposium’, ‘Payments & Tech’ and the ‘Compliance & Regulation’ conference tracks.
Latest News
THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub
The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.
The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unit’s partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unit’s activity in the Americas.
This new base will be located at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.
The project will be put into practice by The Unit’s Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark O’Hare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unit’s commercial growth in the region.
With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “These are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
“This will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.
“This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. We’re looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.
“I would like to thank Mark O’Hare for making the move to New York, and I’m sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.”
Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.
“We look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.”
The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
Latest News
Golden Matrix Group to Participate in the 2025 ICR Conference
Golden Matrix Group Inc., a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems, and gaming content, today announced that management will participate in the 2025 ICR Conference on January 13-15, 2025 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Zoran Milosevic, Chief Executive Officer of Meridianbet, will participate in a fireside chat with an equity research analyst on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET and will also be available for meetings during the conference.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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