CasinoBeats Malta Digital is set to take an in-depth look at the major recruitment and workforce management challenges facing operators and suppliers in Malta, with input from some of the leading HR professionals in the igaming industry.

The virtual conference and exhibition runs from 30 June to 2 July 2020, and day one is devoted to the subject of Working in Malta. The content track, sponsored by GamingMalta, will be accompanied by a series of themed networking events to allow delegates to share their own ideas and learn from each other.

How gaming businesses can cope with skills shortages, develop a positive workplace culture and offer the right support to staff as the industry recovers from the COVID-19 lockdown are just some of the issues set to be examined. While the agenda is focused on employment-related issues in Malta’s igaming community, many of the topics will resonate with HR directors and managers based further afield.  

One of the key sessions is Workplace Culture & Wellbeing, which features a panel of HR specialists from world-leading gaming businesses, including Lena Nordin (Chief HR Officer, Betsson Group), Cindy Macintos (HR Director, Pinnacle) and Richard Gordon (Employer Brand, Recruitment Marketing & Social Media Manager, GVC Group). 

They will look at how gaming companies can develop a well-defined workplace culture and how that benefits them in terms of recruiting and retaining the right staff in what is a competitive market. The panel will also share their ideas on how to attract skilled workers from overseas to Malta, while trying to prevent a salary-driven revolving door employment market developing on the island. 

Two further sessions will address how to overcome the difficulties in finding the right team members, as Malta’s reputation as the home of the online casino industry attracts more companies to relocate and an increasing number of innovative start-ups. 

Mind the Gap: Skills Shortage will investigate whether there is potential for igaming businesses to attract specialists from other sectors and look at which skills are genuinely transferable. Malta Gaming Authority’s Head of Information Kinga Warda and igaming consultant Anna Wallenstein will be among those debating whether the island’s casino industry is doing enough to nurture the talent it already has. 

The Resourcing Challenge will then look at the issue of how gaming companies can ensure they have the skills required to fulfil their compliance responsibilities. A panel featuring Sarah Yorston (Head of HR – South Europe, LeoVegas) will evaluate whether the positives of using third-party specialists outweigh the benefits of undertaking ongoing staff training to build stronger in-house compliance teams. 

Another important issue is to be tackled during the Destination Malta: COVID Update session, which will focus on how the island’s gaming industry plans to recover from the lockdown. Fiona Brown (Chief HR Officer, Catena Media) and communications specialist Natasha Gowans will also look at what businesses can do to support employees during the recovery and continue to bring in the additional skills they need to achieve their growth targets. 

In addition to the HR content and a keynote presentation by GamingMalta’s COO Ivan Filletti, delegates attending the first day of CasinoBeats Malta Digital can participate in themed networking sessions focused on the opportunities for workers in the island’s igaming sector and the country’s appeal as a destination for start-ups. 

Stewart Darkin, Managing Director of CasinoBeats, said:

“While all businesses in the online casino industry focus on technology, games and marketing, the really successful ones also understand the importance of looking after their staff and getting their recruitment procedures right. 

“Our speaker line-up includes HR professionals responsible for ensuring that happens in some of the world’s best-known igaming companies, so delegates can expect to pick up some invaluable insights on both Malta-specific and industry-wide employment issues.” 

The CasinoBeats Malta Digital agenda also includes tracks about the Future of Gaming, Technology & Innovation, Regulation & Compliance, and Payments. 

Away from the conference rooms, the 3,000 industry delegates will have multiple opportunities to make new contacts. In addition to the schedule of themed networking sessions, attendees can take part in workshops with sector experts, join in group discussions in the virtual networking bar or use the event platform’s chat facility for one-to-one conversations. 

There is also a 40-booth interactive exhibition showcasing the latest products from both leading suppliers and innovative start-ups, along with a programme of product presentations running throughout the event.  

Find full details of CasinoBeats Malta Digital, including information about how to register and the discounts available on company group passes, at the event’s official website. 

To find out more about exhibiting or to discuss the remaining sponsorship opportunities, please contact sales@sbcgaming.com.

Malta-based slot game developer Wazdan has announced four new international hires.

The company has appointed Albert Bellavista as Head of Business Development – Spain & Latin America, Sandrine Chen as Sales and Business Development Manager – Asia, Bekki D’Agata as Sales and Development Manager, and Katarzyna Pysz as Senior Campaign Manager. 

Bellavista has more than a dozen years’ experience in the betting and gaming industry, having worked for major players including Betfair and William Hill. Chen has extensive knowledge of the Asian market, with more than five years’ iGaming experience. Pysz has worked for multiple online and land-based businesses, including NetEnt, during her thirteen years in the iGaming industry. D’Agata is joining Wazdan from SiGMA, where she has been Head of Sales, and Events Director. 

Welcoming the new team members Head of Sales at Wazdan, Andrezej Hyla, said:

“We are delighted to welcome four new members to the Wazdan team. Our new team members share our unique Wazdan vision and passion for games. They will be supporting our business to bring new global partners on board and to deliver exceptional customer service to our existing clients. It’s a very exciting time for Wazdan, and we have our sights set on continued global growth.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With all the economic gloom out there, it’s great to see the Maltese iGaming sector is still investing in the future and hiring new talent. Wazdan has certainly hired a fair bit of experienced talent there, so we’re sure they’ll help power the company to new heights.

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Esports tournament organiser ESL has appointed former ProSeibenSat.1 executive Stefan Beitz as its new Chief Financial Officer. 

Beitz spent over 11 years with ProSiebenSat.1, after joining as its Controller in October 2008. For almost the last two years he has been with the company’s SevenOne Media sales unit. 

Commenting on his new appointment via LinkedIn Beitz said he is “happy and excited to enter the esports market by joining ESL Gaming as their new CFO” and is “looking forward to continue driving the growth and success of ESL.”

ELS’s previous CFO, Arne Anders, left the company after two years due to family relocation needs. 

AYO.NEWS says

Beitz clearly has a lot of experience in the entertainment industry, media, sports, and events industries, so we’re sure he’ll take to esports in no time, and become a valued member of the ESL team as it continues its global expansion.

Staying with ESL executives, last month former ESL UK COO Rob Black launched Promod Esports – a new turnkey esports solutions agency. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Former Nielsen Managing Director Nicole Pike has joined market research and data analytics firm YouGov as Global Head of Esports and Gaming. 

After thirteen years with Nielsen, Pike is joining YouGov in the United States to lead the company’s growth in esports and the video game industry. 

Regarding her move, Pike said:

“I’m not sure there’s anyone who brings the same innovation and depth of insight to traditional sport analytics as YouGov does. My job is now to make sure the esports and gaming worlds get to tap into that expertise as well.

“We see the public engaging in video gaming more than ever – and as sponsors follow them, there’s a great opportunity to implement YouGov’s cutting-edge research methodologies to help craft deals that maximize the benefit for everyone. It’s exciting because I’ve seen first-hand how great data can and will help this sector grow – and we can be a big part of this.”

While Managing Director of YouGov Sport, Frank Saez, added:

“We’ve always had the tools for our esports and gaming clients, but Nicole knows better than anyone else how the sector can use them – and how we can uniquely develop them for the industry.”

Pike joined Nielson as an Associate Manager for Custom Games Research back in 2007,  was promoted to Managing Director of Nielsen Esports at the start of 2018, and finally ended up as Managing Director of Nielsen Esports, Games, and SuperData. 

AYO.NEWS says:

After being so instrumental in developing Nielsen’s presence in the esports and video gaming space, we’re sure Pike will be an extremely valuable asset to YouGov as it strives to tap into the world’s fastest growing sectors. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Has Swedish Minister for Public Administration Ardalan Shekarabi been lying about an increase in online gambling during the COVID-19 crisis?

Shekarabi has been one of the loudest advocates for further emergency gambling restrictions on licensed operators, despite an industry-wide consensus that such measures would make it impossible for legitimate sites to compete with unlicensed offshore sites. 

Now, Swedish news site Di.se is saying Shekarabi has been reported to the country’s “Parliament Constitutional Committee” by the opposition for allegedly lying about the increase in online gambling during the crisis at a press conference on 23 April. 

AYO.NEWS says:

As we have said before, we strongly suspect Shakarabi’s support of further draconian restrictions on the gambling industry are ideologically driven, rather than pragmatic, so it really wouldn’t surprise us if it does turn out that he lied to drum up support for his proposals. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Intralot, the Athens-listed gambling technology and lottery systems supplier, has promoted Byron Booth as Chief Executive of its North American subsidiary INTRALOT Inc. 

Booth has acted as Interim CEO of INTRALOT Inc since last year, and has been with Intralot for thirteen years in total, formerly serving as INTRALOT Inc’s Vice President of Government Relations. 

Boothe will now lead INTRALOT’s US growth plans, which form a key part of Intralot’s overall corporate recovery program. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, in May and June the company launched new betting partnerships in Montana and Washington DC. 

Commenting on the promotion Group CEO of Intralot, Chris Dimitriadis, said:

“Byron has been instrumental in supporting INTRALOT, Inc. and our US operations more than thirteen years. I would like to congratulate him for joining our executive leadership team and I am looking forward to working with him in executing our growth strategy in the United States.”

While Boothe himself added:

“We have an exceptionally talented team at INTRALOT, Inc. that is focused on taking decisive actions to transform the business, continuing to innovate our product in new and diverse ways, and unlocking future growth opportunities. It is an honor to be selected to lead this outstanding team.”

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020