The Capital Markets Forum 2024 converged 200 C-level executives from the banking, finance, M&A, and iGaming industries to discuss trends in the betting sector.



Earnings+More: Capital Markets Forum 2024

Earnings+More: Capital Markets Forum 2024 was an addition to SBC Events (SBC Summit North America) week 2024. The event was held on 06, May, 2024 in the Freedom Hall, New York Stock Exchange, New York City.

The Capital Markets Forum 2024 was an exclusive event organized in collaboration with Earnings+More. The event brought together 200 C-level executives from investment banks, M&A and strategic advisory firms, alongside financial analysts and senior decision-makers from the gambling industry.

The event had a series of conference sessions, allowing the executivesto discuss technology and innovation trends, opportunities, and challenges impacting the North American betting and gaming sector.

Capital Markets Forum 2024 Agenda

There were a series of conference sessions moderated by reputable leaders and experts from different industries. The main items discussed during the Earnings+More: Capital Markets Forum 2024 were:

1. Private Equity and Gaming

As the era of readily available capital wanes, private equity finds itself under pressure to validate its value proposition. The panel dissected the specific contributions private equity can make to the gaming industry by evaluating its industry-related historical performance. The panel also elaborated on which companies they identify as promising targets for private equity involvement, both in the public market and among privately owned enterprises.

Experts that led this discussion were:

  • Adam Rosenberg (Senior Advisor | Gaming & Leisure, Blackstone)
  • Joel H. Simkins (Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey)
  • Nanette Heide (Global Chair, Private Equity Group, Duane Morris)
  • John Decree (Analyst, Global Commercial Real Estate Services)

2. The Billion-dollar Babies: The Swing to Profitability

During this conference session, the panel explored the implications of the shift towards profitability and the rise of billion-dollar EBITDA giants for the rest of the United States’ online sports betting and online casino industry. The panelists answered questions such as the repercussions the substantial profits amassed by sector frontrunners will have on others in the field, as well as how those earnings are going to be utilized.

Andrew Fabian (Investment Banking – Global Technology Group, Citi), Barry Jonas (Managing Director, Truist Securities), Cassandra Lee (Senior Associate, Bettor Capital) and Chad Beynon (Senior Equity Analyst, Macquarie) also discussed whether the industry will witness increased merger and acquisition activities, among other key discussion points.

3. Safe European home: what do withdrawals from North America say about future ambitions?

The trend of European companies struggling to penetrate the North American market has prompted questions about their ongoing aspirations. The panel on “Safe European Home: What do Withdrawals from North America Say About Future Ambitions?” delved into the associated challenges of the companies retracting their presence from North America.

With concerns over wasted capital and failed ventures looming large, Ramy Ibrahim (Managing Director, Moelis & Company), Matt Sodl (Founding Partner & President, Innovation Capital) and Robin Chhabra (CEO, Tekkorp) discussed strategies for assuaging investor apprehensions and articulating future plans. Scott Longley (CEO, Clear Concise Media) moderated the session.

4. No more worlds to conquer: What happens when the bolt-on deals dry up?  

As the trend of continuously expanding portfolios with bolt-on deals becomes more challenging, the No More Worlds to Conquer: What Happens When the Bolt-On Deals Dry Up? panel shifted the discussion to the future of M&A activity.

Sandford Loudon (Partner, Oakvale Capital), Thomas Nicholls (Managing Director, Strategic Advisory Group, PJT Partners), Adam Berger (Partner, Duane Morris) and James Brodie (Head of Interactive, International, MGM Interactive) zoomed in on the quest for value-enhancing deals in Europe and beyond and analyzed whether the era of the bolt-on juggernaut is nearing its end, with such opportunities dwindling and shareholders growing increasingly wary of costly expansions.

5. Short-term memory: Have investors forgotten about iCasino?  

While the spotlight has largely been on the expansion of sports betting in the United States, the slower progress of online casino legalization at the state level has received less attention. Panelists Davis Catlin (Managing Partner, Discerning Capital), Josh Swissman (Consultant, GMA), Lauren Seiler (Founder, Global Gaming Advisors) and Eric Hession (President, Caesars Digital) discussed the opportunities in the online casino field and the potential rewards that operators can capitalize on. Together, they answered one major question: are investors tuned in to this long-term potential?

Activisit investors: Too far or not far enough?

The emergence of high-profile activist investors on the shareholder registers of a number of firms in the gaming sector has brought investment uncertainty. The panel, which included Paul Richardson (partner, Partis Capital), Tom Waterhouse (Chief Investment Officer, Waterhouse VC), Filo Fiorani (Managing Director, Bank of America), Richard Holt (Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal), and Adam Rivers (Managing Director, Corporate Transformation Services, Alvarez & Marsal) answered the following key questions:

  • Is the presence of activist investor necessarily good or bad for the companies in question?
  • What does activist interest say about the sector’s prospects and the likelihood of more M&A?

Happy Hour on the NYSE Trading Floor

After the conclusion of the conference sessions, attendees were invited to join networking drinks directly on the trading floor at 6 pm. This was a perfect opportunity for participants to interact with each other, exchange contacts, and discuss future collaborations and partnership.

Final Thoughts

The Capital Markets Forum 2024 was an exclusive event organized in collaboration with Earnings+More. The event brought together 200 C-level executives from investment banks, M&A and strategic advisory firms, alongside financial analysts and senior decision-makers from the gambling industry.

The event was conveniently timed, preceding the SBC Summit North America 2024, the foremost iGaming & Sports Betting Event in North America held from May 7-9 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey.

Earnings+More: Capital Markets Forum 2024:

  • Date: 06, May, 2024
  • Location: New York Stock Exchange, New York
  • Book your ticket: Capital Markets Forum

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