Issue 22 of the SBC Leaders magazine took an elevated focus on the payment and blockchain sector, as it explored security and AML in the metaverse.
The magazine spoke to Pekka Dare, Vice President of the International Compliance Association, as he emphasised that for him, ‘the thing that matters most is making sure digital wallets are regulated in a consistent way’.
As well as this, the magazine analysed what impact the regulatory framework will have on the crypto sector, which has endured a period of turbulence in recent years.
Sticking with the blockchain, Josh Katz of YellowHeart revealed his belief that NFTs can revolutionise the ticketing process for sports and entertainment.
He outlined that the uniqueness of NFTs can be a crucial tool in stamping out ticket fraud and ensuring a smooth experience for fans at large scale events.
The lead story of the magazine sees Katerina Biloruska walk us through her career thus far and the work that Parimatch Tech, and its CSR arm Parimatch Foundation, have been doing to support those affected by the war in Ukraine.
She also discusses the constant evolution taking place at Parimatch Tech – from land-based to online, and then from gambling to technology.
Over in the sports betting section, the magazine hears from BoyleSports’ Lee Otter as he champions retail betting and the ‘community feel’ of a local betting shop.
Gordon Moody’s CEO Rob Mabbett discusses the growing demand for problem gambling treatment across the UK and why the delay to the White Paper review is causing a ‘great deal of uncertainty’ for the industry.
As SBC prepares to head to Barcelona in a fortnight’s time, Jdigital’s General Manager Jorge Hinojosa talks all things Spain as he details the impact that the implementation of advertising restrictions last year has had on the country’s licensed online gambling operators.
Heading up the North American section is David Highhill, Vice President and General Manager of Sports Betting at the NFL, who took time out of his new job to speak about the league’s perspective on the potential future direction of its relationship with sports betting.
Joining him in this edition of SBC Leaders is IGT PlaySports’ Joe Asher and Tony DiTommaso who also look forward to this year’s NFL season, sharing the reasons why they believe the league is a “true juggernaut” for betting engagement across the US.
In Latin America, the potential for growth in the Peruvian market and the challenges that the tax regime may pose for local operators is put under the spotlight. The magazine also ask what lessons Europe can learn from Latin America in a panel preview ahead of SBC Summit Barcelona.
Diversity and Inclusion is a big focus for LottoLand’s Sophie Wood as she reflects on her career and the intrinsic values that have led to her becoming a lottery leader. She shares that whilst the industry still has a long way to go before it can truly be considered diverse and inclusive, considerable progress is being made.
Issue 22 also takes a look at some of the innovations taking place in the lottery industry and the improvements being made to elevate the overall user experience.
Throwing it back to the classics, Jo Purvis at Blueprint Gaming looks at the reinvention of classic slot themes and the allure of familiarity for players. Swintt’s new CEO David Mann pinpoints mobile games as a key growth area for the gaming industry.
And for Shelly Suter-Hadad, former CEO of Casumo, the tides are changing as she discusses the most pressing leadership challenges that companies are facing in 2022 – and more importantly, the ways to address these obstacles.
These are just some of the leading figures featured in Issue 22 of SBC Leaders Magazine. You can read the full edition HERE.