If You’re Going To San Francisco, Don’t Skip These Six GiGse Panels

Just a month after the iGaming North America (iGNA) conference wrapped up, the movers and shakers of the online gaming industry will reconvene in San Francisco, California for the Global iGaming Summit & Expo (better known as GiGse).

The conference will take place from April 27-29, and will feature three days of panel discussions, seminars, and sessions, featuring some of the top minds and the top talent in the online gaming industry.

Here is a look at the can’t-miss panels at GiGse 2016.

Day 1: April 27

11 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Daily fantasy sports state regulation update

Following a keynote address, Day 1 of GiGse will kick off with a panel of DFS gurus discussing the current regulation situation in various states. This panel has a little bit of everything, from lawyers to industry folks, as well as OPR’s Chris Grove.

Panelists:

• Dan Wallach, shareholder, Becker & Poliakoff
• Marc Dunbar, partner, Jones Walker
• Michael Cohen, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Caesars Interactive
• Chris Grove, LegalSportsReport.com / OnlinePokerReport.com.
• Darren Heitner, sports change agent, Forbes Magazine and attorney, Heitner Legal

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. – Is skill gaming the answer to making casino content more attractive?

Immediately following the DFS panel, GiGse attendees will get to hear about another emerging vertical, skill-based gaming. On this panel a supplier, an operator, and a regulator will discuss whether or not these games represent the future of the casino floor.

Panelists:

• Rich Roberts, president, Sportech Digital
• Eric Weiss, bureau administrator/lab director, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
• Thomas Winter, vice president online gaming, Landry’s Inc

Day 2: April 28

9:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Regulation discussion hubs

With representatives from all three of the current online gaming states (Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware) as well as several other former and current regulators and experts, this forum style session should give GiGse goers a solid understanding on the current state of online gaming expansion in the U.S., particularly in the possible second wave states of Pennsylvania, New York, and California.

Panelists:

• Honorable Jon Porter, president and CEO, The Porter Group
• A.G. Burnett, chairman, Nevada Gaming Control Board
• Andre Wilsenach, executive director, International Center for Gaming at UNLV
• Richard Schuetz, executive director, Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission
• George Rover, assistant attorney/deputy director, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
• Thomas J. Cook, secretary of finance, Delaware Department of Finance
• Susan Hensel, director of licensing, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Regulatory update: sports betting

In addition to DFS and online gaming, there is a lot of buzz around the possible legalization of sports betting in the United States. During this panel, discussion experts in the field will offer some insight on when and how it might happen.

As much as we look at online gaming expansion and DFS as prospective game changers, nothing would have a greater impact than the legalization of sports betting in this country.

Panelists:

• Joe Asher, CEO, William Hill USA
• Vernon Kirk, Director, Delaware Lottery
• Dan Wallach, shareholder, Becker & Poliakoff, P.A
• Lynne Kaufman, partner, Cooper Levenson

Day 3: April 29

09.10 a.m. – 10.10 a.m. – NIGA Breakfast Briefing

The latest on “regulatory progress and tribal adoption of technologies, social, mobile, iGaming, fantasy sports, eSports, Snapchat …. and other innovations” will be the focus of the breakfast briefing hosted by Pechanga.net’s Victor Rocha.

10.10 a.m. – 11.10 a.m. – Lottery Innovation & regulatory updates

Online lottery arguably has a greater foothold in the United States than regulated online gambling.

Whether that momentum can translate to regulated online gambling is an interesting question, one that will no doubt come up given the presence of the Michigan Lottery’s Digital Products Director on the panel, as Michigan recently introduced a bill to allow online poker and casino games within the state.

Moderated by: John Pappas, Executive Director, PPA. Panelists:

• Stephen Martino, Partner, Duane Morris
• Vernon Kirk, Director, Delaware Lottery
• Jason Lisiecki, Digital Products Director, Michigan Lottery

The inaugural Millennial Summit

This year GiGse will be dedicating a lot of time and energy to the study of millennials, as a full day and half of the conference will focus on what organizers have dubbed the Millennial Summit.

The Millennial Summit and the parent GiGse conference will have several “shared” panels, and if this is a topic that you are really interested in, then the second day of GiGse (April 28) is your can’t-miss day.