A Fireside Chat with Andrew Rhodes,
CEO of the British Gambling Commission
Marking the fourth anniversary of his appointment as CEO, Andrew engages with industry advisors in an open discussion and Q&A on the trials and tribulations of his tenure during an eventful period for gambling, the many learnings and successes along the way and the future direction of gambling regulatory reform in Great Britain.

The Next Horizon: Emerging and Changing Markets Roundtable
This panel brings together key stakeholders and experts from around the world who will examine the challenges of pre-regulating and changing gambling markets like Brazil, Alberta Canada and Texas and New York in the Americas, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates in Asia and Norway and Finland in Europe, this interactive session will provide a platform for regulators, operators, and industry analysts to share insights, discuss types of regulatory approaches and emerging trends, and identify challenges and opportunities in evolving jurisdictions. 

Moderated by GLI, the panelists include:

• Anne Marie Caulfield, Chief Executive Officer Designate, Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland
• Mike Maodus, Partner, Blakes

A View from the Top: Remaining Steadfast
in Light of Pushback on DEI Initiatives
In recent years, corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs have received growing media and public scrutiny as related board and executive decisions have been challenged through litigation and shareholder activism. This panel will explore the current state of DEI in the courts and boardrooms and address how companies are navigating the legal uncertain legal landscape related to DEI initiatives. We will also directly hear how boards, CEOs and DEI leaders are leading and continuing to make progress during the period of scrutiny and uncertainty and what steps can be taken to mitigate risks but remain steadfast in support of DEI.

Moderated by Kim Barker, Chief Legal Officer for Bally's Corporation, the panelists include:

• Grainne Hurst, CEO of the UK Betting and Gaming Council
• Noah Kressler, Shareholder, Baker Donelson 

Lunch

"Kicking the Tyres” and Navigating Due Diligence in M&As: 
Challenges and Best Practices
Gambling transactions may present a complex landscape of due diligence challenges, often amplified by complex requirements in mature gambling regulatory frameworks, increased regulatory scrutiny and changing global market dynamics. This panel will delve into the critical issues gambling businesses face during the due diligence process, providing insights into the challenges, mitigating risks and ensuring compliance with established regulatory requirements / guidance (e.g., US Department of Justice Guidance on Corporate Compliance Programs). Key topics will include gray market activity, financial crime risks, dealing with red flags and how to handle emerging markets and geo-political considerations, as well as post-acquisition efforts to address and remediate potential gaps identified during the due diligence process.

Freemium Games and Sweepstakes Casinos: Navigating the Legal Landscape
Freemium games and sweepstakes casinos have emerged as increasingly popular alternatives to traditional gambling.  As their popularity continues to grow, and they pose both a commercial and regulatory risk, this panel of experts discuss the future of these products and strategies for navigating this intricate legal terrain.  Michigan, Delaware and Connecticut state regulators issued cease-and-desist notices to certain sweepstakes operators in 2023 and 2024.  Proponents argue that they have simply added sweepstakes games to the well-known and established freemium “Gold Coins” model by awarding free “Sweepstakes Coins” with a purchase. Opponents argue that users are buying “Sweepstakes Coins” and gambling with them. Who is right? Adding to the complexity, “Social Casino” operators, with and without sweepstakes, face civil lawsuits across the US seeking damages for allegedly unlawful gambling.  

Featuring experts on both sides of the sweepstakes coin, our panel will discuss whether freemium + sweepstakes operators should be banned, regulated or left alone, and talk about the consequences of “banning” social casino gaming. The panel will also evaluate the status of the civil lawsuits and their potential outcomes, including considering how civil suits could impact regulatory action, if at all? Next, they’ll consider what 2025 and beyond holds for the massive social casino gaming segment.

Moderated by Bill Gantz, a Partner with Duane Morris, the panelists include:

Networking Break 

Walking the Tightrope: Balancing the Need for
Responsible Gambling While Remaining Competitive
As the global gambling industry expands, the impact on society and players is subject to heightened scrutiny, with certain stakeholders claiming that gambling businesses are not doing enough to protect players and those around them.  As media headlines, including the article from The Wall Street Journal titled “A Psychiatrist Tried to Quit Gambling. Betting Apps Kept Her Hooked”, continue to dominate debate creating bad publicity for the gambling industry, this session discusses the challenges of walking the tightrope between making money and staying competitive, and preventing gambling harm.  This is coupled with the challenges of being licensed in multiple jurisdictions, each with their own framework, competing against other regulated gambling businesses and the threats from the unlicensed market.

Our panel will first evaluate responsible gambling across various regulated markets, considering the issues that arise when each has its own approach to RG and when programs are influenced by the risk appetite of operators and varied approaches of regulators. Next, they’ll discuss how a perceived lack of attention to problem gambling can result in more draconian policies, sharing why getting ahead of the issue is critical. Third, the panelists will consider how the industry can collaborate to establish best practices based on solid data and research that enables more accurate measurement of RG and provide better data to help operators and regulators make informed policy and business decisions. Finally, the panel will consider whether it’s ever going to be possible to reconcile commercial success and RG in the context of ever improving standards and constantly shifting public expectations?  

Moderated by Alan M. Feldman, Distinguished Fellow, Responsible Gaming Director, Strategic Initiatives, UNLV, the panelists include:

• Katherine Baker, Partner, Nelson Mullins
• Chris Hebert, Chair, Louisiana Gaming Control Board
• Khalid Jones, Executive Director, Virginia Lottery
• Cathy Judd-Stein, Former Chair, Massachusetts Gaming Commission and 

  Member of the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) Advisory Committee

Managing AML and Financial Crime Risk: Current Trends
and Navigating New Regulatory Requirements
On the heels of the European Commission’s Fourth Supranational Risk Assessment report, our second panel on AML challenges and risks for gambling businesses will begin with a high-level look at what’s happening across the global financial crime spectrum, briefly evaluating recent regulatory developments and trends in the US, Europe and Asia. Next, our financial crime experts will briefly discuss the FATF “grey” list, sharing insights into recent list fluctuations and evaluating how these changes impact existing and new market participants and can curb international investment in emerging markets due to heightened financial crime risk. Next, the panel will discuss emerging financial crime threats that the industry should be on alert for and take a high-level look at the growing impact of sanctions. Finally, the panel will explore ways the industry can leverage insights learned from overall financial risk compliance best practices in industries like banking to enhance their understanding of money laundering risk and issues.

Moderated by Vasilios Chrisos, PwC USA Financial Crimes Unit Regulatory and AML Leader, the panelists are:

Game Integrity in Esports
While esports might no longer be the topic du jour in gaming, the market continues to experience significant growth and interest, sharing similar opportunities and risks to those of more traditional forms of sports and sports betting. With events like the 2023 Thunderpick World Championships in Berlin that offered a $1,000,000 USD prize pool and the International Olympic Committee’s recent announcement that inaugural Olympic Esports Games will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025, our esports experts will first discuss how existing game developers and operators are dealing with global growth, particularly when it comes to ensuring game and betting integrity. Next, the panel will evaluate betting-related manipulation, how data is used to solve these issues, and share the best practices that are being tested. Finally, they’ll take a global look at what the future might hold for esports and its cross-over into regulated gaming. In this rapidly changing digital field of play, they’ll discuss how esports can learn from the many lessons taught by historical sports betting corruption scandals. Simultaneously, they’ll share how traditional approaches to combatting betting-related sports manipulation can learn from esports and the multitude of ways data in digital games can be used to fight match-fixing and other forms of fraudulent competitor behavior in games.

Moderated by Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D., Executive Director, UNLV International Gaming Institute, the panelists include: 

• Michael Broda, CEO, eSports Innovation Group
• Thomas Konermann, Senior Vice President Sales BS A People & Business Assurance, TÜV International GmbH - Unternehmensgruppe TÜV Rheinland
• Dr. Christian Rapani, Founder, Rapani Law