The event, taking place on October 24 at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace*, is jointly organised by SBC and the Georgia-based igaming and sports management company SMH and is expected to draw an attendance of over 1,000 participants.

Along with an agenda spanning two conference stages enriched by insights from over 40 industry experts, SBC Summit Tbilisi will feature an exhibition area showcasing more than 20 local and regional brands.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: The Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Black Sea regions, including our host country Georgia, have taken a prominent role in industry dialogues.

“This shift is driven by the dynamic regulatory environments in some of these markets and their evolution into igaming centres that attract both local and international companies seeking to leverage local opportunities. 

“The ‘Market Digest’ conference track offers a closer examination of the complexities within these key markets, enabling the industry to gain valuable insights for navigating their unique dynamics.”

A panel titled ‘Eastern Europe and Central Asia: How the Region is Evolving’ will offer a comprehensive view of the substantial opportunities within diverse regional markets, including Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, and Central Asia.

Galymzhan Duambekov (President, SRO of Betting and Lotteries Kazakhstan), Viktoriya Zakrevskaya (Deputy Chairman, UGC), Marcin Jablonski (former CCO, LV Bet), and panel moderator Giorgi Gvenetadze (CCO, Adjarabet) will provide insights into the regional intricacies and opportunities to capitalise on.

‘Georgia: Eastern European Hub of Leading iGaming Organisations’ panel will focus on a country that has positioned itself as a central hub for both igaming operators and providers.

Quirino Mancini (President, IMGL), Giorgi Tsamalaidze (CLO, Random Systems Georgia), and moderator George Isakadze (Editor in Chief, Forbes Georgia) will explore what lies ahead for Georgia, known for its unique blend of industry expertise, multicultural understanding, effective regulations, and a skilled workforce, in the ever-evolving industry landscape.

‘SBC Leaders: Industry Insights Panel’ will showcase Irakli Asanishvili (CEO, Adjarabet) and Maia Kopinadze (CEO, Europebet – Betsson Group). Together with the moderator Andrew McCarron (Managing Director, SBC), they will discuss the potential of Eastern Europe and Central Asia and its transformative impact on the industry by dissecting the crucial elements that lead to success in regions occasionally challenged by unpredictable shifts driven by regulations and cultural nuances.

Shota Arveladze (Founder, AAA Foundation), Gianluca Varano (Digital Business Director, La Gazzetta dello Sport), and Yevhen Levchenko (President, Dutch Trade Union for Professional Footballers), along with panel moderator Lasha Machavariani (Founder & CEO, SMH), will come together to explore the theme of ‘Development of Sports and Strategic Collaboration: Effect on Business.’

Drawing from their diverse backgrounds, which include professional football experience, sports journalism, and trade union representation for football professionals, the panellists will delve into the dynamic synergy between the sports and betting industries and the resulting collaborative effects.

Alongside these captivating discussions, the conference will present an array of panels encompassing topics like responsible gaming and player protection in the digital age. Esteemed experts such as Dan Iliovici (Vice President, Rombet) and George Mamulaishvili (Head of Administration, Georgian Gambling Association) will lend their insights to these sessions. 

Additionally, panellists will delve into the phenomenon of flexible payment solutions, shedding light on why they are gaining such prominence in the gaming industry, and delivering attendees valuable insights into the evolving payment landscape within the sector.

*Attendees can take advantage of pre-registration and join pre-event networking drinks at the Stamba Hotel in Tbilisi on October 23, from 19:30 to midnight.

Secure your full access pass, which grants you access to the conference and networking amenities, at the Early Bird rate of $150 instead of the regular $200 when you purchase it through the official SBC Summit Tbilisi page by October 2.

For exhibition and sponsorship opportunities please contact sales@sbcgaming.com or Baki Lortkipanidze at baki@smh.global.

Are you an operator? Contact SBC’s Relationships team via this form to secure your complimentary pass to the event.

Affiliates can request a complimentary event ticket by submitting their details here, subject to review by the relevant department.

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Lauded as a “significant advancement” for the Baltic region, CashValet will be integrated at Olympic Park Casino to offer the “first quasi-cash service of its kind”. 

Peeter Tamla, IT Director of Olympic Entertainment Group, stated: “We are always looking for new and innovative solutions to provide our Olympic Casino customers with the highest standard of service across all channels. With the ever-evolving landscape, there is a greater need to integrate online and land-based operations.

“The quasi-cash solution is ideal for showing our expertise in this field, making our customers’ experience comfortable and convenient and their financial transactions secure while adhering to the highest standards of security and compliance.” 

Passport’s CashValet is a quasi-cash solution that offers casinos a comprehensive and efficient means of facilitating immediate transactions with maximum approval amounts for patrons and VIP guests. 

The firm noted that its level of security, privacy and regulatory compliance, ensures that both employees and patrons of Olympic Park Casino can experience the latest innovative technology. 

CashValet offers a range of features such as real-time reporting, dynamic fee structures, free play credits, responsible gambling features, self-exclusion options and enhanced privacy protocols. 

Passport’s CashValet is a PCI-DSS level one, P2PE-certified, cloud-based solution. It is also available in multiple form factors, including the new wireless device, enabling a wide range of use cases in accordance with jurisdiction and operator requirements.

“Passport Technology continues to set the standard for product innovation and market expansion,” added Helen Bowditch, Vice President of Business Development at Passport. 

“We are honoured to have the opportunity to partner with Olympic Entertainment Group and are thrilled to introduce the Baltic region to the industry’s most advanced quasi-cash service for brick-and-mortar casinos.” 

The partnership with Olympic Entertainment Group will also allow Passport Technology to expand its reach in the market and offer its payment technology solutions to a broader audience.

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Under the terms of the deal, Certus, an international casino management system for casinos and gaming halls, will bring real-time responsible digital payments for gaming machine players in France and the Netherlands. 

These will be implemented across an array of venues that are connected with Certus’ casino management system.

Theo Engelis, Gaming Partnerships & New Markets Director, explained: “Okto is committed to delivering powerful payments technology blended with responsible gaming tools that retail operators need to provide their users and working with partners to expand into new markets.

“Our partnership with Certus is well-timed, ahead of the biggest, and most influential business-to-business show for all sectors of the international gaming industry – ICE London. We are in line with Certus in our mission to meet equally gaming operators and player demands for frictionless and immersive payment experiences.”

Echoing the thoughts of Engelis, Jean Louis Fiorucci, Co-Founder and CTO from Certus Technologies, noted: “We are excited to be launching this partnership with Okto. Integrating Okto’s advanced digital payments technology with our cutting-edge casino management system, to deliver frictionless payments experiences that players expect, resulting in higher containment rates, an increase in different customer segments and better monitoring in players’ safety.”

This link-up follows on from the fintech provider’s recent “strategic partnership” with Superbet Group in January. 

The partnership, an enhancement on an ongoing alliance between the two, saw the Romanian gambling firm adopt Okto’s omni-channel payment technology.

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Based in Corning, California, Rolling Hills will deploy Acres’ Cashless Casino technology application, a component of its Foundation platform, in the first half of this year. 

“Cashless Casino will help us increase our engagement with players while also providing us with operating efficiencies,” said Steve Neely, Rolling Hills, General Manager. 

“The easy and quick implementation timing for Cashless Casino was a key factor in our selection of this technology for our cashless gaming functionality, and we look forward to working with the Acres team to bring this new feature to our players in early 2023.”

With this latest deployment, Acres’ modern technology solution for cashless gaming will be available in 10 states at a total of 22 casinos across nearly 31,000 slot machines.

“We always support the leadership’s approach to deploying innovative technologies to provide our players with a great gaming entertainment experience, and Acres’ Cashless Casino application furthers this focus,” added Andrew Alejandre, Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians Tribal‘s Chair. 

“The deployment of Cashless Casino on our gaming floor will allow us to further improve our guest experience by providing players with a seamless, easy-to-use cashless funding option.”

Acres’ Cashless Casino application works on any slot machine or table game. With deployment, casinos only need to provide a mobile app and select a payment processor. The app becomes the user interface, ensuring that branding is fully compatible with the rest of the operator’s player-facing options. 

Players virtually “card in” via the app and start a rated play session. The payment processor provides for the free flow of player funds between their funding source and the slot machine. Behind the scenes, Cashless Casino provides all required audit reports and dispute resolution tools. 

“We are excited that Rolling Hills Casino has selected Acres’ Cashless Casino application to deliver cashless gaming’s many benefits to their customers,” noted Noah Acres. 

“Powered by the evolutionary capabilities of our Foundation platform, Cashless Casino incorporates innovative player loyalty features which offer a key differentiator in the player experience, enabling casino operators to significantly improve their connection and engagement with their players. 

“We’ve designed Cashless Casino to be easy and intuitive to roll out which will help the Rolling Hills Casino team to focus on player education and the gaming entertainment experience. 

“Early deployments of cashless gaming powered by our Foundation platform have proven that by providing players with an engaging, entertaining, and seamless experience, casino operators benefit from increased play and visitation. 

“We are confident that Cashless Casino will provide similar benefits to Rolling Hills Casino and their valued customers.”

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Integrating Sightline’s Play+ in its Bensalem, Pennsylvania, property that features over 3,000 slot machines, approximately 200 table games and a 50-table poker room, customers can now download the Parx Wallet app, powered by Light & Wonder, on their smartphone.

“The Parx Wallet will provide tremendous benefits for our loyal customer base, enhancing their safety and security,” said Marc Oppenheimer, Chief Marketing Officer at Parx Casino. 

“The ability to play cashless across our more than 3,000 slot machines with the Parx Wallet and Play+ will provide our customers with easy access to their funds both on and off property.”

Sightline’s Play+ is the funding solution for the new Parx Wallet, enabling cashless play throughout the Parx Casino floor. The Parx Wallet app connects into the Light & Wonder casino management system deployed across the property.

The Parx Play+ payments solution will also be in operation within its online casino and mobile sports betting platform, betPARX. 

Once enrolled in Parx’s X-Club casino loyalty program, guests can set up a Parx Play+ account to fund their cashless gaming account through multiple sources, such as a debit card. 

Additionally, Parx Play+ patrons will receive the Parx-branded Play+ Discover card in the mail, allowing them to spend their winnings wherever Discover is accepted.

“Light & Wonder is committed to exceeding player expectations,” added Jon Wolfe, Light & Wonder Senior Vice President, President of Global Systems & Service of Gaming.

“Enabling new technologies by working with companies like Sightline is a way for us to provide the best possible digital experience and remain one of the industry’s leaders.”

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The terms of the deal will see MiFinity eWallet available as a payment method for customers in an array of the online casino operator’s European markets across 37 brands. 

“We have considerable experience in N1 Interactive’s key European markets, providing customers with localised payment methods via our eWallet,” explained Paul Kavanagh, CEO at MiFinity. “With over 40 integrated payment methods, we can significantly reduce the risk of a player abandoning the cashier across all N1 Interactive’s live brands.”

Moreover, MiFinity will be working with the online casino operator to aid increase conversions by providing players with their preferred payment method via the MiFinity eWallet. 

A spokesperson for N1 Interactive noted: “We’ve onboarded MiFinity because they offer a wide range of local payment methods in our target markets, as well as having an in-depth understanding of these markets. 

“With their support, we can provide better service to our players and streamline the payment journey, increasing conversions and removing transaction barriers.”

In addition, with the MiFinity iFrame, brands such as Casino Universe, Slot Hunter Casino and N1 Casino, will provide players with various options to use MiFinity eWallet within the cashier experience. 

Once players have signed up, they can choose their preferred local payment to transfer funds. Players will then be able to select the MiFinity option directly in the cashier for deposits and withdrawals when playing online. 

Kavanagh concluded: “Removing unnecessary steps in the payment journey, such as navigating to a third party payment page, positively impacts conversion rates. Similarly, providing players with localised payment methods, multiple currencies, and multilingual options reduces the risk of cart abandonment. Our iFrame does all this within the brand’s cashier, providing a seamless customer experience.”

The link-up with MiFinity comes in the same month as N1 revealed its promotion launch aimed at affiliates, which witnessed the firm provide its highest percentage of RevShare.

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Under the terms of the agreement, the payment platform will provide the operator with a full payment solution across all of its igaming brands, as well as utilising Nuvei’s partnership with UK-based Fonix to enable Eyas players to bill deposits directly to their mobile. 

Eyas Gaming Head of Fraud, Risk and Payments, Andrejs Cuzans, stated: “We’re excited to be extending our partnership with Nuvei for all our brands across the Eyas portfolio. 

“Nuvei’s rich global heritage and deep knowledge of the gaming industry, as well as the best-in-class technology and access to all APMs through a single integration, made it an easy decision to engage them as our payments partner.”

Coming off the back of its previous partnership announced in October of last year, Eyas Gaming will now be able to accept payments via Nuvei’s cashier technology across its gaming brands including the Merkur Slots and Merkur Casino in the UK.

Players can deposit and request payouts using all the relevant payment methods through the Nuvei cashier, including card payments and alternative payment methods (APMs) such as digital wallets and direct bank transfer. 

Philip Fayer, CEO & Chair of Nuvei, commented: “Nuvei continues to demonstrate why we are the market leader for payments in igaming through our partnerships with many of the most exciting operators in the industry. 

“We’re looking forward to continuing to support Eyas Gaming and its growth into new markets in the coming years.”

Echoing the thoughts of both Fayer and Cuzans, Fonix’s CEO, Rob Weisz, added: “Fonix is focused on facilitating conversion and expansion for partners through our carrier billing technology. Integrating Fonix’s carrier billing solution means Nuvei can allow Eyas Gaming to turn on carrier billing with the flick of a switch. 

“We’re excited to launch our partnership to offer carrier billing to Eyas Gaming’s players across the UK, with a future vision to make an impact across Germany too.”

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Planned for rollout within 15 weeks of order, the Cashless Casino – powered by Acres’ Foundation technology – is said to help “set the stage” for the option of a cashless casino gaming floor “within a few years”.

Noah Acres of Acres Manufacturing Company noted: “Early deployments of Foundation cashless gaming have proven that cashless players increase their play and visitation. As a result, casino operators are increasingly expressing wide-scale interest in deploying cashless gaming technology.  

“However, implementing cashless gaming quickly becomes a burdensome, do-it-yourself project for operators, as they struggle through the limitations of decades-old legacy casino management systems technologies to integrate a payment processor and user interface while solving for dispute resolution and regulatory compliance.  

“These issues have dramatically slowed industry adaptation of cashless gaming. Cashless Casino addresses this challenge by making the rollout incredibly easy and intuitive, as it enables operators to focus on player education and the gaming entertainment experience.”

Additionally, Acres asserts that Cashless Casino can work on any slot machine or table game, including those connected to various casino management systems. 

These legacy CMS solutions continue to account for play and loyalty data, while Foundation processes the entire machine event stream in real-time.  

Looking to the future, casinos can transfer all CMS functionality to Foundation and remove the legacy CMS without any disruption to loyalty, reporting or analytics programs.

Furthermore, casinos can select one or more payment providers, including Everi, Fabicash, Flexia, Koin, Sightline Payments and Trustly. An interface to Marker Trax, a casino marker solution, is also included.  

Acres added: “Cashless Casino allows gaming operators to position themselves for an entirely cashless future in which casinos transition away from physical player cards, kiosks, and direct mail.  

“These legacy technologies and practices are quickly being abandoned by other industries and by implementing Cashless Casino, operators can engage with their customers more easily in the mediums they prefer while also benefiting from operating efficiencies.

“Driving higher loyalty engagement is the core value proposition of our Foundation technology. Incorporating innovative player loyalty features into Cashless Casino is a key differentiator in the player experience.  

“Cashless Casino enables casino operators to significantly improve their connection and engagement with their players.”

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Cooke, whose start date will be confirmed in the near future, is the current MD of Australian bank and payments fintech provider Tyro Payments, but boasts significant history within the gambling industry.

For a six year stint until 2005 he was head of strategy and legal counsel at Queensland-based wagering and gaming company UNiTAB, in addition to occupying the position of Group CEO and MD of Tatts Group from 2013 to 2018. From 2006 to 2013 Cooke was MD of Wotif.com.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to re-join the gaming and hospitality industry, which is a passion of mine and where I have spent the majority of my career,” Cooke commented.

“There are challenges for The Star that have been well documented. They will be my priority and focus. Ensuring continuity of the business through a comprehensive renewal program is of paramount importance. 

“This is also an incredibly resilient business with thousands of team members providing the commitment, enthusiasm and inspiration that helps deliver outstanding customer service.

“Major development projects are also underway or in planning across The Star, and in South East Queensland they represent transformational opportunities for the company and the state. It’s all the more exciting with the Olympics on their way in 2032.” 

Star is currently the subject of a New South Wales probe to determine if it is complying with its statutory obligations and remains suitable to hold its licence, and is also faced with similar action regarding its properties in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

The firm, which has undertaken an aforementioned executive reshuffle after vowing to “embark on a program of renewal in a timely manner,” saw closing submissions wrap up in NSW last month amid allegations of money laundering and fraudulent activity.

Most recently, the New South Wales government rejected a Star proposal to increase the number of gaming machines that the group is permitted to operate at its Sydney facility.

Ben Heap, Interim Chair, commented: “A comprehensive search conducted by global executive recruitment firm Spencer Stuart identified a number of quality candidates. 

“Following a thorough process, the board concluded that Robbie was the standout candidate with the ideal combination of experience, capabilities and attributes to lead The Star.”

Adding: “Given The Star’s significant investments to develop world-class tourism and entertainment destinations in South East Queensland and Sydney, the company will benefit significantly from both his understanding of the industry’s regulatory environment and extensive insights and experience across the hotel and broader hospitality sector.

“Robbie is well placed to lead The Star and restore confidence in the organisation. He is an outstanding choice to guide the company through its critical ongoing renewal program, a body of work already underway that will deliver a number of near and medium-term initiatives focused on governance, culture, training, systems and technology.”

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The global bank-account-based payments provider’s solution provides igaming and sports betting operators with ‘industry-leading conversion, ubiquitous bank coverage, state-of-the-art risk management’ and includes tools such as one-click express deposits and in-game deposits. 

Dave Roe, COO of Paramount Commerce, commented: “With low credit card acceptance rates, Canada’s igaming market needs a seamless bank-account-based payment option.

“Instant Bank Transfer will greatly benefit Ontario’s newly regulated market by improving player acquisition and loyalty.”

Instant Bank Transfer’s features allow consumers to make quick and secure deposits to their online gaming accounts without leaving the gaming experience. 

The solution validates payment account ownership on withdrawals and deposits, so patrons can use the solution to withdraw their winnings directly into their bank account, no matter the deposit method used.

Paramount Commerce’s Instant Bank Transfer launch into Canada was announced at the Canadian Gaming Summit.

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