Register online here

DELEGATES: Those wishing to attend conference sessions must register as a delegate. Please choose the delegate category that is appropriate for you. Delegate registration includes all conference sessions, Opening Reception, conference luncheons, Gala Dinner, and the IMGL Closing Reception.

GUESTS: Please register your guest(s) at the same time you register as a delegate. Guest registration includes the Opening Reception, Gala Dinner, and the Closing Reception. Guest registration does not include conference sessions or luncheons.

Sponsorships are now available for this conference. For information on becoming a sponsor for this event, contact Brien Van Dyke at brien@imgl.org or Phil Savage at phil@imgl.org

You may review our sponsorship package for Zurich here

Annual 2023 Sponsors

Annual Platinum Sponsor

Fox Rothschild LLP

www.foxrothschild.com

Fox Rothschild LLP is a full-service law firm serving businesses and individuals domestically and internationally. With 950 attorneys and more than 60 practice areas in 27 offices nationwide, we understand clients’ issues, industries, priorities, need for practical and cost-effective advice, and the way they think. Fox professionals are as committed to your success as you are. Fox has one of the largest gaming law practices in the U.S. and attorneys ranked among the top worldwide in this field by Chambers Global. We advise clients in myriad gaming industry sectors on complex regulatory, licensing, compliance, financing and operational issues.

Annual Gold Sponsor

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)

www.gaminglabs.com

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) is the leading independent testing, assessment, and certification service in the gaming industry. Serving more than 710 jurisdictions, GLI gives you total access into both mature and emerging land-based, iGaming, and sports-wagering markets to help get your products anywhere you want them to go with consistency, speed, and accuracy. Our signature gaming technical standards, are relied upon by gaming regulators, operators, and suppliers the world over. We also offer a wide range of professional services, including world-class educational resources through GLI University® and comprehensive cybersecurity and managed IT services provided by Bulletproof™, a GLI Company. After years of leadership, we haven’t lost sight of why we opened our doors in the first place: To be a trusted, proven advisor, offering an unparalleled range of services designed to empower you to achieve your goals by ensuring that the work we do for you exceeds your expectations.

Annual Silver Sponsors

Dean Mead

https://www.deanmead.com/

In 1980, eight attorneys established the business law firm of Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth, P.A. in Orlando. The founders were Stephen T. Dean, Robert W. Mead, Jr., Charles H. Egerton, Darryl M. Bloodworth, Albert D. Capouano, Stephen J. Bozarth, Lauren Y. Detzel and Lynn J. Hinson. Two of the founding attorneys are still active in the firm today including Mr. Mead and Ms. Detzel. In 1987, Dean Mead attorney Michael D. Minton returned to his hometown of Fort Pierce to open an office in what is known as Florida's Treasure Coast region. The office has expanded to represent a diverse client base from Palm Beach County to Indian River County and conducts business under the name Dean, Mead, Minton & Moore. In 1989, Dean Mead opened its initial office in Brevard County, as R. Mason Blake and other firm attorneys began intensive work on the new town of Viera. This was followed by the establishment of Dean Mead's Merritt Island office in 1992. In 2003, those offices were combined into one location in Viera, where the firm conducts business under the name Dean Mead. Dean Mead’s Tallahassee office opened on December 1, 2013 led by managing shareholder, Pete Dunbar. Today the Tallahassee office is home to 10 attorneys and four government relations professionals, and from among the group, twelve of the professionals combine to form the Lobbying Team. The Tallahassee-based Government Relations and Lobbying Team advises businesses and public sector clients on a wide range of services including: Administrative Law, Agri-business Regulation and Permitting, Commercial Litigation, Government Regulations and Legislative Advocacy, Land Use and Environmental Law, Professional Licensure Defense, Real Property and Condominium Law, Utility Law and Regulation, State and Federal Taxation, and Water Resources, Permitting and Regulation. In 2021, Dean Mead's Vero Beach office opened and is led by shareholder, John E. Moore. The Vero Beach office has helped expand Dean Mead's presence on the Treasure Coast to better serve clients in Indian River County. Dean Mead has provided legal representation to clients throughout Florida for over 40 years. Since its inception, the firm has grown to 57 lawyers and three government relations professionals with six offices statewide.

MELCHERS Law

https://www.melchers-law.com/

MELCHERS is a full-service business law firm with approximately 50 lawyers. We have offices in Heidelberg, Frankfurt/Main, Berlin and Mannheim. We advise you on all aspects of business law: in the “classic” fields of business law and additionally in white-collar crime and criminal tax law, in data protection law as well as in private and public building law. We support your entrepreneurial success with personal advice tailored to your needs. You have a fixed contact person at MELCHERS. He or she has your company’s economic goals in mind and coordinates the work of specialists from the various fields of law. Be it for an individual mandate or for ongoing legal advice. If necessary, we consult tax advisors and auditors. We arrange and coordinate legal advice in other jurisdictions through our international law firm network Ally Law and our cooperation partner Transatlantic Law International.

GeoComply

https://www.geocomply.com/

Since our start in 2011, GeoComply’s goal has always been to make the internet a safer place. Our highly advanced compliance and anti-fraud solutions bring clarity to your digital ecosystem and all suspicious activity, giving you the assurance you’re always one step ahead of fraud. And while fighting internet fraud is an intricate business, using GeoComply isn’t. Today, we have expanded our operations into diverse markets to serve any industry that requires effective geolocation for anti-fraud solutions, including financial services and cryptocurrency, media and entertainment, child protection, and more. We maintain a dominant position in the gaming industry as a market leader and continue to launch in more and more jurisdictions. At the same time, our extensive product offerings ensure there are countless ways our technology can benefit the world. Fraud moves quick. But GeoComply will always move quicker.

Annual Bronze Sponsor

RMC Legal

https://rmclegal.com/

Regulatory Management Counselors P.C. (RMC) is a professional corporation in the state of Michigan, U.S.A. made up of legal, business, governmental and public relations consulting professionals able to service the diverse needs of clients working in the casino gaming industry, as well as other heavily regulated industries. RMC has decades of professional experience servicing the legal and regulatory needs of individuals, businesses, and non-profit corporations working in the gaming industry. Regulated industries require businesses to engage in ongoing reporting and disclosure to key governmental agencies. Working closely with their clients, the professionals at RMC proactively assist in the development of systems and methods to ensure that governmental requirements are fully complied with in a timely and accurate manner. As a result of the global gaming industry’s strict regulatory guidelines and ever-changing technology, specialized knowledge and skills are required to help ensure compliance. RMC stays up to date on the various state, federal and local laws governing gaming.  The professionals at RMC have been involved in the gaming industry in the state of Michigan since its inception and have compiled a comprehensive library of historic resources to assist clients meet their regulatory objectives.   RMC has also developed a comprehensive information tracking and data collection system which allows for immediate access to developments that impact their clients. RMC has established relationships with key regulators and has developed a mature network of legal and consulting professionals to assist clients with the wide range of issues that arise.

Zurich 2023 Sponsors

Gala Dinner Sponsor

Gaming1 Group

https://www.gaming1.com/en/

The Gaming1 group, with more than 1,650 employees, including more than 480 at our hub in Liège, and with a turnover of around 278 million euros in 2022, is the leading Belgian company for both land-based and online games of chance (casino games, sports betting services and poker). The group is striving to become a world leader on the regulated online gaming market by developing its own technology and through its omnichannel approach. In terms of its business in Belgium, the group owns the Grand Casino de Namur, Casino de Spa, and more than 30 Circus Casino gaming halls, as well as the Circus.be, 777.be and pokerstars.be gaming and sports betting websites. On an international level, the group owns 10 casinos in France and a game club in Paris, as well as the Casino de Davos and the Casino de Crans Montana in Switzerland. Gaming1 also operates several gaming and sports betting sites in partnership with leading operators in their national markets, including Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, France and the Netherlands. The group has also launched on the American market by founding the joint venture Gamewise in partnership with the American giant Delaware North. Gaming1 is part of Ardent Group, an association of 4 families of investors from Liège. These families share the common values of resilience, curiosity and loyalty and they are always striving to actively and responsibly boost the economy in Wallonia through entrepreneurial and societal projects. Ardent Group is active in various business sectors, including games of chance, IT development, property, LED displays, energy and beer and the group has more than one thousand employees.

Gold Sponsors

Oddin.gg

https://oddin.gg/

Oddin.gg is a B2B provider of esports odds feeds, risk management and iFrame solutions.

Oddin.gg is the number one B2B choice for esports betting, enabling the growth of its partners through its end-to-end esports betting ecosystem. Oddin.gg’s partners can take advantage of its multi-award winning esports odds feed, risk management, iFrame solution, widgets, 24/7 content, and marketing services. The company maximizes its partners' profitability by combining machine learning algorithms with advanced data science. Oddin.gg powers solutions for Betway, Yolo Group, LOOT.BET, Aspire Global, Altenar, Softswiss, and many more sportsbook and platform providers on a global scale.

Bronze Sponsors

Rapani Law

https://www.rapani.at/en/

Our core competences include comprehensive regular as well as project-related consultancy and representation in all phases of business development, from formation and restructuring of businesses up to complex transactions. Due to many years of national and international experience we find tailor-made solutions for all business and corporate law issues. Our law firm also provides comprehensive advice in all matters relating to contracts. We assist in preparing, reviewing and negotiating contracts as well as in enforcing contractual claims. The added value of a clear and individual contract design that ensures legal certainty serves as an optimisation of the economic position as well as an elimination of potential sources of dispute. Additionally,  we advise and represent clients with an emphasis on business law issues in all types of litigation and much more.

Planzer Law

https://www.planzer-law.ch/en/

PLANZER LAW AG features an internationally widely recognised legal niche-specialisation in TECHNOLOGY, GAMING and ENTERTAINMENT. We understand the full product range and the topical issues surrounding the game. We speak ‘gaming’, work techy and facilitate solutions off the beaten track.

Due to our boutique approach, many of the multi-jurisdiction-licensed global online and landbased market leaders in B2C and B2B have chosen our services. Tailored to the customer needs, our services include strategic advice, regulatory work, ensuring compliance, and a wide range of legal services. In an ever more complex and evolving regulatory landscape, we support customers to successfully navigate through intricate multi-jurisdictional challenges relating to their technology, gaming and entertainment businesses.

We hold particular expertise in Swiss land-based and online gaming laws and can assist with the full range of advisory and litigation services. We also hold particular expertise in the supranational legal framework of the European Union (EU/EEA). In addition to technology, gaming and entertainment, our qualified attorneys and lawyers assist customers in all classic fields of business law and in (white-collar) criminal law. Building on an outstanding network of professionals, we can offer stop shop solutions in highly complex national and transnational matters in collaboration with our trusted colleagues.

Supporting Sponsors

Wednesday, 6 September

9:45 am – 2:30 pm
Extra Social Program: Lindt Chocolate Tour
RSVP HERE

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
IMGL Member Meeting
Studio 4

5:00 pm
Transfer to Opening Reception (15min)
Meet outside by hotel lobby

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Opening Reception at Die Waid

https://diewaid.ch/en/home-page-englisch/

Thursday, 7 September

8:00 am – 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast
Hub 2

Morning Sessions – Millennium Ballroom

 
9:00 am – 9:10 am
Welcome and Conference Overview from IMGL President, Quirino Mancini

9:10 am – 9:40 am
Fireside chat: Taking stock after decades of regulated markets

What have gaming markets been able to deliver throughout the decades? What are the market conditions that are logical, sustainable, and work for communities, regulators and the industry? This fireside chat will look at the success factors of the past and challenges ahead.

Moderator: Dr. Simon Planzer, Partner, PLANZER LAW, Switzerland
Speakers:
Emmanuel Mewissen, CEO, Gaming 1 Group, Belgium
Jason Lane, President of IAGR & Chief Executive of Jersey Gambling Commission

9:45 am – 10:30 am
Keeping the house clean: B2B providers contribution to enforcement against unregulated operators

Platform, games, and payment services providers are key stakeholders in the gaming industry. Should they also be responsible for keeping the house clean and removing unlicensed operations? This panel will discuss two sides of the coin: legislators and regulators too have a duty to create a regulatory environment where suppliers are not tempted or forced to supply the grey market to turn a profit. 

Moderator: Maria McDonald, Partner, Nordic Gambling, Sweden
Speakers:
Vanessa Hurt, Senior Regulatory Counsel, Paysafe, Austria
Susan Breen, Partner, Mishcon de Reya, UK
Jessica Maier, Founder, EGARA – Executive Gaming and Risk Advisory, Malta

10:30 am – 11:00 am
Networking Break

11:00 am – 11:45 am
Advertising and social media: preserving and growing revenue streams

Advertising restrictions are not only damaging to regulated operators but a punitive restriction on media who need the revenue streams to fulfil the role of a free press. On the other hand, media and social media networks can become crucial allies in the fight against illegal land based and online gaming and sports betting. What role do they all have and how can industry stakeholders can reach out and collaborate for this purpose?

Moderator: Alla Serebrianskaia, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain
Speakers:
Luís Portela de Carvalho, Head of Legal, Clever Advertising, Portugal
Yanica Sant, Group Legal Director (Regulatory), 888 William Hill, Malta
Tomas Enrique Garcia Botta, Partner, MF Estudio, Argentina
Quirino Mancini, Partner, Tonucci & Partners, Italy

11:45 am – 12:30 pm
The Empire strikes back: Record fines issued by regulators!

Some European regulators have moved to enforcement actions of very high fines. What do these enforcements actually achieve? Is it appeasement by regulators towards critical voices from politics and media? Do they effectively contribute in reducing problem gambling risks and support AML compliance? Can the fines be enforced abroad? What are the critical compliance breeches from a regulator’s perspective and how can licensed operators improve?

Moderator: Nick Nocton, Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP, UK
Speakers:
Benjamin Schwanke, Joint Executive, Glücksspielbehörde, Germany
Carl Brincat, CEO, Malta Gaming Authority, Malta
Peter-Paul de Goeij, Managing Director, Netherlands Online Gambling Association, Netherlands
Jamie Nettleton, Partner, Addisons, Australia

12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
IMGL Luncheon – Century Room
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michel Besson, Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Creating regulation from scratch. Issues faced when regulating new markets and products

There are many different models of gaming regulation from both mature and emerging jurisdictions globally. Yet, it seems that in some countries, there is a perception of having to start new legislative or regulatory developments from scratch. Why can it be hard to integrate experiences from mature markets into the national legislative and regulatory process? Do newly created regulators end up with regulations that they themselves do not find well suited? What can industry stakeholders do to help remedy unsuitable policies or regulations?

Moderator: Joe Kelly, Partner, AL Goodbody, Ireland
Speakers:
Dr. Matthias Spitz, Senior Partner, MELCHERS, Germany
Karen Marcela Sierra-Hughes, Vice President of Latin America & Caribbean, Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
Birgitte Sand, CEO, Birgitte Sand & Associates ApS, Denmark
Martin Sychold, Deputy Head of the Legal Division, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, Switzerland
Olena Vodolazhko, Chief Legal Officer, Ukrainian Gambling & Lottery Commission, Ukraine

3:15 pm – 3:45 pm
Networking Break

3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Channeling through sound regulation and effective enforcement. Learnings from mature jurisdictions

Responsible gambling, money laundering prevention, prevention of player fraud and match fixing. Many jurisdictions pursue these and further legitimate policy goals. What are the learnings from mature regulated markets? How do markets achieve high levels of channelization? Is it about the product portfolio, customer experience, the respective licensing systems, or enforcement? Is sound regulation about preventing or remedying risk of negative effects. Can businesses stay profitable amid increasing regulatory burdens?

Moderator: Quirino Mancini, Partner, Tonucci & Partners, Italy
Speakers:
Santiago Asensi, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain
David Zeffman, Partner, CMS Law, UK
Wulf Hambach, Partner, Hambach & Hambach, Germany

6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Gala Dinner – Guild House Zur Meisen
*SPONSORED BY GAMING 1*
Shuttle buses will be loading up between 5:30 pm – 5:45 pm. Please be down in the lobby by then.
https://www.zunfthaus-zur-meisen.ch/en/

Friday, 8 September

8:00 am – 9:30 am
Continental Breakfast
Hub 2

Morning Sessions – Millennium Ballroom

9:30 am – 9:40 am 
Welcome from IMGL President, Quirino Mancini

9:45 am – 10:30 am
From bricks to clicks: multichannel challenges and opportunities in casino and retail operations

Are cashless technology, game content providers as well as land based and online gaming and sports betting vendors ready to deliver an omnichannel experience? Do regulations hinder an integrated smooth customer experience? What are the regulatory and technological challenges? Can concerns about integrity, security and auditability be fully addressed in the case of true omnichannel operations?

Moderator: Jeremy Kleiman, Gaming Attorney and Member, Saiber LLC, USA
Speakers:
Dr. Alexander Legat, Head of Legal, Novomatic, Austria
Gabrielle Angle, Director, Government Relations & Licensing, GeoComply, USA
Jonathan Van Damme, Legal Attaché, Belgian Gaming Commission, Belgium

10:30 am – 11:15 am
Deus ex machina: using technology to improve customer experience and consumer protection

What are the technological innovations ahead that can improve customer experience and customer protection? Are players lost by too many clicks and a non-smooth, disruptive experience? Which technologies can the industry integrate? And how can regulators facilitate it? As per consumer protection, the single transparent customer may be desirable from a responsible gambling perspective, but players also have legitimate privacy interests. Data protection laws are to be considered. How can player fraud and cybercrime be addressed in the future? How to find the right balance between seamless customer experience and safe play. How can big data and AI solutions help?

Moderator: Ian Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer, GLI, USA
Speakers:
Earle G. Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer, AXES.ai, USA
Joseph Borg, Partner – Head of Innovative Technology, WH Partners, Malta
Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO, Mindway AI, Denmark

11:15 am – 11:45 am
Networking Break

11:45 am – 12:30 pm
Sport’s relationship with gambling: creating a commercial win-win on sponsorship, IP rights and sports integrity

Sponsorships brings revenues that can substantially benefit sport leagues. At the same time, gaming and betting sponsors are to collaborate with authorities and leagues to reduce the risks of match fixing and maintain the integrity of sports globally. Education at the sports leagues and operators’ level, data sharing, and suspected match-fixing alerts are a few of positive impact of industry and sports collaboration. What has been achieved and what are the challenges ahead? What are the struggles regarding IP rights? And how can all stakeholders achieve win-win results?

Moderator: Ali Bartlett, Partner, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, USA
Speakers:
Patricia LaLanda, Partner, Loyra Abogados, Spain
Vlastimil Venclík, Founder & CEO, Oddin.gg, Czech Republic
Silvia Paleari, Director of Public Affairs, International Betting Integrity Association, Belgium

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
IMGL Luncheon – Century Room

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
The regulators’ roadmap for a positive future

Regulators are key stakeholders on the road towards well-functioning, profitable and safe market conditions. Establishing sound policy objectives for gaming regulations is crucial. At the same time, can regulators impact their legislative framework, and can they influence the quantity and quality of their licensees? What needs to happen from the perspective of regulators in regulated markets and the industry at large?

Moderator: Marc Dunbar, Partner, Dean Mead, USA
Speakers:
René Jansen, Chairman Executive Board. Kansspelautoriteit, Netherlands
Caroline Kongwa, Chief Strategic Advisor, The National Gambling Board, South Africa
Jaime Rivera-Emmanuelli, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, Puerto Rico

3:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Closing Reception
World Football Museum
https://www.fifamuseum.com/en/

We are looking forward to welcoming you at the event of IMGL Conference Zurich 2023 at the Zurich Marriott Hotel! The IMGL has blocked rooms from September 6 – 8 at a nightly rate of CHF365, inclusive of breakfast.

Cut off date for reservations is August 12, 2023. All reservations can be cancelled free of charge until 6 pm the day before arrival. All cancellations at a later stage as well as “No Shows” will be charged with 90% of the room rate. Shall you need any assistance in the booking process, please contact us via the following email address: claudia.mayeruss@marriotthotels.com.

You may book your room here

The IMGL has also secured a secondary hotel at the IBIS Styles Zurich City Center with a nightly rate of CHF220, inclusive of breakfast, from September 6 – 8.  The hotel is within walking distance of the Marriott for your convenience.

You may email Agnese Casarico directly at HB5J7-RE2@accor.com to reserve your room. Please refer to the IMGL Room Block when doing so.

Dr. Simon Planzer, Partner, PLANZER LAW, Switzerland
Emmanuel Mewissen, CEO, Gaming 1 Group, Belgium
Jason Lane, President of IAGR & Chief Executive of Jersey Gambling Commission

Maria McDonald, Partner, Nordic Gambling, Sweden
Vanessa Hurt, Senior Regulatory Counsel, Paysafe, Austria
Susan Breen, Partner, Mishcon de Reya, UK
Jessica Maier, Founder, EGARA – Executive Gaming and Risk Advisory, Germany

Alla Serebrianskaia, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain
Luís Portela de Carvalho, Head of Legal, Clever Advertising, Portugal
Yanica Sant, Group Legal Director (Regulatory), 888 William Hill, Malta
Tomas Enrique Garcia Botta, Partner, MF Estudio, Argentina
Quirino Mancini, Partner, Tonucci & Partners, Italy

Nick Nocton, Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP, UK
Benjamin Schwanke, Joint Executive, Glücksspielbehörde, Germany
Carl Brincat, CEO, Malta Gaming Authority, Malta
Peter-Paul de Goeij, Managing Director, Netherlands Online Gambling Association, Netherlands
Jamie Nettleton, Partner, Addisons, Australia

Dr. Michel Besson, Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police

Joe Kelly, Partner, AL Goodbody, Ireland
Dr. Matthias Spitz, Senior Partner, MELCHERS, Germany
Karen Marcela Sierra-Hughes, Vice President of Latin America & Caribbean, Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
Birgitte Sand, CEO, Birgitte Sand & Associates ApS, Denmark
Martin Sychold, Deputy Head of the Legal Division, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, Switzerland
Olena Vodolazhko, Chief Legal Officer, Ukrainian Gambling & Lottery Commission, Ukraine

Quirino Mancini, Partner, Tonucci & Partners, Italy
Santiago Asensi, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain
David Zeffman, Partner, CMS Law, UK
Wulf Hambach, Partner, Hambach & Hambach, Germany

Jeremy Kleiman, Gaming Attorney and Member, Saiber LLC, USA
Dr. Alexander Legat, Head of Legal, Novomatic, Austria
Gabrielle Angle, Director, Government Relations & Licensing, GeoComply, USA
Jonathan Van Damme, Legal Attaché, Belgian Gaming Commission, Belgium
Tom Mace, SVP Integrity and Regulatory Services, Sportradar, United Kingdom

Ian Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer, GLI, USA
Earle G. Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer, AXES.ai, USA
Joseph Borg, Partner – Head of Innovative Technology, WH Partners, Malta
Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO, Mindway AI, Denmark

Ali Bartlett, Partner, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, USA
Radim Haluza, CEO, SuperSport, Croatia
Patricia LaLanda, Partner, Loyra Abogados, Spain
Vlastimil Venclík, Founder & CEO, Oddin.gg, Czech Republic
Silvia Paleari, Director of Public Affairs, International Betting Integrity Association, Belgium

Marc Dunbar, Partner, Dean Mead, USA
René Jansen, Chairman Executive Board. Kansspelautoriteit, Netherlands
Caroline Kongwa, Chief Strategic Advisor, The National Gambling Board, South Africa
Jaime Rivera-Emmanuelli, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, Puerto Rico

Download our conference brochure with a summary of the program of educational and social events here