INDUSTRY INSIDER: MARK MCGUINNESS
Why industry events still matter in a digital world
In an era of video calls and AI-powered networking tools, some ask whether in-person gaming conferences are still necessary. I believe they’re more vital than ever and not just for doing business, but for building trust, collaboration, and purpose in an industry that ultimately runs on human connection.
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here’s a question I hear more and more these days when speaking with the CFO: “Do we really need to attend all these conferences and exhibitions?”
After all, the technology exists to replicate almost everything online. Deals can be discussed on Zoom or Teams. Demos can be shared via screen share. Partnerships can be signed without ever shaking a hand. In theory, that should be enough – right?
But here’s the truth as I see it: I’ve spent 25 years attending industry shows starting at Earl’s Court in London, and the fact remains, our industry is built on people, not just platforms. Every business win starts with a conversation. And every conversation worth its weight comes from mutual respect, trust, and humility. Those
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qualities are rarely forged in an email thread. They’re built face to face, in the natural rhythm of human exchange, the almost poker strategy, the eye contact, the laughter, the pauses, the quick chat in the corridor after a panel. That’s why events still matter.
THE HUMAN-TO-HUMAN BUSINESS
Gambling is sometimes painted as a numbers game, all margins, yields, conversions. Yet the C-levels reading this know better. At its core, we are in the relationship and people business. Operators rely on suppliers. Suppliers rely on regulators. Affiliates rely on both. The lines are interwoven, and what keeps those threads strong is trust.
And trust has always been a tactile, human thing. Think of the last partnership you signed that truly moved the needle. Did it really start with a spreadsheet? Or did it start with a handshake, a shared coffee, or a candid conversation after hours?
That’s the beauty of in-person events. They create the conditions for trust to form. Not instantly, not transactionally, but through proximity and presence.
WHY THE ENERGY CAN’T BE BOTTLED
If you’ve stood in the middle of ICE London now Barcelona, G2E Las Vegas, or SBC Lisbon, you’ll know the feeling I’m about to describe. There’s a buzz in the air, the conversations overlapping,
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