faced, and for me, having never met women from the gaming industry at this level, it gave me greater confidence. Tey shared the keys to unlocking doors and barriers they faced in their careers, which helps you to feel stronger and more capable too.


Kirsi: I have been very lucky to have grown up in one of the most equal countries in the world. I have had the chance to select a technical profession and to reach interesting and challenging roles without gender being a guiding factor to any direction. I recognise that this is not the case everywhere and feel that this is a topic where I can help by offering encouragement and experience to colleagues around the globe.


Quite often diversity discussions are still limited to the most obvious topics like gender, sexual orientation or race. While these are important to acknowledge, diversity is a much broader topic and consciousness about all aspects needs to be raised on many levels. I think there is still a long way to go, but we are on the right track!


Do you see your industry – casino gaming – in a different light after the EDP?


Celine: Coming from Monaco, where we are very focused on our domestic market, I wondered how relevant my experience would be to US industry colleagues. However, in November next year Las Vegas will host its first Formula 1 race, something that started in Monaco in 1929. I was asked lots of questions about hosting guests and managing an event like this, which I was able to share from many years’


The EDP is special as it allows industry


executives to spend time with people in the same


environment, while meeting and learning from their peers. The relationships built at every EDP bear fruit two, five and 10


years down the road to the benefit of the industry as a whole. Daron Dorsey


experience. I didn’t realise that I had this international experience until I was asked, which made me reflect upon the amazing diversity within this industry. Te EDP encourages you to think outside of the box, whilst also recognising that we’re all important actors in the industry, and we all have our roles to play.


Kirsi: I now have a better understanding as to how the industry functions, especially in US casinos. Also, despite the very different situation and regulation in each jurisdiction, the core questions about how we build great experiences is a common denominator all over the world. How we do this in a sustainable way was present in the EDP discussions.


Regulations are different as regards the detail, but the point is that we are in the entertainment business to build positive experiences for players. We share the same problems and we are solving them together, and we’re doing so while integrating sustainability and responsible gaming measures. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel in every country, but use our networks and connections to solve the same challenges.


How will you use your learnings from the EDP practically in your daily role within your casino?


Kirsi: I’m looking to take many of the ideas from the leadership lectures to progress our company culture and enrich our product development viewpoints. During the EDP project work, we had to build a business plan, which made me reflect upon the business plan within my company, especially in regards to customer segmentation.


I now believe that we need greater focus on the value proposition. During one of the EDP lectures the speaker explained that to create new and better products, sometimes you need to blow things up and build anew. It’s a hard thing to do, but worthwhile in the end.


Celine: I will take more time with my team - it was the one thing shared by all the EDP speakers. I must not focus solely upon my own agenda. What’s really important is to allocate time to share experiences and listen to my team. Find out what are the small details that are really important to them. Taking small actions can have a big impact.


How beneficial is the scholarship - and would you recommend the event to colleagues?


P40 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS


Kirsi: Absolutely! Tis has been the best event I have encountered by far in this industry.


Celine: Te ECA scholarship was a beautiful gift for me, as this was such a unique experience. I was exhausted when I returned home, but the benefit of the EDP was so great. You learn an incredible amount in such a condensed amount of time. It takes you out of your comfort zone, but in such a positive way. Te EDP feels like a family and I’ve made many lifelong friends.


Kirsi: Typically, you visit a seminar or course, attend ICE or G2E, but what occurs is simply transactional. We are presented with products that someone wants to sell, which sets a different cooperative tone.


At the EDP we gathered to discuss relevant issues in the gambling industry, learning from experienced professionals who shared their experiences. Te EDP is about sharing common understandings and building something new together. It’s not convincing you to buy products, but rather to collaborate to solve and build something new. Te EDP gives you the building blocks to create something collaboratively, which is very different from other gaming industry interactions.


What was your favourite moment from the event?


Celine: My favourite moment was when the teams entered their presentations to the judges. It was an experience full of energy and we were very proud of the job we did. It was a great moment, among lots of great moments, but this was the best.


Kirsi: I think I have no other option but to select the EDP 2022 Poker tournament. It was such an unforgettable atmosphere. I have to admit to never having played poker before, so I learned the basic rules from my husband just before going to EDP. I wasn’t sure ahead of the tournament if I’d actually participate, due to my inexperience. However, if was a lot of fun - despite several tough moments in the tournament.


I had been losing, but changed strategy. I was playing too many hands, so switched to only those I could bluff or win. Winning was amazing, but the best part was the atmosphere created by my group. I was the only female at the final table - the underdog - but they cheered me through every hand. Everyone packed around the table cheering - that was the standout!


Daron Dorsey Executive Director, AGEM


Daron, why does AGEM sponsor the ECA scholarship, supporting candidates to attend the EDP?


Daron: I think it’s an initiative that’s important to our industry as a whole. Te EDP is a great programme, it has a lot of benefits to the wider industry and to the individual organisations participating in the programme.


EDP participants are either AGEM members or deal directly with AGEM members, and so we want to be supportive and engaged in these types of endeavours. And since the EDP takes place in Nevada, evolving under Bo Bernhard’s leadership in the state, AGEM’s own operations and those of many of our members take place here, which means we’ll always be supportive of local initiatives.


What the ECA brings to the table is exposure to our international members, counterparts and partners in an educational programme that creates lasting and long-term relationships across all sectors and geographies, which is positive for everyone.


Diversity and Inclusion is integral to the ECA scholarship - do you think this is well represented in the promotion of candidates to the EDP?


I’d say that because our industry is one of the most intensely regulated in the world, people working in the industry have established decade’s long relationships with their counterparts at various companies.


Te EDP programme is seeking to build these same types of relationships with future leaders within our industry, and as our workforce continues to be more diverse and inclusive, our leadership is progressing in the same direction. So the EDP programme helps to build those relationships with the next generation of gaming industry, which is something that AGEM is proud to support and be supportive of.


It’s a long-term investment that sends an important signal now that this is going to be part of our future,


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116