Clarion gets ready for GiGse and Juegos Miami
Meeting of minds as Clarion Gaming co-locate two major brands in Miami.
UK.- Fresh from another successful ICE London, Kate Chambers and her team at Clarion Gaming will be shifting focus from the cold climes of the UK in February to the much warmer prospect of Miami in May for the first ever co-located outings of the LatAm-facing Juegos Miami and its North American older cousin, GiGse. In her role as Managing Director of Clarion Gaming, Kate explains the thinking behind the move, her aspirations for both events, and what the co-location means for the industry.
You have invested in two successful brands; what prompted you to bring them together under one roof like this?
While Juegos Miami and GiGse are taking place in the same venue at the same time, they are most definitely two very distinct brands with two very distinct identities and remits; GiGse, the more established – and arguably the better-known of the two – has been serving the interests of the American gambling, gaming and betting industry for a number of years; Juegos Miami – which was created at the request of stakeholders in Central, South and Latin America, as well as those in the Caribbean gaming industry – is looking south. GiGse provides paid-for content and learning, whereas Juegos Miami has a unique ‘by invitation’ format which is what the industry wanted and which has proved successful since we launched in 2016. At Juegos Miami, the dominant languages are Spanish and Portuguese, whereas English – or should I say American English – is to the fore at GiGse. Both events are related, but they are more like cousins than brothers or sisters.
What are the benefits of bringing both events together?
I think having different brands under one roof – providing they don’t compete or conflict – is a huge positive. You can create a different dynamic and one in which the two audiences are able to both concentrate on their individual interests and topics, and then network as and when it’s appropriate. When we were designing the format for Juegos Miami, one of our objectives was to bring expertise, insight and professionalism from outside the LatAm region, and this is a great opportunity to achieve this. From my experience, I think the gaming industry is at its very best when it has the opportunity to sit down in a comfortable and ambient atmosphere and talk – whether it’s product, regulation, technology or trends. The importance of networking comes out at the top, or very close to the top, in all of the stakeholder surveys that we undertake at all of our events, and networking will be in plentiful supply in Miami.
GiGse provides paid-for content and learning, whereas Juegos Miami has a unique ‘by invitation’ format which is what the industry wanted and which has proved successful since we launched in 2016.
Do you think there’s a demand from the industry for a consolidation of the events calendar?
We are in close contact with the market both through the research we conduct and also courtesy of our Ampersand Think Tank, which we officially launched at ICE London in February and which has close to our target of 1,000 members, making it easily the biggest think tank in gaming. The market wants really strong business events, held in the right places at the right time and delivered to the highest professional levels. They also want to avoid, if at all possible, the need to constantly be traveling from one event to another. Juegos Miami was established in order to create a single, high-calibre meeting place for the LatAm-facing industry, and the fact is that international attendees can now achieve at Juegos Miami what previously required them to attend five or six separate exhibitions. Co-locating Juegos Miami and GiGse while retaining their individual identities is an example of our commitment to deliver a global strategy for what is a global industry.
What do you think the hot topics will be at both GiGse and Juegos Miami?
Our strap line for GiGse is ‘Putting North American gambling, gaming and betting under the microscope’ and that’s exactly what GiGse is all about. In an industry which is so dependent on regulation, GiGse’s role is to identify, develop and discuss the big issues of the day and put them under the microscope. It’s an intense two-day programme delivering a combination of inspiring keynote speakers, engaging panel sessions and interactive workshops. GiGse has a clear C-Level profile and the debates reflect that level of seniority. The debates will centre around the customer journey, shifting demographics, customer retention, the true potential of eSports and DFS, as well as the really hot and contemporary issue of Sports Betting.
Juegos Miami has already had two successful outings, and the agenda that’s been put in place will provide the platform for further growth and development. With separate streams for the online and land-based sectors, the agenda will debate the big issues, such as the importance of combating illegal operators, as well as providing detailed regulatory updates segmented by both region and country. It will look at convergence, the impact of the FIFA World Cup, blockchain technology and the law, and much more. For international attendees, this event provides access to a huge and diverse community and is a great place to capitalise on LatAm’s enthusiasm for meeting potential business partners.
