“The Canadian Gaming Summit has more land- based elements than any of our other shows as it reflects the country's industry. Like SBC Summit North America in 2019, we are bringing current and potential stakeholders from Europe and the rest of North America to the event. The show has run for two decades so the foundations are there. The way the event is conducted and the opportunities available for attendees are things SBC can add value to.”
remain so. Yes, we acquired the show, but we will be putting the event on in very close partnership with the Canadian Gaming Association. We are having many conversations on a regular basis to ensure that not only can we bring something new to the table but maintain and honour the legacy of the event.
Te Canadian Gaming Summit has more elements of the land-based than any of our other shows as it reflects the country's gaming industry. Like SBC Summit North America in 2019, we are bringing current and possible stakeholders from Europe and the rest of North America to the event. Te show has run for two decades so the foundations are there.
Te way the event is conducted and the opportunities available for attendees are things SBC can really add value to. Production values and the general experience for delegates are elements we are particularly strong at. Te Canadian Gaming Summit will be a combination of what already existed with an SBC touch.
Is the Canadian Gaming Summit an SBC event? Has the branding not changed because of the event's legacy?
Te reason the branding hasn't changed is simply because it hasn't happened yet. We are about to launch the revised branding and are in the process of finalising the concept and assets. We want to do it all in one go and communicate the changes efficiently, at the very least before SBC North America we will announce the relaunch.
Tis won’t be an overhaul of the event concept, but the graphic representation and marketing. I don't think this was previously given the dedicated focus required. MediaEdge Communications are an events company that works across multiple industries and are not as solidified within the gaming industry as we
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are. We think the branding should reflect this, whilst staying connected to the Canadian community and Canada as a market.
Tis is what the Canadian Gaming Association are continuously helping us ensure. Tey have been incredibly helpful and valuable to work with, with special mention to Paul Burns. We are entering what is essentially a new market for us. We must make sure that an understanding of this market flows through the entire SBC team which is now 100-strong. Within the marketing team we have regular deep dives into singular aspects of the market.
Ontario is the only regulated province for online betting in Canada at this point, but as we saw with SBC Summit North America, we see the potential. We are hedging our bets that the market will rapidly progress over the coming years.
Compared to other events in SBC's portfolio, would you say the Canadian Gaming Summit is the most niche and localised gathering?
It is, at least initially, but there are many players looking at the market. We need to make sure the event develops according to the needs of the Canadian gaming industry. For now, this means that operators, affiliates and suppliers looking to get a foot in the door can glean an understanding of the market. Tis is how it typically starts. As the conference content evolves and grows with the industry, it becomes more about how the market will develop over the following months and years.
SBC Summit North America and CasinoBeats Summit are only a fortnight apart, with the Canadian Gaming Summit just three weeks after that. Do you enjoy making a rod for your own back? How do you plan on navigating this hectic period?
We tried to avoid this by scheduling CasinoBeats Summit for March! It does bring challenges. Te positive way of looking at things is that we've done this before. We know what this will require, hence why we have expanded all our teams in the knowledge this could happen. We position our events when they are most useful for the audience, not for when we can conveniently put them on.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, our events in 2021 were pushed to the second half of the year meaning we held six events in little under four months. Achieving this meant hard work. In May and June of this year, all hands will need to be on deck with everybody pulling 110 per cent of their weight. One of the things SBC has and always will be very stringent about is quality. Attention to detail cannot slip. We have a much better lead time for planning our 2023 events than 2022 because of that congestion, which gives us an advantage.
SBC SUMMIT LATINOAMERICA
Rounding out SBC's events for the year is SBC Summit Latinoamérica at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, on October 31 - November 2. How successful was last year's debut Latin America-focused event?
It was very successful. We went into it with a lot of unknowns. We didn't know for sure whether the community will back up what we're doing and whether we were connecting the right people. We exceeded all expectations with regards to attendance figures and demonstrated the industry interest there is in the region. Brazil is the one that has long been talked about, but there are plenty of lucrative opportunities in other LatAm markets such as Peru and Venezuela. One of the things we've learnt is the importance of connecting with the Spanish speaking community.
What's the rationale for holding a dedicated Latin America event in Florida? For instance, why not hold the event in Buenos Aires?
We hold the event outside Latin America due to convenience for our audience. We initially pencilled SBC Summit Latinoamérica in for Mexico, but delegates flying from Brazil or Argentina would have to fly to Miami first anyway. Tat felt unnecessary. Miami also offers unique networking opportunities such as Miami Marlins’ LoanDepot Park stadium. Our Latin America-focused event has very good potential going forwards.
Finally, it's November 3, 2023. What would you reflect on as a successful year for SBC Events?
2023 is about making sure the core values we hold most dear at SBC flow through everything we do. Whilst the word community isn't really part of our branding anymore, it's still at the core of what we do. Our recruitment of over 30 employees during the last year is designed to improve what we do and ensure continual engagement with clients and partners.
SBC’s role has been and will continue to be about bringing the gaming industry together to facilitate business and knowledge sharing. Tis is something we will continue to strive for.
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