SiGMA East Europe 2024

SiGMA East Europe 2024 will be held from Monday, September 2 – Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre Hall E, Budapest, Hungary. This Eastern Europe event will be, for the first time, held back-to-back with the Affiliate World on the same dates and venue.

SiGMA East Europe 2024 will bring together 200+ exhibitors, 2,000+ operators, 9,000 delegates, 5,000 affiliates, 200+ speakers, and 46% C-level executives to share and expand their knowledge about the Balkans and Slavic markets.

The event will also provide exclusive networking dinners, high-value traffic, a Startup Pitch, prestigious gala awards and charity auction, and an unmissable closing party. This will offer attendees an opportunity to build strong business relationships.

SiGMA East Europe 2024 Agenda

Welcome to the SiGMA East Europe conference. Join us as industry leaders, visionaries, and innovators converge to explore the latest trends, exchange insights, and shape the future of gaming and affiliate marketing. 

Regulation & Compliance

The event will have several panels discussing different topics under the regulation and compliance category. These topics will include:

Responsible Gambling in Eastern Europe and the Balkans

Reflect on the evolution of responsible gambling practices in the EU and explore lessons for Eastern Europe and the Balkan markets. Panelists will be:

• YULIYA KHRENOVA, Head of Compliance & DPO, iGaming Academy
• ROSSI MCKEE, Entrepreneur & Founder, Responsible Gaming Foundation
• CHRISTOS ZOULIANITIS, Director of Market Strategy, Playson
• VIKTOR RADICS, Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution, DLA Piper

Cutting-edge Technology and Risk Management Strategies in Regulatory Compliance

Regional and national experts will discuss the diverse regulatory landscapes, player preferences, software, AML, and KYC across key Balkan markets. The panel will consist of:

• ARINA RU, Legal counsel & AML compliance expert, Sumsub
• TIM FRENCH, Solution Consultant, Greco
• DAVID YATOM HAY, General Counsel, Soft2Bet
• ROMINA CAMILLERI, Partner, Camilleri & Dimech Consultancy
• JAIME DEBONO, CEO, iGaming Academy

The Ripple Effect of ESG: Implications for the Entire Value Chain

Explore how the introduction of mandatory ESG reporting under EU standards will impact the entire industry and unveil strategies for the integration of ESG principles. The speaker will be FLORIS ASSIES, Founder & CEO of Better World Casinos.

Online Casino & Gaming Trends

TODOR MINEV, CEO of TokaCity, will give a keynote address on “HOW TO CAPTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS.” Other items under this topic will include:

Regional Contrasts in Esports, Xsports, and Traditional Sports Betting

EUGENE RAVDIN, Communications & Marketing Manager, MightyTips and JAD MOUBARAK, Head of Sportsbook, Betika, will lead this fireside chat.

The Growing Eastern European Gambling Market and its Opportunities

Discover the expanding online gambling markets in Eastern Europe, covering market drivers, new licensing systems, and regulatory trends, including advertising restrictions. The panel will feature:

• MARTIN COLLINS, Chief Business Development Officer, Soft2Bet
• ILYA MACHAVARIANI, CEO & Senior Partner, 4H Agency
• ANDREI COSMA, Managing Associate, Baciu Partners

Mastering Affiliate Relationships and Protecting Intellectual Property

Learn how to manage affiliate relationships while protecting intellectual property and branding, focusing on robust control mechanisms, compliance with advertising standards, and mitigating legal risks. The panel will consist of:

• ANA-MARIA BACIU, Managing Partner, Baciu Partners
• MARKO TOMIĆ, Attorney-at-law & Partner, Law Firm Anđelović, Siketić & Tomić

Gaming of Business Life: Internationalization of Human Mindset

BALAZS KOHUT, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador | International Business Affairs Expert, will take to stage for a keynote speech.

SiGMA/SiGMA Affiliates Startup Pitch Budapest

With SiGMA throwing its weight behind up-and-coming startups, attendees will have the opportunity to showcase their projects on the expo floor or take part in the popular Pitch competition held live on stage.

Digital Assets, Regulation and Banking

ANNA AGU, CEO, Lex Law, will give a keynote speech on “NAVIGATING THE REGULATORY CHANGES IN EUROPE: ADOPTION TO MICA AND DORA?”. Other items that will be discussed include:

RWA: The Next Big Thing or Major Blockchain Failure?

A resurgence of a relatively old trend has taken center stage again. New hopes are reemerging despite the fact that RWA, even with blockchain infrastructure added, massively lacks liquidity. The panelists will be:

• ANNA AGU, CEO, Lex Law
• ANTON GOLUB, Venture Partner, Full Stack VC
• ATTILA PINKE, Founder, Blockchainbloom
• JANINA PETROWSKA, MLaw, Partner & Legal Advisor, ZÜGERLAW

Neobanks and Digital Banks in Europe

As the birthplace of neobanking, European neobanks and apps are now outpacing traditional banks at the adoption level. But while these indicators appear positive, there are European nations that are yet to fully grasp the digital banking opportunity.

TORBEN FRIIS, Managing Director, Match Liquidity DMCC and PAVEL MATVEEV, Co-Founder & CEO, Wirex, will lead this discussion.

Marketing and Venture Capital for Crypto and Web3

LAURA K. INAMEDINOVA, CEO of LKI Consulting, will deliver a keynote speech on “THE ULTIMATE TWITTER GROWTH PLAYBOOK: FROM 0 TO 100K.” She will discuss marketing strategies for Web3 projects that have seen a rapid shift over the last couple of years, with more focus on community engagement.

Another item that will be discussed under this category will be:

Venture Capital Trends: Investors Do’s and Don’ts

The panel will highlight the prospects for VCs and early-stage projects to work on managing the tech landscape in European countries, the Middle East, and globally, and the challenges of quantifying venture capital investments, especially within the Web3 space.

The panelists will be:

• LAURA K. INAMEDINOVA, CEO, LKI Consulting
• MICHAEL TAYLOR, Co-Founder, WTG Ventures
• YURIY ROMANYUKHA, Managing Partner, ICLUB Global
• DANIEL MALINOVSKI, CEO, Simplicity Group
• VINÍCIUS MORAES DE CARVALHO, Investment Partner, Ikigai Ventures

Payments & E-Commerce

Under this category, the following topics will be discussed:

Mobile Platforms and Crypto Driving iGaming Innovation

Examine the transformative impact of eSports, mobile platforms, and cryptocurrency, exploring emerging business models, tech advancements, and regulatory considerations with KATERINA SHEPETENKO, Managing Partner, Legal Pilot.

There will be other keynote discussions on:

• FUTURE TRENDS IN MOBILE PAY & REAL-TIME PAYMENTS
• FRAUD AND CYBERATTACKS PREVENTION: Delve into the latest trends in fraud, the impact of high-profile cyberattacks, and the critical need for robust fraud prevention measures.

Affiliates & Digital Marketing

• OPTIMIZATION: FROM RED TO GREEN. Discover the UA techniques to grow profit and shift negative ROI campaigns into profit with ELI DESATNIK, Co-Founder, Pushub.net.
• DRIVING TRAFFIC THROUGH APPS: CUTTING-EDGE TECH SOLUTIONS by YAROSLAV BABYCH, CCO, ZM.
•  MARKETING TRENDS, AI INNOVATIONS AND LESSONS FROM AFFILIATE ARBITRAGE. Learn the latest marketing trends and AI’s impact on campaign optimization with ALINA BAKEEVA, Strategic Partnership Manager, Private Inc. and ANASTASIIA SHCHERBYNA, CMO, MelBet Partners & Affiliates.
• REGULATION, PAYMENTS, SEARCH ENGINES: CIS TRENDS IN 2024 AND BEYOND by INNA GAGARIN, Co-Owner & CEO, G.Partners.
• TACKLING ADVERTISING AND MARKETING CHALLENGES FOR AFFILIATES. Unveil the outcomes of stricter governmental regulations, including advertising and player protection, by VLAD UTIKALOV, Head of Affiliates, Bets.io.

Web3 Gaming

Two main topics will be discussed under Web3 gaming:

• BANKING CAN MAKE UA THROUGH BITCOIN GAMING; CASE STUDY. User acquisition for banking products through Bitcoin games case study: a review of strategies and presentation of collaboration results using real data examples by GRZEGORZ “GREG” FLOR, Co-Founder & CPO, THNDR.
• POTENTIAL OF BLOCKCHAIN GAMING IN E-SPORTS. Along with notable market growth, the esports industry faces challenges, including the lack of transparency, security, and monetization. This is where blockchain technology can help.

Blockchain in Hungary

The Central and Eastern European (CEE) region has witnessed a remarkable surge in crypto startups and companies in recent years, bringing about a financial industry revolution and transforming how individuals handle their finances.  Here are the main items under this topic:

• EDIHS: A EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR INCREASING BLOCKCHAIN AND AI ACTIVITIES OF THE COMPANIES
• REGULATION AND TOKENIZATION IN CEE: BLOCKCHAIN ASSOCIATIONS’ POV.

A Breakout session on Artificial Intelligence will come after the blockchain in Hungary discussion.

Booth Awards

An exciting highlight of SiGMA East Europe as the host takes center stage to announce the much-anticipated winners of the Booth Awards.

Why Attend SiGMA East Europe 2024?

Are you an affiliate, sponsor, operator, or supplier in the online gambling industry? Here are some reasons why you should attend SiGMA East Europe:

• Networking opportunities. SiGMA East Europe 2024 will be held on the same dates and venue as Affiliate World, bringing together around 5,000 affiliates. This is an opportunity to connect with high-level individuals in the gambling industry.
• Quality lineup of speakers. This Eastern Europe event will feature renowned speakers from all over the world to share their knowledge and experience about the Balkans and Slavic markets. 
• Catch the next big unicorn early. Six startups from within our Village will also pitch to a panel of experts in a live Pitch competition.
• SiGMA East Europe awards and charity auction. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate the movers and shakers whilst supporting the SiGMA Foundation.
• Friends before business: Evening networking dinners and a closing party that enable attendees to build strong business relationships.

Count Down to SiGMA East Europe 2024

SiGMA East Europe 2024 will be held from Monday, September 2 – Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre Hall E, Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together 200+ exhibitors, 2,000+ operators, 9,000 delegates, 5,000 affiliates, 200+ speakers, and 46% C-level executives to share and expand their knowledge about the Balkans and Slavic markets.

The event will also provide exclusive networking dinners, high-value traffic, a Startup Pitch, prestigious gala awards and charity auction, and an unmissable closing party. This will offer attendees an opportunity to build strong business relationships.

SiGMA East Europe 2024:

• Date: Monday, September 2 – Wednesday, September 4, 2024
• Location: Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre Hall E, Budapest, Hungary

Book your ticket: SiGMA East Europe