December 2014 Message

The holiday season is a time of year when everything seems to slow down a little and we can look back on the year that has passed.

And what an exciting and inspiring year it has been for the IMGL!

In 2014 the IMGL hosted and supported some of the most prestigious gaming events around the world. Both our conferences, in San Diego and in Florence, were a great success, as was the introduction of our new conference format, the IMGL Masterclass. None of these events would, of course, have been possible without the endless effort, contribution and dedication of so many of you. Therefore, a big thank you for your commitment to the IMGL and – on a personal note – for your support for me as your President throughout the year. Photos from IMGL’s 2014 events are available for viewing on IMGL’s new website.

Together we have come one step closer in reaching our goal of shaping the future of gaming law and the dissemination of gaming law. More often than ever before, IMGL members have acted as speakers, moderators and participants at gaming shows, conferences or other international high-level gaming events. I myself attended many of these events during the course of the last year and it was great for me to see so many familiar faces at each one of them. As President I am also very proud of the quality of our IMGL conferences and publications and of the way our members involve themselves, share their knowledge and expertise and contribute to these and many other events. I would like to encourage you all to continue this outstanding performance within the IMGL and the gaming world as a whole in the year to come.

Of course, the holiday season is not only a time when we look back and reflect, but also a time when we prepare for the year ahead – and let me assure you, preparations are well underway: As we already announced at our IMGL Autumn conference in Florence, plans are already in an advanced stage with regard to our conference in Lima, Peru which we will be hosting with the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) 13 – 16 October. I am delighted to be able to confirm the IMGL 2015 Spring Conference will be held in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands from 29-31 March. As ever, I hope you can all be there and make the conferences memorable occasions.

But first of all, I am looking forward to seeing you all at the IMGL Reception at ICE in London on 3 February and our IMGL Masterclass at ICE on 4 February 2015. I am confident that these events will be the perfect way to kick-start the events season 2015 and can only hope that 2015 will be as successful for us as 2014 has been – and potentially even better. With the Spring Conference, the IMGL Member Reception at G2E Asia and two Masterclasses at the iGaming Supershow in Amsterdam and G2E Las Vegas already confirmed, there is a great likelihood that this will be the case. Look for more details on our new website in the coming weeks.

And now, without further ado, let me conclude by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.