SBC Digital Summit North America unveils big-name speaker roster

June 15, 2020
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The SBC Digital Summit North America will feature a stellar speaker line-up with Jay Snowden (CEO, Penn National Gaming), Virginia McDowell (Board Member, GVC Holdings), Erika Nardini (CEO, BarStool Sports) and Bryan Bennett (COO, Betfred USA) among the 75 big names from the betting and gaming industry.

The conference element of the virtual trade show, which takes place on July 14-16 2020, features five tracks - Regulatory, Online, Sports, Land-Based and Innovation. There is content on all five topics on each of the three days, along with themed networking sessions that will allow delegates to connect with fellow attendees with shared business interests.

One of the highlights of the agenda is the ‘In Conversation With’ series of one-to-one interviews with influential figures in the industry. The interviewees include Zach Leonsis (SVP Strategic Initiatives, Monumental Sports & Entertainment), Snowden, Nardini, and legendary Las Vegas oddsmaker Roxy Roxborough.

The rest of the roster has representation from all the major segments of the North American gambling industry to ensure every delegate has access to high-level insights directly relevant to their business and career.

John Levy (Chairman & CEO, theScore Inc.), Adam Greenblatt (CEO, Roar Digital) and Kresimir Spajic (SVP Online Gaming, Hard Rock) are among the senior executive speakers from online operators who will be sharing their ideas for the future of igaming in the U.S. 

There is also a strong cohort of speakers from the land-based sector, including Seth Schorr (CEO, Fifth Street Gaming), Jennifer Saragnese (Director of Retail Development, Pointsbet), Art Manteris (VP Sport and Race Operations, Station Casinos LLC), Luisa Woods (VP, Marketing - Gaming and Entertainment, Delaware North) and Joshua Pearl (Director, Sportsbook Operations, Penn National Gaming). 

Joining them at the event to assess the state and future opportunities for a vital part of the North American casino ecosystem are a selection of tribal gaming experts. They include   Jonodev Chaudhuri (Partner, Quarles & Brady LLP), Sheila Morago (Executive Director, OIGA), Conrad Granito (General Manager, Muckleshoot Casino) and James Wise (VP of Marketing & Sports, Firekeepers Casino). 

To examine the latest developments in the state-by-state regulation process, there are in-house experts from operators, along with regulators, politicians and consultants. The line-up features Stacie Stern (Government Affairs Director, FanDuel), Rhea Loney (Director of Compliance, Penn Interactive), Charles LaBoy (VP of Compliance, Roar Digital), Dan Hartman (Director, Division of Gaming, Colorado Department of Revenue), Raymond Lesniak (Former Senator, State of New Jersey), Sara Slane (Founder, Slane Advisory), Becca Giden (Senior Analyst, EK Gaming LLC) and John Pappas (Founder & CEO, Corridor Consulting). 

The next steps for lotteries as states emerge from lockdown will be outlined by speakers including Bishop Woosley (Director, Arkansas Lottery), Gregg Edgar (Executive Director, Arizona Lottery), Gordon Medenica (Director, Maryland Lottery and Gaming) and May Scheve (Executive Director & President, Missouri Lottery).

Delegates can also look forward to some valuable insights into the crucial issue of how to identify and deal with problem gambling, with renowned experts such as Brianne Doura-Schawohl (Legislative Director, NPC Gambling), Paul Buck (CEO, Epic Risk Management) and Martin Lycka (Director of Regulatory Affairs, GVC Holdings) steering the debate. 

Meanwhile, many of the leading businesses in the vital affiliate and publishing sector of the gaming industry are represented, with Stuart Simms (CEO, XLMedia), Charles Gillespie (CEO, Gambling.com), Adam Small (Director of Business Development, Better Collective Tennessee), Erik Bergman (Founder, Great.com) and Fintan Costello (Managing Director, Bonusfinder.com) all on the roster. 

Attendees will also be able to benefit from the market knowledge of specialists from the worlds of finance, payments, sports integrity and professional sports, including Wayne Kimmel (Managing Partner, SeventySix Capital), Andrew Zarnett (Managing Director, Jefferies LLC), Lloyd Danzig (Founder & CEO, Sharp Alpha Advisors), Rick Arpin (Managing Partner, KPMG Las Vegas), Joseph Pappano (SVP & MD of Worldpay Gaming, Vantiv), Oliver Lamb (Head Sportsbook Controller, Kambi), Ludovico Calvi (President, GLMS) and Allain Roy (President & CEO, Roy Sports Group). 

Sue Schneider, SBC’s VP Growth & Strategy, Americas, said: “It’s been a tough few months for the whole industry, so it’s never been more important for us all to work together and share ideas on how to rebuild the industry, restore as many jobs as possible and prepare for the long-term opportunities that legalized sports betting will bring.

“Our speakers are uniquely well-placed to assess the condition of every segment of the North American betting and gaming industry, and to come up with the strategies that will shape its future. Everyone in the industry can benefit from their insights.” 

SBC Digital Summit North America will use an advanced technological platform to replicate the key benefits of a physical trade show and make them accessible to delegates from their homes and offices. 

The event is designed to help suppliers and operators to continue to do business at this time when physical trade shows are postponed and travel for face-to-face meetings is difficult. It has a 30-booth interactive exhibition that will see both major industry suppliers and start-ups showcasing innovative new products, along with a program of product presentations and Q&As throughout the three days.

In addition to the conference content and exhibition, the event features a variety of networking activities to make it simple for attendees to join in the debates and connect with people with shared business interests. Delegates can join Themed Networking Sessions focused on specific industry sectors and issues, and take part in workshops and Q&As showcasing new technologies. The event platform also has chat and email facilities that enable delegates to connect for one-to-one business discussions, along with a Virtual Networking Lounge for group chats. 

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