This week will see the latest in KPMG’s eGaming Summit series, which has been operating for seven years and now includes annual events in Malta and Gibraltar as well as the Isle of Man, home to the inaugural summit back in November 2010.
As always, the summit will focus on the topical issues for the sector, with social responsibility and diversity looming large, as well as the usual look at regulatory change, technology developments and M&A activity.
 
This year will see the return of a pre-summit IMGL masterclass on 6th September with regulators and advisers from the key jurisdictions of UK, Gibraltar and Malta joining Isle of Man regulator Steve Brennan, who is looking forward to hosting his visiting counterparts.
 
The main event on 7th September will open with a welcome address from the Isle of Man’s Chief Minister followed by a Jurisdictions Update, as KPMG’s global gaming team focus on the same four key jurisdictions. The agenda will quickly move on to M&A activity, with a distinguished panel of industry lawyers, corporate financiers and operators.
 
The remainder of the morning has a strong social responsibility theme to it, with Jason Chess of Wiggin speaking on Fairness and the Consumer, Adam Rivers from KPMG’s economic team on The Economics of Consumer Behaviour, Fiona Palmer talking about the RGA’s GAMSTOP project, Iain Corby on GambleAware’s latest research and John Hagan on the plans for the industry to come together publicly on responsible gambling in the week commencing 12 October.
 
In the afternoon the focus expands from social responsibility into diversity and innovation, with Micky Swindale talking about KPMG’s #WeAllWantToPlay initiative for the sector, followed by Lydia Barbara of Microgaming on technology innovation initiatives. The main room programme will close, as has become traditional, with the Industry View which this year will come from Roger Raatgever (Microgaming), Joe Johnson (Tabcorp), Guy Templer (Stars) and Jeffrey Haas (Draftkings).
 
As well as the core agenda in the impressive Royal Hall of the Villa Marina, there will be a mix of workshops and masterclasses taking place in the Broadway Cinema throughout the day, covering various regulatory and technology topics. One workshop will feature an exciting new Isle of Man start-up: Jens Bader of MuchBetter.com will be explaining how gaming operators can capitalise on new payment technology and optimise payment costs.
 
KPMG’s Group Managing Director, Russell Kelly, who will moderate the closing panel, said: ‘Our summit always offer a great mix of high profile, topical speakers and subjects, but I am particularly excited about this year’s programme – the quality and variety will keep the 250-300 delegates we are expecting pinned to their seats.’
 
For more details about the KPMG eGaming Summits, visit kpmg.im or email abbykimber@kpmg.co.im.

Photo - Speakers at the 2016 event.