AUTUMN CONFERENCE
IMGL autumn conference: all roads lead to Lisbon T here is a fresh feel to the schedule of education and networking activities which will form this year’s autumn conference. The event will ring the changes
W hen Rome was announced as the venue choice for the 2024 autumn conference, there were some approving noises from both IMGL and IAGR members. After all, Rome is one of the world’s great cities with world heritage sites on virtually every corner. In the end, the event in October more than justified the excitement. The week started on Monday morning with a well-attended workshop from sponsors GLI, and the conference itself got started that afternoon. As the IAGR part of the program, the focus was regulatory with contributions from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. On Tuesday the focus broadened to take in AI, self-exclusion and cross-border enforcement. Tuesday was also the day the social program started in earnest with the opening reception on a balmy evening with a world-class view over Rome (pictured). in several exciting ways which will benefit all attendees. After enjoying the fruits of a partnership with last year’s Rome event we have built on our relationship with SBC to collocate the conference in Lisbon, venue for their much visited summit and expo. This event attracts a plethora of people who we might not normally meet and we have taken advantage of their presence to create a diverserse and wide ranging program. This highly anticipated event, renowned for its exceptional blend of high- quality educational content and unparalleled networking opportunities, promises to be an indispensable gathering for gaming law professionals across the globe. Program and panelist contributions from IMGL started on Wednesday and the focus switched to how regulators work most effectively with the industry to achieve common goals. Panel sessions were broken up with some excellent keynote Future looking, future thinking There is a futuristic feel to the program this time, with new and emerging jurisdictions and technologies on the agenda for
speakers, including from Andrew Scott, Commissioner of the organization which oversaw the fines handed out to Crown, the Australian casino group and the country’s largest private employer. It was a chastening tale which will be featured in the IMGL Magazine in 2025. The gala dinner was a glitzy affair that made the most of the Parco Principi’s excellent facilities. Attendees were treated to music from local jazz trios and the food was a wonderful mix of traditional Italian with a few special twists. Portugal may be firmly part of the old world, but it has well- established links with some of the newest and most exciting markets in gaming. The country traces its links from South East Asia to India, Africa and Latin America. Representing significant growth opportunities, some of these countries are at the start of their legalization journeys but nevertheless have much to teach as well as learn. There were a few bleary-eyed faces the following morning, but most made the effort to attend a fourth day of insights and action points. There were some differences to the program on the final day with technology getting a mention. There was still a good crowd in the room for one of the unlikely standout panels of the week when five lawyers had a fascinating discussion on Malta’s Bill 55. It is testament to the quality of the arguments that the audience remained engaged right up to the end. Setting the stage for tomorrow’s gaming law: In many jurisdictions, the regulation of gaming and betting is unfolding in real time – without precedent, without uniformity, and often without a clear legal playbook. Experts from some of the most dynamic and promising jurisdictions examine commonalities and contrasts, the lessons being applied and the new ones The closing reception was at one of Rome’s exclusive hotels discussion. Evolving game formats, crossovers with sectors like video gaming and the gamification of media in general all bring opportunities and challenges. We chart the highest growth areas and examine what it will take to regulate and to navigate the future.
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IMGL MAGAZINE | JUNE 2025
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