Speaker Line-up Announced for 2014 Isle of Man eGaming Summit

KPMG Isle of Man has announced the speaker line-up for its fifth annual eGaming Summit, which includes major international industry experts as well as key representatives of the local eGaming cluster.

This year’s Summit features something of a departure from the usual structure, as it commences with a smaller, invitation only International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) Master Class at the Claremont Hotel on Monday 10^th November. This introductory programme will see moderator Joerg Hofmann, Senior Partner at Melchers and President of IMGL, Germany, join panelists Steve Brennan of the IOM Gambling Supervision Commission, Birgitte Sand of the Danish Gambling Authority, Guido Schluetz, of the Gambling Regulation and Supervision in Schleswig-Holstein, Commissioner of the California Gaming Control Commission, Richard Schuetz and Jenny Williams, Commissioner of the UK Gambling Commission, discuss the topic of cross-border cooperation by regulators.

The main Summit programme will commence on Tuesday 11^th November at the Villa Marina and will incorporate two additional IMGL master-classes.  The day’s events will once again open with a welcome address, this time kindly provided by Chief Minister Allan Bell, which will provide an overview of the Isle of Man Government’s approach to supporting and growing the Island’s globally renowned sector. Quirino Mancini, Partner at SCM Lawyers will then discuss the controversial image of gaming in the face of the media and public opinion and what, if anything, the industry is doing to redress it. A sector specific update will follow, during which the Department of Economic Development’s Director for e-business Peter Greenhill and Chief Executive of the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission will address the challenges and opportunities facing today’s local sector.

Following the morning coffee break, Eric Benz and Ben Robinson of global cryptocurrency payment gateway, GoCoin will discuss the potential marriage of gaming operators and cryptocurrencies, after which KPMG’s Head of eGaming Archie Watt will join representatives from the sector’s leading payments providers to moderate a discussion entitled ‘Dodging the Brussels Bullets – Payment Processors’ Priorities’.

Following a lunch break, the first of the day’s much anticipated IMGL Master-classes, tackling the implications of operating in part-regulated and non-regulated online gaming markets, will see Wulf Hambach, Partner at Hambach & Hambach, Germany, join panelists Susannah Fitzgerald, Q.C., Barrister at Lord Grabiner's Chambers, United Kingdom and Nick Nocton of Jeffrey Green Russell, United Kingdom.

Paul Leyland of Regulus Partners will then present ‘50 Shades of Grey: Point of consumption licensing and the future of the dot com model’.  KPMG is very pleased to announce that Bill Gantz of Dentons US LLP, Massachusetts, will then join in the final master-class, with a panel including Bill Mummery of Celton Manx, Hilary Stewart-Jones of DLA Piper and Ernest C. Matthews IV, President/General Counsel at ISI – Maritime/Islands to moderate a discussion on the US regulatory scheme and the emerging market issues. Closing words will be provided will be provided by KPMG’s Director Responsible for eGaming, Russell Kelly.

Commenting on this year’s illustrious Summit programme, Mr Kelly said: “As the KPMG eGaming series grows in scope and renown with each passing year, our job of creating an engaging and outstanding line-up of speakers gets easier and easier. This year’s addition of three IMGL Master-classes, populated by some of the global industry’s most celebrated figures,  is testament to the Summit becoming a key calendar event. I have confidence in the 2014 Summit becoming KPMG’s best yet and would like to open invitations to what is certain to be a great day of sharing knowledge, strategy and insight, and building a stronger community in the process.“

The Summit, the fifth annual event to be held on the Isle of Man, will be held at the Villa Marina on Tuesday 11^th November. Attendance is by invitation only. For more information, or if you would like to request an invitation, visit www.kpmg.co.im and search for ‘eGaming Summit’, or visit www.whereyoucan.im. For those unable to attend, a full report of the day’s events will be published due, once again, to the support of Continent 8 Technologies.