Speakers

Hon. Roberta Metsola

President European Parliament

Hon. Roberta Metsola

President

About the speaker

Hon. Roberta Metsola was elected President of the European Parliament in January 2022, becoming the youngest ever person to occupy this role. In July 2024, she was re-elected for another term, as only the second person and first woman to serve as President for two terms. President Metsola has been very vocal and firm in Europe’s support to Ukraine, following Russia’s brutal invasion. On 1st April 2022, she became the first President of an institution of the European Union to visit Ukraine since the start of the war. As President, she has led reforms towards a Parliament that is more modern, efficient and accountable. She was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2013. Prior, President Metsola served within the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union and later as the legal advisor to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In her student years, she campaigned actively for Malta's European Union membership. Professionally she is a lawyer who has specialised in European law and politics. Born in 1979, Roberta Metsola is married to Ukko Metsola and is the mother of four boys.

Hon. Antonio Tajani

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy

Hon. Antonio Tajani

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy

About the speaker

Professional journalist since 1980, he has worked as a parliamentary reporter, anchor for GR1 Rai, and head of the Rome newsroom of Il Giornale. Co-founder of Forza Italia, he served as its Vice President from 2018 to 2023 and as National Coordinator from 2021 to 2024. On February 24, 2024, he was unanimously elected National Secretary of Forza Italia. Since 2002, he has been Vice President of the European People’s Party. In 1994, he was elected to the European Parliament for the first time. He was appointed European Commissioner for Transport in 2008, and later Vice President and European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship in 2010. On January 17, 2017, he was elected President of the European Parliament. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and of the Conference of Committee Chairs of the European Parliament. Since October 22, 2022, he has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Hon. Federico Freni

Undersecretary of State Ministry of Economy and Finance of Italy

Hon. Federico Freni

Undersecretary of State

About the speaker

Federico Freni is a lawyer and expert in administrative law. In 2021, he was appointed Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in the Draghi government. Following the 2022 political elections, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies and reconfirmed as Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Hon. Silvio Schembri

Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects of Malta

Hon. Silvio Schembri

Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects of Malta

About the speaker

Silvio Schembri, Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, is an economist, academic and elected politician. Born in Luqa, he holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Economics from L-Università ta' Malta. He is experienced in political communication, sustainable development, negotiation and higher education.

Hon. Alex Borg

Leader of the Opposition Malta

Hon. Alex Borg

Leader of the Opposition

About the speaker

"Alex Borg, born on 10 June 1995 in Victoria, Gozo, is a lawyer and politician who currently serves as Leader of the Nationalist Party. He was first elected to the Maltese Parliament in 2022, securing the highest number of votes among Nationalist Party candidates after the party leader at the time. Over the past three years, he has served as Shadow Minister for Gozo and has been a member of both the Parliamentary Committee for Gozo and the Committee for Foreign Affairs. Raised in Nadur, Borg pursued his education at the Bishop's Conservatory, Gozo College, and Sir M. A. Refalo Sixth Form. He graduated with a degree in Law in 2019 and subsequently commenced practice as a lawyer. In 2019, Borg was elected to the Executive of the Nationalist Party Youth Movement, followed shortly thereafter by his election to the Nationalist Party Executive Committee. His commitment to grassroots engagement reflects his conviction that effective politics requires direct and sustained contact between elected representatives and their constituents. Borg's political philosophy centres on fostering a robust and competitive economy while maintaining comprehensive social services. He advocates for a balanced approach that promotes economic growth alongside social equity. Following the resignation of Nationalist Party Leader Dr Bernard Grech in June 2025, Borg announced his candidacy for the leadership position. On 6 September 2025, he was elected Leader of the Nationalist Party, marking a significant milestone in his political trajectory."

Hon. Marcello Coppo

Member of the Chamber of Deputies Italy

Hon. Marcello Coppo

Member of the Chamber of Deputies

About the speaker

Marcello Coppo is a Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies with Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy). A lawyer admitted to the bar in 2009, he advises individuals and businesses on labor, social security, and tax matters. Before his election to Parliament in 2022, he served as Deputy Mayor of Asti (2017–2022) with responsibility for economic development and the promotion of local entrepreneurship, and had previously held various municipal roles in Asti since 2002. In the Chamber of Deputies, he serves on the Public and Private Labour Committee, the Committee on Elections, and the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into workplace conditions and safety. He also serves as Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Digital Assets, Blockchain and Bitcoin, engaging with industry and institutions to promote clear, responsible rules for virtual assets that protect consumers while supporting competitiveness and growth.

H.E. Lucimara Batista dos Reis

Honorary Consul of Brazil in Malta

H.E. Lucimara Batista dos Reis

Honorary Consul of Brazil in Malta

About the speaker

With over 25 years of international leadership in auditing, risk management, corporate law, and regulatory compliance, Lucimara brings extensive experience across the financial sector, gaming industry, and FinTechs. She has led global initiatives in governance, risk, and compliance, spanning Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Currently serving as Honorary Consul of Brazil in Malta, Founder of Abrama, and Rotarian Board Member, she combines strategic insight with a strong commitment to integrity, stakeholder engagement, and cross-border collaboration.

Brando Benifei

Member of the European Parliament

Brando Benifei

Member of the European Parliament

About the speaker

Brando Benifei is an Italian MEP serving his third term in the European parliament. During the previous mandate he was co-Rapporteur for the Artificial Intelligence Act and thanks to this work in March 2024 he won the prize for the Best MEP of the Mandate assigned by The Parliament Magazine. Now he is Coordinator in the Committee on International Trade for the Socialists and Democrats Group and Chair of the European Parliament's D-US delegation. He is member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and he works also as substitute member on the EU internal market and consumer protection and on legal affairs, always following closely digital issues.

Plínio Augusto Lemos Jorge

President ANJL - Brazilian National Association of Games and Lotteries

Plínio Augusto Lemos Jorge

President

About the speaker

Attorney, registered with the Brazilian Bar Association – OAB/SP nº 134.182 since August 8, 1995. President of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL). Partner at Lemos Jorge Advogados Associados (OAB/SP 7692). Former Judge at the São Paulo State Tax and Duties Court (2004–2014). Ph.D. candidate in Law at UNINOVE University (2021–present). Master’s in Tax Law from Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP, 2009). Postgraduate in Criminal Law from the Higher School of the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office (2004). Law degree from Franca Law School (1995). Former Professor at Greco Filho Institute (1995–2002), FMU University (2009–2010), and Piaget College (2021). Author of books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles.

Maarten Haijer

Secretary General European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA)

Maarten Haijer

Secretary General

About the speaker

Maarten Haijer is the Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) representing the leading online gambling operators licensed and regulated in the EU. Before joining the EGBA as director for regulatory affairs Maarten worked as the internal market and consumer protection counsellor at the Netherlands permanent representation to the EU. Prior to that he held several positions in the Dutch ministry of economic affairs dealing predominantly with EU and WTO trade policy issues.

Moreno Marasco

Chairman LOGiCO

Moreno Marasco

Chairman

About the speaker

Prof. Pieris Chourides

President Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission

Prof. Pieris Chourides

President

About the speaker

Panagiotis Trisokkas

President Cyprus National Betting Authority

Panagiotis Trisokkas

President

About the speaker

Alexsandar Popov

Director Directorate Supervision of Gambling and Gambling Activities - Bulgaria

Alexsandar Popov

Director

About the speaker

Aleksandar Popov is currently director of the Directorate Supervision of gambling and gambling activities in the National Revenue Agency of Bulgaria. Aleksandar has significant experience in the area of control of public funds, mainly European funding. He possesses a master's degree in Law and Public Administration and a PhD in Political science, is a certified auditor in the public sector and has been a speaker at ICE London.

Giuseppe Marino

President Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce

Giuseppe Marino

President

About the speaker

Giuseppe Marino is an international AML and Financial Crime Expert with extensive consulting experience in corporate due diligence and compliance frameworks. Specializing in strategic legal advisory services, he has developed comprehensive expertise in B2B and B2G relationships across European and Middle Eastern markets. He is one of the founders and currently serves as President of the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.

Nicola Vladimiro Ciccarelli

Vice President Confindustria Alberghi

Nicola Vladimiro Ciccarelli

Vice President

About the speaker

He is the President of the Lupelius Financial Group and founder of the Swadeshi Hotels chain. Currently serving as National Vice President of Confindustria Alberghi, he is an entrepreneur, promoter, and partner in several companies primarily operating in the real estate and tourism sectors. A finance and innovation enthusiast, he served for over five years as an Adjunct Professor of Finance for Innovation at the Faculty of Management and Logistics Engineering at the University of Trieste. He is also the author of “Manual of Finance for Innovation,” published by Unilink University Press. He holds various positions, including President of Fontur – the Healthcare Assistance Fund for the tourism sector; Board Member of the Bilateral Body for the Tourism Industry and Vice President of EBTL; Board Member of the Tourism International Forum and several Tourism Districts; and President of Golf des Iles de Borromées on Lake Maggiore.

Jānis Ungurs

Director of the Legal Department, Latvia Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspectorate

Jānis Ungurs

Director of the Legal Department, Latvia

About the speaker

Janis Ungurs is a legal professional with over 20 years experience, specialising in gambling regulation and IT. Since 2006, he has directed the Legal Department at Latvia's Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspectorate, overseeing legal frameworks. licensing, litigation and international cooperation in gaming regulation.

Renato Loiero

Budget Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Italy

Renato Loiero

Budget Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Italy

About the speaker

Renato Loiero, Parliamentary Advisor to the Senate of the Republic with 23 years of seniority, is currently Budget Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. He is a member of the technical committee for the implementation of the tax reform. During his service in the Senate, he was initially assigned to the Research Service (economic area), tasked with assisting Committees V (Budget and Economic Planning) and VI (Finance). He was then assigned to the Parliamentary Commissions Service, where he served as a member of the secretariat of Committees V (Budget) and VI (Finance). In the XV legislature, he also served as Head of the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Commission for the Supervision of the Tax Registry. In the XVI legislature, he was also responsible for the Secretariat of the Extraordinary Commission for Price Control. He was president of the Commission for the Quality Assurance of Statistical Information. He is the author of numerous monographs and articles on tax and financial matters. In the past, he also served at the Ministry of Economy and Finance - Lombardy Regional Directorate and as an officer of the Finance Police.

Stefano Menghinello

Head of Department for Economic and Environmental Statistics, National Accounts ISTAT

Stefano Menghinello

Head of Department for Economic and Environmental Statistics, National Accounts

About the speaker

Stefano Menghinello, Research Director, is currently the Head of Department for Economic and Environmental Statistics, National Accounts at ISTAT, the Italian NSO.  He a member of the Board  (ex Chair) of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Business and Trade Statistics (CEBTS) and, previously, Chair of the OECD Working Party on Industrial Globalization. He has conducted research in economic statistics, industrial, international, and regional economics. Contract professor at the Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering of the Sapienza University of Rome. He holds a PhD in industrial economics and internal business at the University of Birmingham (UK), he has published in national and international journals.

Dr Emanuele Canegrati

Economist, Member of Villa Vigoni

Dr Emanuele Canegrati

Economist, Member of Villa Vigoni

About the speaker

Dr. Emanuele Canegrati is an economist at the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers, focusing on Next Generation EU Fund. He is also a member of the Collegio degli Esperti at the National Council for Economics and Labour (CNEL). Dr. Canegrati holds a PhD in Public Economics and Finance from the Catholic University of Milan and was a Visiting Researcher at the London School of Economics. He is head of the Economic Department of the Scientific Council of Fondazione Magna Carta in Rome.

Antonio Barreca

Director General Federturismo Confindustria

Antonio Barreca

Director General

About the speaker

Since 2011, Antonio Barreca has served as Director General of Federturismo Confindustria, the Italian federation that brings together the entire national tourism industry, representing 23 trade associations. He graduated with honors in Political Science from Luiss Guido Carli, earned a PhD in Comparative Public Law at the University of Perugia (2008), and pursued advanced studies at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government (2013, 2015). Before his current role, he worked with the Department of Economic Affairs at the Italian Prime Minister’s Office, then spent 10 years in Brussels as Director of Federturismo’s European Affairs Office, engaging with institutions such as the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. An academic by vocation, he has taught for more than a decade at Luiss Guido Carli and Luiss Business School—where he also sits on the Scientific Committee of the Master in Tourism Management—as well as other universities. He has held institutional roles as Vice President of the UNI Tourism Commission and special delegate to ISO in Geneva, and served as Special Advisor on Tourism for the Sicilian Region. Currently, he is also Coordinator of the European network of Confindustria tourism federations, Director of AIDIT, and Vice President and co-founder of Turismi.ai. He speaks four languages fluently.

Giuseppe Roscioli

President Federalberghi - Rome

Giuseppe Roscioli

President

About the speaker

Ivan Filletti

CEO GamingMalta

Ivan Filletti

CEO

About the speaker

Ivan Filletti has served as CEO of the GamingMalta Foundation since 2016, leading efforts to position Malta as a global leader in the gaming sector. Established by the Government of Malta and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the Foundation under Ivan's guidance has significantly enhanced Malta's reputation as a jurisdiction for gaming innovation. In addition to his responsibilities as CEO, Ivan chairs the government-backed iGaming Council, where he continues to shape regulatory frameworks and advance Malta's prominence in global gaming.

Felice Mariani

Olympic Medalist & Former National Judo Coach of Italy

Felice Mariani

Olympic Medalist & Former National Judo Coach of Italy

About the speaker

Felice Mariani is a distinguished Italian sports professional, celebrated both as an elite judoka and as a leader in national and international sporting institutions. A bronze medalist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, he also earned three World Championship bronzes and three European Championship golds, alongside 11 Italian national titles. Transitioning from athlete to mentor, he has served as Technical Director of the Fiamme Gialle Judo team since 1990 and led the Italian National Judo Team across six Olympic Games, from Seoul to London. Beyond competitive achievements, Mariani served as a Member of the Italian Parliament from March 2018 to October 2022, furthering his commitment to the promotion of sport and social development. Currently collaborating with Sport e Salute, he advances grassroots initiatives nationwide. Recognized as Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana (1977), inducted into the Judo Hall of Fame (2018), and named Judo Ambassador (2019), he continues to inspire globally.

Fabio Massimo Splendore

Editor Corriere dello Sport – Stadio

Fabio Massimo Splendore

Editor

About the speaker

Gianfranco Coppola

President Unione Stampa Sportiva Italiana (USSI)

Gianfranco Coppola

President

About the speaker

Peter Mshikilwa

President Esports Federation of Tanzania

Peter Mshikilwa

President

About the speaker

Peter Mshikilwa is a seasoned lawyer with over 15 years of experience in tax law, investment advisory, and sports law. He is recognized for providing strategic legal counsel and tailored solutions to high-net-worth individuals, athletes, sports organizations, and investment firms. With deep expertise in tax regulations, securities laws, and the unique challenges of the sports industry, Peter delivers well-rounded advice that helps clients navigate complex financial landscapes, ensure compliance, and mitigate risks.

Demos Katsis

Deputy Mayor Limassol, Cyprus

Demos Katsis

Deputy Mayor

About the speaker

Demos Katsis, born in Limassol, Cyprus, is a founding partner of KATSIS LLC, a law firm with international reach. Formerly a partner at a global firm, he became Deputy Mayor of Limassol in July 2024. A respected law professor, Demos has also served as Cyprus's assistant National Rapporteur for key EU projects on unfair commercial practices and public document legislation, contributing to important legal reforms across Europe.

Kenneth Brincat

CEO Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA)

Kenneth Brincat

CEO

About the speaker

Kenneth Brincat is the CEO of the Malta Digital Innovation Authority. With 25 years of experience in management and digital transformation, Kenneth is spearheading MDIA 2.0: A driving force in Malta's digital landscape. He is catalysing the national agenda for responsible and human-centric development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the enabling of cybersecurity across industry. Under Kenneth's leadership the Authority adopted a collaborative approach enabling policymakers, industry experts and academia to synergise.

Ronni Hartvig

CCO Betsson Group

Ronni Hartvig

CCO

About the speaker

Ronni Hartvig is Chief Commercial Officer at Betsson Group, where he has been a driving force behind the company’s international growth and customer-centric strategy since 2015. Appointed CCO & CMO in 2018, he leads Betsson’s global commercial operations and marketing, delivering innovative, localised, and responsible entertainment experiences across multiple markets. With over 20 years in iGaming, technology, and consumer businesses, and a BSc in Economics, Business, and Administration from Copenhagen Business School, he brings expertise in CRM, data-driven marketing, and brand development. Under his leadership, Betsson has expanded its footprint in LatAm and Europe and strengthened its portfolio through high-profile sports partnerships. Ronni is committed to shaping the future of iGaming by positioning Betsson as a trusted entertainment brand with customer experience at its core.

Alexandre Tomic

Founder Alea

Alexandre Tomic

Founder

About the speaker

Alexandre Tomic is the founder of Alea.com, the multi-award winning company behind several successful B2C and B2B iGaming operations. He is well-known within the online gambling industry, having twenty years of experience in varying aspects ranging from affiliate network, casino operator and game aggregator. He is a biohacking enthusiast and is committed to promoting API governance by bringing best integration practices into the gambling industry.

Dmitry Starostenkov

CEO EvenBet Gaming

Dmitry Starostenkov

CEO

About the speaker

Dmitry Starostenkov is CEO of EvenBet Gaming, a leader in iGaming innovation and growth. With over 20 years in high-tech and IT, he has led EvenBet since 2004, specialising in poker software, market expansion and strategic management. As a startup founder and frequent speaker, Dmitry is a respected industry thought leader.

Ivan Montik

Founder SOFTSWISS

Ivan Montik

Founder

About the speaker

Ivan Montik is the founder of SOFTSWISS. The strongest supporter of cryptocurrency, Ivan empowered SOFTSWISS to become the first company to introduce Bitcoin into the online gambling industry in 2013. From its beginnings as a small outsourcing startup, SOFTSWISS has reached a global scale under Ivan's leadership. Now employing over 2,000 people worldwide and winning over 30 prestigious industry awards.

Richard Dennys

CEO Game Lounge

Richard Dennys

CEO

About the speaker

Richard Dennys is the CEO of Game Lounge, an SEO-driven iGaming affiliate company with 131 websites across 39 countries. With over two decades in digital and affiliate marketing, Richard is known for his transformative leadership at companies like PwC, Yell, BBC and Nokia. Since joining Game Lounge in 2024, he has revitalised company culture, emphasising autonomy, work-life balance and continuous learning. Under his leadership, Game Lounge is pioneering the future of iGaming affiliate marketing.

Stepan Dobrovolskiy

CEO BetBoom LATAM

Stepan Dobrovolskiy

CEO

About the speaker

Stepan Dobrovolskiy is the CEO at BetBoom LATAM. Stepan is the driving force behind BetBoom’s rapid expansion across Latin America, leading the brand’s focus on esports, entertainment, and innovative fan engagement to redefine online gaming for a new generation of players.

Franz Gerhart

CEO Vyking

Franz Gerhart

CEO

About the speaker

Simon Westbury

Strategic Advisor 1xbet

Simon Westbury

Strategic Advisor

About the speaker

Simon Westbury, is a leading figure in the iGaming industry with over 18 years of experience. Simon has worked at companies such as Amaya and Digitiain, where he gained a reputation for building high performing commercial teams which delivered record year on year growth. Most recently, Simon was CEO of Sport Generate before moving into his current role with 1xBet where he leads the company’s growth into more regulated markets. Known for his leadership qualities, Simon, leads by example, by empowering his teams to not only deliver but to grow as iGaming professionals. Most recently, Simon was CEO of Sport Generate before moving into his current role with 1xbet where he is tasked with leading the company’s growth into more regulated markets and challenging the status quo.

Alex Gitsik

CMO Soft2Bet

Alex Gitsik

CMO

About the speaker

Alex Gitsik is Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, where he leads global marketing strategy, brand growth and player engagement across regulated markets. With more than a decade of marketing leadership experience, he focuses on driving sustainable expansion through a strong performance marketing approach, including innovative and data driven campaigns. His leadership plays a key role in strengthening Soft2Bet's position as a leading iGaming operator.

Andrei Frimescu

Marketing Director Game World Romania

Andrei Frimescu

Marketing Director

About the speaker

Andrei Frimescu is the Marketing Director of Game World, one of the leaders of the Romanian gambling industry. With over thirty years of experience in casino management and marketing, Andrei has worked for live table game operations, poker tournaments, slot machine halls, sports betting shops, studio casino games, and, in recent years, online gambling. He is also an experienced trainer, public speaker and the author of the book "Casino Marketing Inspired by Music".

Bernhard Teuchmann

Managing Director of the Product and Technology Division Novomatic Spain

Bernhard Teuchmann

Managing Director of the Product and Technology Division

About the speaker

Bernhard Teuchmann joined the NOVOMATIC Group in 2008 and since 2012 works as Managing Director of the Product and Technology Division at NOVOMATIC Spain, the Spanish subsidiary of the Austrian gaming industry leader. Since 2015, Teuchmann also holds the presidency of Spanish manufacturers’ association Club de Convergentes, always supporting a transparent dialogue with the different regional gaming boards responsible for land-based gaming. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of EUROMAT since 2025.

Valentina Bagniya

CMO SOFTSWISS

Valentina Bagniya

CMO

About the speaker

Valentina Bagniya is an award-winning marketing leader with over 20 years of experience in driving brand transformation and business growth across international technology companies. Since joining SOFTSWISS in 2020 as Chief Marketing Officer, she has built the company’s marketing function from the ground up into a global team of over 70 professionals.

Marcel Tobler

CEO Swiss Casinos

Marcel Tobler

CEO

About the speaker

Marcel Tobler has been CEO of Swiss Casinos since January 2024, having previously joined Stadtcasino Baden Group as CFO and driving innovation by launching Switzerland's first legal online casino, jackpots.ch and investing in tech startup Gamanza to enhance iGaming capabilities. Marcel’s leadership shaped data-driven strategies, loyalty programs and notable offerings like Switzerland’s first regulated crash game. With 11 years at PwC Marcel is a seasoned leader in the gaming and entertainment industry.

John Hagan

Managing Partner Harris Hagan

John Hagan

Managing Partner

About the speaker

John Hagan is Managing Partner of Harris Hagan, specialising in all aspects of online and land-based gambling law, John is ranked in global directories and recognised as a “market leader in gaming law”. John has extensive gambling law, regulatory and licensing experience having advised major international clients on matters ranging from license applications, compliance investigations and license reviews to M&A related specialist gambling advice.

Belal Jassoma

Director of Ecosystems Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)

Belal Jassoma

Director of Ecosystems

About the speaker

Belal Jassoma is Director of Ecosystems at DMCC, the world’s leading business district and authority on international commodities trade and enterprise. Belal joined DMCC in 2011 and has been instrumental in scaling up DMCC’s ecosystems and commercial offering, including new products, services and member engagement programmes. In his current capacity as Director for Ecosystems, Belal is responsible for developing key strategic relationships, partnerships and product functions.

Dr Aftab Rizvi

CEO Gaming Associates

Dr Aftab Rizvi

CEO

About the speaker

Dr. Aftab Rizvi is an internationally recognised iGaming compliance and regulatory advisor with over 25 years of experience in iGaming compliance, audits, regulatory frameworks and cybersecurity. He is the founder of Gaming Associates, an internationally recognised, accredited test lab approved in over 55 jurisdictions. His expertise includes drafting technical requirements, compliance policies and implementing global standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS, GDPR, and NDB.

Sal Piacente

President UniverSal Game Protection Development, Inc.

Sal Piacente

President

About the speaker

Sal Piacente is a casino game protection expert and master showman with 40 years in the casino industry and 200 plus casino clients worldwide. He electrifies audiences by exposing the scams, cheats and cons that few ever see up close, blending insider knowledge with world class sleight of hand and riveting storytelling. A familiar face on television, Sal hosted the Travel Channel series Game On, America and appeared on Cheating Vegas and Casino Wars. His Vanity Fair YouTube feature has over 14 million views.

Alexey Chepkov

COO SOFTSWISS

Alexey Chepkov

COO

About the speaker

Alexey Chepkov is Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS. He is a C-level executive with over 10 years of experience leading high-impact operations across fintech, crypto-processing, iGaming, payments, and high-risk industries. He specialises in building scalable business infrastructures, driving strategic growth, and bringing operational clarity to fast-moving, high-stakes environments. Alexey has managed multi-country operations, billion-dollar P&Ls, and cross-functional teams, ensuring full compliance with EU and North American regulatory frameworks.

Kris Galloway

Head of iGaming Product Sumsub

Kris Galloway

Head of iGaming Product

About the speaker

Kris Galloway is head of iGaming Product at Sumsub, having spent over a decade with leading operators, he combines traditional casino solutions with pioneering trends to shape the industry's future. His expertise spans sports betting, skin gambling, neo casino games, KYC and anti-fraud, bridging gaming innovation with responsible and compliant player experiences.

Frank Cecchini

Head of Lottery Evoplay

Frank Cecchini

Head of Lottery

About the speaker

Francesco (Frank) Cecchini has a background in fintech, notably with Dimoco in Austria and is currently the Head of Lottery at Evoplay. With over 25 years of experience in the lottery and gaming industry, including leadership roles at Betware (later NOVOMATIC Lottery Solutions) and GTECH/IGT, he has developed strategies to innovate and disrupt the lottery technology market by addressing cost, speed and reliability challenges.

Rob Wheeler

Managing Director RBW Systems

Rob Wheeler

Managing Director

About the speaker

Rob Wheeler is a visionary systems leader with 25 years’ experience delivering cashless and machine/player management technologies to the land-based gaming industry. He is the Founder and Managing Director of RBW Systems, which provides a proven wide-area middleware solution securely connecting cashless payment platforms with thousands of gaming terminals across bars and restaurants throughout the UK.

Dmitry Lazarichev

Co-Founder Wirex

Dmitry Lazarichev

Co-Founder

About the speaker

Dmitry Lazarichev Co-founded Wirex in 2014 and has been an integral force in the rapid growth of the company. Dmitry also leads Finance, Risk, Compliance and Legal teams and is responsible for Corporate Strategy at Wirex. He is seen as a significant voice in the crypto and blockchain arena. He has 20 years’ worth of Financial experience and is a serial entrepreneur and he aims to provide everyone access to the most innovative financial services.

Xavier Gomez

Group COO Vancelian

Xavier Gomez

Group COO

About the speaker

Xavier Gomez is COO of Vancelian, specialising in investment solutions integrating traditional finance and blockchain. He is Founder of MUWPAY, a DeFi platform simplifying multi-token transfers, and Co-founder of INVYO, a data management start-up. Since 2024, he has been a Supervisory Board member at Banque Delubac & Cie, chairing the remuneration and nominations committee. He is also a global fintech speaker, investor, advisor and regular columnist on BFM Business TV.

Alex Konewko

Director & CEO Finductive

Alex Konewko

Director & CEO

About the speaker

Tony Ventura

Innovation and Technology Speaker

Tony Ventura

Innovation and Technology Speaker

About the speaker

Tony Ventura is a tech influencer, an international speaker and a dedicated technology researcher. He is known for his work in technology and innovation in Brazil, where he created the Digital Transformation course for the Ministry of Economy. He founded the largest digital tools community in Latin America, positively transforming thousands of lives through technology. In addition, Tony established the Brazil Startups association, supporting numerous startups with technology and investments.

Ron Segev

Founding Partner Segev LLP

Ron Segev

Founding Partner

About the speaker

Ron Segev is the Founding Partner of Segev LLP, a globally recognized business law firm specializing in gaming, betting, blockchain, and fintech. He advises clients at the intersection of gaming, digital assets, and financial innovation, guiding them through licensing, compliance, and regulatory challenges. Recognized by Chambers & Partners and Lexology as a leading Gaming and Betting Lawyer, Ron is a frequent speaker and contributor to major industry publications including iGaming Business, SBC Media, and American Gaming Lawyer.

Antonio Abdilla Zerafa

Project-Based Consultant International Betting Integrity Association

Antonio Abdilla Zerafa

Project-Based Consultant

About the speaker

Antonio Abdilla Zerafa has a strong background in gambling regulation, financial crime prevention and sports betting integrity. He spent over nine years at the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), where he led initiatives in AML, due diligence and sports betting integrity, serving as MLRO and Head of Financial Crime Compliance. He played a key role in establishing the Authority’s Sports Betting Integrity team and enhanced integrity programmes. He also represented the MGA and Malta at global industry events and senior committees.

Anton Golub

CBO Freedx

Anton Golub

CBO

About the speaker

Anton Golub is the Chief Business Officer of Freedx, a next generation centralised exchange for crypto newcomers and experienced traders. With 20 years experience in financial markets, his focus spans digital asset exchanges, market making, tokenisation of real-world assets and DAOs. He has held muliple C-level roles and board positions throughout his career.

Jonathan Low

Founder & CEO Biptap

Jonathan Low

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Jonathan Low, a visionary entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience, is transforming the global financial landscape as Founder and CEO of Biptap. By merging blockchain technology with traditional banking, he addresses challenges in payments, financial accessibility and privacy, creating innovative solutions that empower businesses and individuals.

Giovanni Cunti

CEO Europe Gate

Giovanni Cunti

CEO Europe

About the speaker

Giovanni Cunti has over 25 years of executive experience leading technology and financial services companies worldwide. Currently CEO Europe of Gate, an EU-regulated crypto exchange and part of Gate Group, he is responsible for strategy, expanding market presence and increasing revenues across Europe. Renowned for pioneering fintech services and blockchain projects, Giovanni possesses deep expertise in crypto, blockchain innovations and navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of the industry.

Matt Zarb-Cousin

Director Gamban

Matt Zarb-Cousin

Director

About the speaker

Matt Zarb-Cousin is a Co-Founder of Gamban, director of Clean Up Gambling and senior government affairs advisor to YieldSec. As spokesperson for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, he lobbied successfully for a reduction in the maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals from £100 to £2 a spin. The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has recently relaunched with a focus on policy reform in the US.

Mark Flores Martin

CEO XGENIA

Mark Flores Martin

CEO

About the speaker

Mark Flores Martin is CEO of XGENIA and a tech visionary, launching his first mobile game at the age of 25. With deep knowledge of both game development and AI, Mark has successfully positioned XGENIA at the forefront of an AI revolution in iGaming. His relentless pursuit of innovation ensures that XGENIA continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI-driven gaming.

David Mkrtchyan

SEO Team Lead VBET

David Mkrtchyan

SEO Team Lead

About the speaker

With 8 years of experience in the iGaming industry, covering product lifecycle from development to optimisation, David Mkrtchyan has built a solid understanding of what it takes to succeed in this competitive field. He believes SEO is about balancing traditional techniques with new trends to deliver long-term results. At VBET, a globally recognised betting and gaming platform powered by BetConstruct, he focuses on boosting brand visibility and engaging users through strategic SEO.

Renz Gonzales

Head of Business Development PropellerAds

Renz Gonzales

Head of Business Development

About the speaker

Renz is the Head of Business Development at PropellerAds, where he champions the belief that every brand can thrive with the right traffic source. With over a decade of experience in digital advertising, Renz has worked with hundreds of global brands, affiliates, and media buying agencies, helping them achieve measurable and sustainable growth through strategic campaign planning. He has also spoken at and hosted leading industry conferences worldwide, including Affiliate World Europe, SiGMA Conferences, and ABC, sharing insights on traffic acquisition, ad tech innovation, and performance marketing.

Dan Morrison

Director of New Business Fast Track

Dan Morrison

Director of New Business

About the speaker

Dan is a seasoned leader with over a decade of experience driving growth and innovation in the technology and gaming industries. Currently serving as the Director of New Business at Fast Track, Dan excels in building and nurturing client relationships, spearheading new initiatives, and driving revenue growth. Prior to his role at Fast Track, Dan held key positions within the industry, where he demonstrated his expertise in commercial strategy and leadership. With a track record of success, Dan brings a wealth of strategic vision and operational expertise.

Gil Solomon

Founder Gil Solomon & Co

Gil Solomon

Founder

About the speaker

Gil Solomon is the founder of Gil Solomon & Co., a boutique law firm ranked among Israel’s leading firms in M&A, high-tech and blockchain. He advises clients from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies on complex cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital investments, blockchain and cryptocurrency matters, and other emerging technology sectors. Gil is recognised as one of the youngest attorneys and managing partners in Israel to be ranked by major legal directories.

Angelo Dalli

CSO & CTO Umnai

Angelo Dalli

CSO & CTO

About the speaker

As Umnai’s Chief Executive Officer, Angelo Dalli is responsible for leading the company’s commercial, product and technology strategy. Angelo has published over 23 scientific publications in Europe and the US and has over twenty years of experience in various executive positions in technology, entertainment and fintech companies. As a serial entrepreneur, Angelo was involved in four IPOs and invested in more than 40 successful companies.

Karl Schranz

CEO E&S Group

Karl Schranz

CEO

About the speaker

Karl Schranz is the CEO and co-founder of E&S Group, a multidisciplinary advisory firm in Malta. Over more than 15 years, he has overseen complex cross-border projects, guided leading enterprises through regulatory challenges and positioned the firm at the forefront of innovation. Karl has also spearheaded the development of MAIA, a structured logic AI platform designed to transform business operations. His leadership combines strategic insight with a commitment to technology-driven solutions.

Armin Aganovic

COO & CRO Joelsson Media Group | Aboutslots.com & CasinoDaddy

Armin Aganovic

COO & CRO

About the speaker

Armin Aganovic is overseeing operations, revenue, and strategic partnerships across Aboutslots.com and CasinoDaddy.com. With extensive experience in live streaming, SEO, and affiliate collaboration, he works closely with over 300 partners and manages more than 900 products. Armin specializes in optimizing player acquisition, boosting retention, and enhancing brand awareness in the competitive online gaming landscape.

Heathcliff Farrugia

COO SiGMA Group

Heathcliff Farrugia

COO

About the speaker

Artem Bychkov

Deputy CSO SOFTSWISS

Artem Bychkov

Deputy CSO

About the speaker

Artem Bychkov is a Deputy CSO at SOFTSWISS. He has led end-to-end product security programmes for several major financial and tech companies, focusing on every aspect of the process. With nearly 20 years of experience in the field, he has run a consulting practice and is skilled in both offensive and defensive cybersecurity. He is currently leading the product security programme at SOFTSWISS.

Dmytro Sorysh

Head of AI products, AI Domain Product Officer RedCore

Dmytro Sorysh

Head of AI products, AI Domain Product Officer

About the speaker

Pierre Lindh

Co-Founder & Managing Director NEXT.io

Pierre Lindh

Co-Founder & Managing Director

About the speaker

Fabrizio Veltre Stolfi

Head of Gaming Operations Italy Evoke

Fabrizio Veltre Stolfi

Head of Gaming Operations Italy

About the speaker

Fabrizo Veltre Stolfi is Head of Gaming Operations at Evoke, overseeing the Italian market for brands like 888, William Hill and Mr Green. With experience at Games Global, Betsson, Dafabet and Condere, he specialises in product innovation, content strategy and customer engagment across B2B and B2C. Backed by an MBA and BSc, Fabrizio combines commerical focus with tech insight to drive results and deliver market-leading gaming experiences.

Danylo Diachenko

CBDO Traffic Devils

Danylo Diachenko

CBDO

About the speaker

Danny Diachenko is CBDO at Traffic Devils, leading global partnerships and business development. Since joining in 2022, he has driven growth by building a network of 800+ partners and diversifying traffic sources. With strong affiliate marketing expertise, Danny focuses on optimising campaigns, expanding global reach and fostering industry innovation.

Reuben Portanier

Partner GTG 

Reuben Portanier

Partner

About the speaker

Reuben Portanier is a seasoned C-Level professional with extensive regulatory and executive management experience across consulting, technology, fintech and gaming. At GTG, he leads Regulated Business Advisory, Business Consulting, Mergers & Acquisitions and Compliance Consulting, while also specialising in ESG and licensing support. He previously served as CEO of the Malta Gaming Authority and as a Board Trustee of the International Association of Gaming Regulators. Reuben has advised the Government of Malta on gaming policy and European regulatory affairs.

Tatyana Kaminskaya

Head of Game Aggregator SOFTSWISS

Tatyana Kaminskaya

Head of Game Aggregator

About the speaker

Tatyana Kaminskaya is the Head of Game Aggregator at SOFTSWISS, with nearly a decade of experience in iGaming. Since joining the company in 2016, she has advanced from Account Manager to leading one of SOFTSWISS’ flagship products. Under her leadership, the Game Aggregator has become an award-winning solution, recognised by SiGMA Europe Awards 2023, EGR B2B Awards and others. Tatyana’s expertise and strategic vision have positioned the Game Aggregator as one of the strongest products in the global iGaming market.

Clemence Dujardin

Group CEO MyAffiliates

Clemence Dujardin

Group CEO

About the speaker

Clemence Dujardin is Group CEO at MyAffiliates where she is responsible for driving growth and strategic development. Her exceptional leadership and contributions have been recognised with prestigious awards, including Malta’s Best Gaming Woman Leader of the Year in 2018 and 2019 and SiGMA’s CEO Woman of the Year in 2021. Her influence in the industry was further solidified in 2023 when she was honoured by iGB, securing a spot among the Top 10 Most Influential Women in the iGaming industry.

Miranda Guliashvili

Head of Regional Growth SOFTSWISS

Miranda Guliashvili

Head of Regional Growth

About the speaker

Miranda Guliashvili is the Head of Regional Growth at SOFTSWISS, leading expansion across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. She has built international teams, driven market entry strategies, and led complex negotiations with operators and aggregators. Her focus is on forging new partnerships and delivering sustainable growth in both regulated and emerging markets.

Sergey Kastukevich

CTO SOFTSWISS

Sergey Kastukevich

CTO

About the speaker

Sergey Kastukevich is Deputy CTO at SOFTSWISS. He is a technology leader with a strong background in enterprise development across desktop, web, and mobile domains. With a result-oriented mindset and commitment to delivering high-quality management services, he focuses on creating value for customers, teams, and shareholders.

Yancy Naughton

Founder Has Traffic

Yancy Naughton

Founder

About the speaker

Bill Pascrell, III

Partner Princeton Public Affairs Group

Bill Pascrell, III

Partner

About the speaker

William J. Pascrell III is a partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group with decades of experience in state, federal and international public affairs. A leading expert in internet gaming, sports betting and lottery, he was instrumental in the repeal of PASPA and the passage of New Jersey's Online Gaming Act. Bill advises governments globally on gaming policy and has driven major wins for clients across gaming, cannabis and other regulated sectors.

Torben Friis

Managing Director Match Liquidity DMCC

Torben Friis

Managing Director

About the speaker

Torben Friis is the Managing Director in charge of global distribution at Match Liquidity DMCC. Match is a leading market maker for financial institutions and wholesale clients seeking access to institutional liquidity across capital markets. Torben is a Danish national having started his financial career at Saxo Bank moving on to Asset Management in Switzerland and setting up IG.com in Europe and leading the expansion of activtrades.com to mention a few. Areas of interest are digital assets including central bank digital currencies and what will be the next step for the financial industry as a whole.

Michael Mallia

Head of the Malta Police Liaison Office Europol in The Hague

Michael Mallia

Head of the Malta Police Liaison Office

About the speaker

Michael Mallia heads the Malta Police Liaison Office at Europol in The Hague, serving as national lead for cross-border organised and financial crime investigations. He has led complex international cases into organised, financial and economic crime. At Europol, he has strengthened public-private partnerships and directed multi-agency operations countering online fraud, cyber-attacks and virtual currency misuse. His expertise is in intelligence-led disruption of crime spans to cybercrime prevention, AML enforcement and asset recovery.

Pankhuri Bansal

Blockchain Expert United Nations

Pankhuri Bansal

Blockchain Expert

About the speaker

Pankhuri is an appointed AI and Blockchain expert with the United Nations and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). She is the founder of Blockom Consulting and brings over 13 years of fintech experience in consulting, advising start-ups, and developing technological solutions on a global scale. Her expertise spans blockchain in supply chain, payment solutions, and the integration of AI with blockchain. She is ex-JP Morgan, Onyx, where she played an integral role in developing the bank’s crypto solutions. She has authored several research papers for the United Nations and contributed published standards with ISO on use cases and challenges within the blockchain, AI, and IoT industries. Her academic background includes a triple Master’s degree in Internet of Things & Entrepreneurship from City University, UK; a Postgraduate qualification in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning from the University of Texas, Austin; an MSc in Economics & Finance from the University of Warwick, UK; and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics & Finance from the London School of Economics, UK.

Vladimir Malakchi

CEO & Managing Partner Xanada Investments

Vladimir Malakchi

CEO & Managing Partner

About the speaker

Vladimir Malakchi is a strategic investor and scaling specialist with 10+ years’ experience accelerating iGaming businesses to top-tier performance. Named Speaker of the Year, Influencer of the Year and a leading LinkedIn voice, he has guided clients to over 300 industry awards. A respected judge and keynote contributor at international gambling conferences, he founded Xanada Investments in 2024 to finance and unite visionary iGaming projects within a collaborative ecosystem.

Meryem Habibi

CRO Bitpace

Meryem Habibi

CRO

About the speaker

Meryem Habibi is the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Bitpace, a leading global crypto payment gateway. With a distinguished career spanning sales, marketing and strategic partnerships across five diverse industries. Her professional journey includes pivotal leadership positions at industry giants such as Samsung and Diebold Nixdorf, where she spearheaded strategic development, expansion into emerging markets and revenue diversification. At Bitpace, Meryem is dedicated to advancing user-friendly, cutting-edge solutions in the fast-paced fintech sector.

Gor Chatyan

Deputy CMO SoftConstruct

Gor Chatyan

Deputy CMO

About the speaker

Gor Chatyan is a results-driven business development and marketing expert with over 10 years of experience in the Marketing, iGaming, and B2B sectors. Specializing in creating and executing strategic marketing plans, he has a proven track record of managing global product portfolios and driving significant business growth. His expertise spans market research, digital marketing, affiliate marketing, and customer engagement. Gor is highly adept at leveraging data analytics to inform strategy and optimize performance, ensuring alignment with business goals and KPIs. A visionary leader, Gor is committed to delivering innovative solutions that propel businesses forward in competitive markets.

Brendon Spiteri

Head of Commercial Routy

Brendon Spiteri

Head of Commercial

About the speaker

An experienced digital marketer with seven years of expertise in the iGaming industry, specialising in affiliate marketing. Passionate about digital marketing and committed to self development, always seeking new opportunities to expand skills and stay ahead of industry trends. The approach is data driven and commercially focused, delivering measurable results while driving growth. Values collaboration with colleagues and external partners, having built a strong network within the affiliate and iGaming sectors.

Nataliia Lavruk

Head of Affiliates Melbet

Nataliia Lavruk

Head of Affiliates

About the speaker

Nataliia Lavruk is Head of Affiliates at Melbet, leading affiliate traffic acquisition with a particular focus on the LATAM region. With over seven years in iGaming affiliate marketing, she has developed deep expertise across emerging markets including LATAM, SEA, MENA, and Africa, which are rapidly becoming global iGaming hubs. She has successfully managed market entry strategies from the ground up, combining her experience as both affiliate and brand manager to ensure programs are effectively represented at major online and offline iGaming events worldwide. Her local market insights allow her to identify key trends and create affiliate-friendly environments that drive sustainable growth. A skilled negotiator and dedicated professional, Nataliia has built a robust global network of partners, particularly within less regulated markets. Passionate about collaboration, she consistently supports affiliates with actionable market intelligence, relevant traffic sources, and tailored messaging to maximise player acquisition.

Mariusz Gasiewski

CEE Mobile Gaming & Apps Lead Google

Mariusz Gasiewski

CEE Mobile Gaming & Apps Lead

About the speaker

With Google since 2007, Mariusz Gasiewski is a leading expert in the gaming, iGaming, and app sectors across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). He partners with the region's top companies, leveraging unique data to uncover critical trends in app categories and user behavior. Mariusz spearheads key initiatives that accelerate the growth of the mobile ecosystem in CEE and has guided many of Google's largest clients in developing and executing winning mobile strategies. A recognized thought leader, he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and the founder of GameCamp (www.gamecamp.io), a premier European community for mobile gaming and app professionals. He also leads an angel investment community, bringing together specialists in gaming, apps, AI, and the Cloud from over 15 countries.

Ana Schulz

COO FinchPay

Ana Schulz

COO

About the speaker

Ana Schulz has been a crypto enthusiast for over seven years. In 2018, she played a pivotal role in developing an instant crypto exchange from the ground up as a Project Manager. For three years of her career, Ana managed an acquisition team at a well-known Сasino brand, overcoming challenges of traditional payment methods unavailability in various markets and regulatory areas. This background helps her to excel at FinchPay, a fintech project that develops cost-efficient, accessible and high-converting crypto payment solutions for high-risk businesses.

Tim French

Commercial Manager Greco

Tim French

Commercial Manager

About the speaker

Having worked across various facets of the B2B supply chain, Tim has been instrumental in fostering partnerships, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiencies that drive value for stakeholders in the gaming ecosystem. Currently, Tim is a key team member at Greco, the industry's first gameplay risk engine. Greco focuses on the detection and prevention of bonus abuse occurring in real time, ensuring a safer and fairer gaming environment.

Leonid Pudov

CEO mr.Booster Agency

Leonid Pudov

CEO

About the speaker

Leonid Pudov is the CEO of mr.Booster Agency, a fast-growing full-cycle marketing agency. With 10 years of experience in marketing, he has worked across key industries such as iGaming, fintech, and sports betting. Throughout his career, Leonid has launched full-scale 360° campaigns, mastered retargeting strategies, led brand awareness initiatives, and built strong expertise in media buying. Currently, Leonid is expanding into the AdTech sector, developing innovative solutions to enhance marketing strategies in this rapidly evolving industry.

Dr Kyle Scerri

Senior Manager – Legal CSB International

Dr Kyle Scerri

Senior Manager – Legal

About the speaker

Dr Kyle Scerri joined CSB Group in November 2020. His role initially focused on managing the Gaming and Fintech sectors within the organisation. In July 2024, he advanced to the position of Senior Manager within the Legal department. Kyle read law at the University of Malta whereby he was conferred a Bachelor of Laws degree and progressed to achieve a Doctor of Laws degree in 2017. He went on to further his studies at the University of London and has been conferred the degree of Master of Laws in Banking and Finance Law. Throughout his career, Kyle has assumed different positions at companies in the financial auditing and advisory space. Prior to joining CSB, he also formed part of a blockchain advisory firm and a locally based law firm. Throughout his career, his main fields of specialisation have always been financial services, capital markets and remote gambling, advising a range of enterprises and promoters in each relevant space along the way.

Anna Badaeva

Group DPO & Security Expert Tonybet

Anna Badaeva

Group DPO & Security Expert

About the speaker

Anna Badaeva joined Tonybet in June 2025 as a Group DPO & Security Expert, where she focuses on bolstering the company’s privacy and cybersecurity compliance framework in a highly regulated environment. In her dual role at Tonybet, she's responsible for guiding the strategic direction of data privacy and ensuring the operational security of player information. Anna’s expertise lies in developing and implementing robust cybersecurity frameworks that comply with global regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, while also enabling innovative business growth. She is passionate about integrating a privacy-by-design approach into all aspects of the business. Anna regularly shares insights on achieving the critical balance among security, compliance, and the player experience.

David Arutinyan

Head of Affiliates 1xSlots Partners

David Arutinyan

Head of Affiliates

About the speaker

David Arutinyan is an experienced Head of Affiliates specialising in the gambling and casino industry, currently leading the affiliate programme at 1xSlots Partners. With a strong background in digital marketing, partnership development and business strategy, he has contributed to the growth of iGaming brands and overseen international affiliate operations across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Fluent in Armenian, Georgian, Russian and English, David excels in building long term relationships and driving innovation within the affiliate sector.

Mike Danshin

CMO 1w Crypto

Mike Danshin

CMO

About the speaker

Mike Danshin is the CMO of 1w Crypto, the Web3 division of the global iGaming brand 1win. He leads crypto influencer campaigns and media buying for 1win Token. Mike has extensive experience in online betting, land-based casinos, and crypto marketing. He’s also the voice behind his Telegram channel. Currently, he’s focused on positioning 1win as a leading crypto casino brand across global markets.

Oliver De Bono

CEO Quantum Gaming

Oliver De Bono

CEO

About the speaker

With 20 years of experience in tech, gaming and team building, Oliver De Bono has led sportsbook operations, content strategy and complex platform development. He has led global commercial growth, raised funds and built recruitment and tech teams across startups and scale-ups. Deeply passionate about tech, gaming and crypto, Oliver now heads Quantum Gaming, an iGaming platform provider focused on scalable solutions for both emerging and established brands.

Keith Zammit

CEO Elevate AI

Keith Zammit

CEO

About the speaker

Keith Zammit is a seasoned startup and AI strategist, spearheading innovation at the intersection of iGaming, artificial intelligence, and game development. Based in Gozo, he leads Elevate AI, the leading global AI and iGaming Accelerator Program.

Prof. Massimo di Giannantonio

Healthcare Expert

Prof. Massimo di Giannantonio

Healthcare Expert

About the speaker

Christian Gruber

COO Merkur Sportsbetting GmbH

Christian Gruber

COO

About the speaker

Christian Gruber is a graduate lawyer and Germanist with 15 years in marketing and communications for various Bundesliga clubs before taking over as Managing Director of Tipico, responsible for business in Germany, Austria, Belgium and Denmark. This was followed by positions as Managing Director and Country Manager at Sport1, Mr Green, William Hill and the Stadt Casino Baden Group. Since the beginning of 2025, he serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Merkur Group's German sports betting division.

Josefin Uppeke

Senior Product Owner Wicked Games

Josefin Uppeke

Senior Product Owner

About the speaker

Josefin Uppeke has been in game production since 2016 and has worked across multiple studios and countries, leading projects from concept to launch. She is now Senior Product Owner at Wicked Games, creating bold, edgy titles alongside modern twists on the classics. Naturally outgoing and collaborative, she brings teams together and keeps the creative flow moving in the right direction. What drives her is building experiences that connect with players, games that stand out, surprise people and have that spark of rebellion and purpose.

Dr. Sara Al Madani

The Emirati Entrepreneur

Dr. Sara Al Madani

The Emirati Entrepreneur

About the speaker

Sara Al Madani, widely known as Dr. Sara Al Madani, is a renowned entrepreneur, fashion designer, restaurateur and tech-preneur. She had the vision to launch her first business at the age of 15, demonstrating determination from an early age. Over the years, she has built a diverse portfolio across multiple industries, establishing herself as a pioneering businesswoman and influential voice in the entrepreneurial landscape. Sara Al Madani is the originator of the viral philosophy 'Job Your Love' - a call to build your life around what truly ignites you, transforming passion into purpose, work into freedom, and success into authentic impact.

Alessandro Ciacchini

Director KEO WORLD

Alessandro Ciacchini

Director

About the speaker

Alessandro Ciacchini, born in Florence, is an international entrepreneur and strategic advisor with extensive experience in finance, technology, and global business development. After co-founding a commodities brokerage firm early in his career, he expanded into international trading, fashion retail partnerships, and investment ventures across Europe and beyond. Since 2006, he has focused on consulting and investment through the Trustfin Group and subsequent ventures, supporting companies worldwide in growth, fundraising, and strategic positioning. He has played a key role in fintech and technology projects, including Keo World and Mo Technologies, and served as Senior Advisor to the Board of Rama Vision Investments in Dubai. He is also a Board Member of Bloom, a Colombian company active in the equity crowdfunding sector, and Board Advisor of Mobile Streams PLC, a gaming and e-sports company listed on the AIM market in London. In addition to direct investment and advisory roles, Alessandro has contributed to educational and institutional initiatives, serving on the Advisory Board of Woodfield Christian University where he lectures on Fintech Management. He is also Vice President of the ""Alimentando un Niño"" Foundation, dedicated to improving the nutrition of disadvantaged children. With decades of experience across finance, fintech, and international markets, Alessandro Ciacchini brings a global vision and hands-on expertise to businesses and institutions seeking sustainable growth and innovation.

Aurelien Alexandre

Solutions Architect Incode

Aurelien Alexandre

Solutions Architect

About the speaker

Aurelien Alexandre, Product & Customer Strategy at Incode Technologies, help business in using AI-powered biometric identity solutions to optimise identity verification and prevent fraud. He hold a degree from the University of Southern California and has given several talks on Deepfake technology.

Emiliano Sanchez

CCO Mancala Gaming

Emiliano Sanchez

CCO

About the speaker

Vlad Bondarenko

Head of Product ReferOn

Vlad Bondarenko

Head of Product

About the speaker

Vladyslav Bondarenko leads product development at ReferOn, a next-generation affiliate marketing platform. A major focus for him is automating affiliate program management to minimise manual work and unlock operational scaling. With a background in data-driven product design, Vladyslav has built systems where "laziness" is a feature, not a bug — every process is optimised for speed, simplicity and bulk actions without compromising security or transparency. He believes eliminating unnecessary effort is the fastest path to better results.

Geronimo Cardia

Founder Studio Cardia

Geronimo Cardia

Founder

About the speaker

Fiorentina D'Amore

CEO Malta & Senior Director of Business Operations (EU) Blockchain.com

Fiorentina D'Amore

CEO Malta & Senior Director of Business Operations (EU)

About the speaker

Fiorentina is a seasoned fintech leader with over 25 years of experience spanning Malta's largest banks, top fintech startups and global crypto businesses. She has held senior roles at industry leaders including eToro and Bitpanda, and today serves as CEO of Blockchain.com in Malta, leading their European operations. Fiorentina also chairs FIMA (the Financial Institutions Malta Association). Specialising in innovation, operational risk, compliance and strategy, she combines regulatory expertise with a drive for growth. She holds a Master's in Technology and Innovation Management.

Fabrizio Bergamaschi

SVP Gaming Global Multichannel Nuvei

Fabrizio Bergamaschi

SVP Gaming Global Multichannel

About the speaker

Fabrizio is the Senior Vice President Multichannel for Nuvei, a leading payment company in the iGaming industry. With over 20 years of experience in payments, Fabrizio is specialised in payment solutions for the gambling sector in Italy and international markets. His expertise includes navigating regulatory complexities, optimising payment processes, and ensuring seamless transactions in highly regulated environments.

Adam Mateja

Co-Founder & CEO Blurify

Adam Mateja

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Adam Mateja is CEO and Co-founder of Blurify, a company specialising in building secure and reliable tech products with a strong focus on the iGaming industry. With over a decade of experience in IT and a track record of delivering more than 100 successful projects, Adam has extensive expertise in strategic advisory roles maximising client success. His specialisation lies in providing tailored software solutions for casino operators, sportsbook providers and game developers, ensuring seamless user experiences and efficient business operations.

Sofia Maria Cucciniello

Head of Legal & Compliance Blockchain.com

Sofia Maria Cucciniello

Head of Legal & Compliance

About the speaker

Domenico Vacchiano

Co-Founder & CTO SlotMatic

Domenico Vacchiano

Co-Founder & CTO

About the speaker

Francesco Maietich

Creative Lead Cozmoplay

Francesco Maietich

Creative Lead

About the speaker

Francesco Maietich is Creative Lead at Cozmo Play, where he drives the vision and development of innovative slot games. Beginning his career as a concept artist, he has carried a strong artistic foundation into the digital entertainment world. A lifelong enthusiast and researcher of video games, cinema and digital culture, Francesco draws on a broad range of influences to create immersive, story driven content. His approach emphasises atmosphere and originality, ensuring each project stands apart in both design and feel.

Ian Sherrington

CEO Crownstar

Ian Sherrington

CEO

About the speaker

Ian Sherrington is a technology professional and writer with a strong background in software development, online gaming and emerging technologies. He is credited with creating the world's first online sportsbook, a landmark achievement that helped lay the foundation for one of the internet's most notable industries. Over the years, Ian has worked across diverse areas of digital innovation, from building web applications to exploring blockchain, artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. Based in the Netherlands, he is an everyday cyclist.

Dr Andreas Ditsche

CEO iGaming.com Group GmbH

Dr Andreas Ditsche

CEO

About the speaker

Dr. Andreas Ditsche is CEO of iGaming.com Group GmbH, a leading global affiliate company in the regulated online gambling industry. With a dual background in management academia and executive leadership, he brings a unique perspective to the intersection of ethics, digital innovation and regulated markets. As a university professor, Dr. Ditsche lectures on innovation management, entrepreneurship and business ethics, focusing on responsible leadership in complex environments. He is a vocal advocate for player protection and sustainable industry practices.

James Spiteri Staines

Director Beacon Finance

James Spiteri Staines

Director

About the speaker

James Spiteri Staines began his career in the financial sector at 19 with a Big 4 audit firm, qualifying as an ACCA in 2014 and obtaining audit and accounting warrants. He later joined a major CSP, expanding his accounting expertise with national and international clients. In 2018 he became a sole practitioner providing audit and accounting services, before co-founding Beacon Finance Ltd in 2020, where he now serves as Accounts and Payroll Director.

Maurizio Soccodato

Founder & CEO Global Lab

Maurizio Soccodato

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Maurizio Soccodato is an Italian entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in technology and gaming. He is the CEO and founder of Global Lab Ltd, a leading international testing laboratory with offices in Malta, Romania, South Afria and Brazil. Known for his focus on quality, innovation and client growth, Maurizio has driven global expansion and aims to make certifications more transparent and accessible across the gaming industry.

Wojtek Sznapka

Co-Founder & CEO Gamblitude.ai

Wojtek Sznapka

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Wojtek Sznapka is CEO and Co-Founder of Gamblitude, bringing two decades of tech experience, including 11 years in iGaming, to his leadership role. His passion lies in solving complex industry problems using Big Data and AI. After 11 years working on the operator side, he co-founded Gamblitude to solve the iGaming industry's common data analytics problem by democratising data and using cutting edge cloud technologies and AI. Previously, as CTO at STS Gaming Group, he developed expertise in Data Warehouse design and scalable microservice systems.

Nathalie Oestmann

Partner Mangosteen Advisory

Nathalie Oestmann

Partner

About the speaker

Nathalie Oestmann is a seasoned scale-up operations executive and LinkedIn Top Voice with deep expertise in Fintech, Payments, and Web3. An experienced operator and investor, she has served as COO at Outlier Ventures, a leading Web3 accelerator and at Curve OS, a payments wallet fintech. Previously, she was GM of Samsung Pay Europe, launching its mobile payments solution across the continent. Nathalie is currently a Partner at Mangosteen Advisory, supporting VC- and PE-backed startups in achieving their scaling goals.

Giulio Coraggio

Partner DLA Piper Partner

Giulio Coraggio

Partner

About the speaker

Giulio Coraggio is Partner and Head of the Intellectual Property & Technology department in Italy, as well as Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Gaming & Gambling group. Dual-qualified in Italy and in England and Wales, he has over 20 years of experience advising multinational companies on IT, eCommerce, data protection, cybersecurity, and gaming and gambling matters. Giulio is recognized for his problem-solving approach, with notable expertise in data compliance, cyberattacks, international technology agreements, and emerging areas such as AI, NFTs, the metaverse, and cryptocurrency.

Keith Geary

Director of Casino Game Lounge

Keith Geary

Director of Casino

About the speaker

Keith Geary is Director of Casino at Game Lounge, a seasoned casino and affiliate leader with deep expertise in the global gaming industry. With over 15 years of experience, he has driven acquisition, product development and CRM strategies for major gaming brands, including Playtech, Camelot and Game Lounge. Keith specialises in using market data, UX/UI optimisation and AI driven solutions to maximise player conversion and engagement. His strategic vision has consistently delivered measurable growth.

Giusy Campo

Business Development Director Groovetech

Giusy Campo

Business Development Director

About the speaker

Giusy Campo is driving global client growth and expanding market reach. With seven years at GLI Gaming Labs, she brings deep expertise in compliance and regulations across multiple regulated markets, coupled with strong skills in sales, customer engagement, and relationship-building. Originally from Italy and now based in Dubai, Giusy holds a degree in Clinical Psychology, which enhances her ability to connect with clients and deliver tailored solutions. She began her iGaming career at age 20 with an Italian online casino and later Snai, gaining extensive industry insights that inform her strategic approach today.

Tamas Kusztos

СCО Playson

Tamas Kusztos

СCО

About the speaker

Tamas Kusztos is responsible for overseeing Playson’s commercial strategy. With over a decade of iGaming experience, Kusztoz supports the company’s ambitious growth expansion with his versatile expertise and diverse leadership skills. An expert in commercial development and strategy, he plays a crucial role by setting data-driven goals for the company and delivering strong results that reinforce Playson’s presence in more than 25 regulated markets.

Mauro Miceli

Director of Operations Betstarters

Mauro Miceli

Director of Operations

About the speaker

Tamara Novitović

Head of SEO Bazoom Group

Tamara Novitović

Head of SEO

About the speaker

Tamara Novitović is Head of SEO at Bazoom Group, a global media marketplace for operators and affiliates. She helps new brands, enterprise operators and affiliates scale traffic and visibility through advanced link-building, local SEO and strategies that strengthen brand presence and AI search. An experienced industry speaker at events like BrightonSEO and SiGMA, Tamara shares insights on building authority, adapting to search changes and driving sustainable growth in the iGaming space.

Yaroslav Babych

CCO ZM Team

Yaroslav Babych

CCO

About the speaker

Yaroslav Babych is the CCO of ZM, iGaming media group. He has over 3 years of experience in traffic monetisation and apps rental service management. He has built a powerful team of BDMs, Account and Sales managers and optimised the work of the commercial department. Led by Yaroslav, the commercial department successfully covers all the requests of 100+ Media buyers and collaborates with more than 500 direct advertisers, resulting in monthly profits of millions of dollars.

Jaguar-Adva Gal

CEO Jaguar Reg&Comp

Jaguar-Adva Gal

CEO

About the speaker

Jaguar Adva Gal, Adv. CPA, CEO of Jaguar Lawyers, has many years experience managing international strategic investments in startups, wide-ranging investment and portfolio management for the world's largest venture capital fund: Intel Capital. Jaguar Lawyers Firm leads international business law consulting, including building companies contractual structure, international licensing, regulatory compliance, and court litigation, as well as legal financial arbitration.

Cal Evans

Managing Associate Gresham International

Cal Evans

Managing Associate

About the speaker

Cal Evans is a multi-award winning Digital Asset lawyer at Gresham International, with extensive experience advising some of the biggest names in Crypto, NFTs, the Mataverse and Web3. A proud tech enthusiast and owner of patented crypto technology, he is a strong advocate for Digital Asset adoption. Named by Monaco Voice's 40 under 40, Evans has been featured in major media outlets including CNBC, Forbes, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Cointelegraph, EasyJet Magazine and more.

Mark Curmi

Non-Executive Director Sparkasse Bank Malta

Mark Curmi

Non-Executive Director

About the speaker

Mark Curmi is an established financial services professional with over 20 years experience in financial services through various roles at International Credit Institutions, BIG 4 Advisory Firm and Fintech outfits. He is currently the CEO and Executive at Trumia Ltd and member of the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners (ISFP) in Malta, the Malta Chamber of Commerce and the SME Chamber. Prior to joining Trumia Ltd, Mr. Curmi was heavily involved in the establishment of fintech outfit Andaria Financial Services Ltd, an EMI/ASPSP based in Malta and the UK.

Stefan Lavén

Founder Data Talks

Stefan Lavén

Founder

About the speaker

Stefan Lavén is the Founder of Data Talks, the leading Sports Customer Data Platform helping clubs, leagues and federations monetise supporter data. With over 25 years of experience scaling tech companies, Stefan has a proven track record of growing organisations from startup stage to €100M+ in revenue while maintaining a startup mindset. Under his leadership, Data Talks has become a trusted partner for sports organisations across Europe and beyond.

Franco Bompani

Chairman Eidos Consulting Srl

Franco Bompani

Chairman

About the speaker

Emir Bursa

Founder & CEO Delta3 Technologies

Emir Bursa

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Emir Bursa is the Founder of Delta3, a UK-based Web3 software company redefining how organisations monetise and engage audiences. With expertise in sports business, blockchain technology and digital memberships, his company creates subscription-based programs that empower sports and esports clubs to connect with global fans and generate new revenue streams. Guided by FanOS principals, Bursa blends innovation with his passion for sports. As a former athlete, he is committed to advancing the sports industry as a whole.

Giuseppe Donato

Country Director - Italy Kiron Interactive

Giuseppe Donato

Country Director - Italy

About the speaker

Giuseppe Donato leads Kiron Interactive’s Italian operations, driving strategic growth in a key gaming market. As Country Manager, he oversees product positioning, commercial development, regulatory strategy and go-to-market planning, while managing compliance with ADM. With 15+ years in iGaming at WeAreCasino, Mr Green, Mybet and Wirex, he has launched platforms, integrated providers and expanded into regulated territories. Fluent in Italian and English, Giuseppe combines commercial insight with technical expertise to build trusted partnerships and deliver sustainable performance.

Christopher Wilson

Founder Radom

Christopher Wilson

Founder

About the speaker

Christopher Wilson is Founder of Radom.com, with a background in engineering and large-scale technology projects. Wilson bridges technical and regulatory discussions, from MiCA and compliance frameworks to stablecoins, virtual banking and alternative payment methods. He has also advised the UK Parliament on blockchain and financial innovation. Wilson has spoken at global industry events such as AVN Expo, Zebu Live and ETHDenver, sharing insights on how crypto and payments innovation are reshaping financial ecosystems.

Olesea Naidion

Brand Manager Nightrush

Olesea Naidion

Brand Manager

About the speaker

Olesea Naidion is a marketing expert with over 12 years of experience, currently leading the brand strategy at Nightrush in the iGaming industry. Her career spans various sectors, with a focus on digital marketing, brand positioning, user acquisition and player retention. She specialises in developing creative and data driven marketing campaigns that strengthen brand presence, boost engagement and deliver measurable results. As Brand Manager at Nightrush, she leads brand strategy, ensuring it remains relevant and impactful.

Michael Cutajar

Founder & CEO Klassifi

Michael Cutajar

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Michael Cutajar is the Founder and CEO of Klassifi, a tool that automates a businesses accounting. Before launching Klassifi, he led sales and later became CEO at Metaverse Architects, delivering projects for clients such as UBS, KPMG, Lazard, the European Banking Authority, and the MFSA. Earlier in his career, he worked at PwC, where he built a strong foundation in audit and financial operations.

Karen Jouve

Co-Founder & CEO Doors3

Karen Jouve

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Karen Jouve is an entrepreneur and innovation leader at the crossroads of Web3, AI and immersive technologies. She co-founded Doors3, launched Elevators3 and is building Beyond, an AI-powered travel business agent redefining premium business travel. A Navy reservist and athlete, she regularly speaks at top global stages and contributes to leading media. Based between France and Dubai, Karen is committed to empowering leaders and advancing women in tech worldwide.

Joe Lamb

Founder Volume Communications

Joe Lamb

Founder

About the speaker

Joe Lamb has over 15 years' experience within the communications industry and held senior roles at some of the world’s most respected PR firms before deciding to start his own: Volume Communications. Volume Communications has quickly established itself as an independent agency that delivers big results for its gaming clients. Throughout his career, Joe has been passionate about delivering earned media at scale and that discipline sits as the core of Volume Communications client output.

Olga Resiga

CBDO SOFTSWISS

Olga Resiga

CBDO

About the speaker

Robert Zammit

Partner WH Partners

Robert Zammit

Partner

About the speaker

Robert Zammit is a regulatory, licensing and litigation lawyer focused on the gaming and transport sectors. He advises on gambling licensing, compliance, data protection, IP and AML procedures. Robert also counsels clients on employment matters. A member of the Malta Chamber of Advocates and the International Masters of Gaming Law, he is recognised as a Next Generation Partner in Commerical, Corporate and M&A by Legal 500 EMEA.

Quirino Mancini

Partner WH Partners Italy

Quirino Mancini

Partner

About the speaker

Quirino Mancini is the global head of the gaming and gambling practice at Tonucci & Partners. Quirino is one of the leading Italian gaming and gambling lawyers with a specialist practice of more than 15 years. He acts for multiple Italian and foreign-based online and land-based companies operating in the Italian gaming market. Alongside his robust and long-established legal and regulatory practice, he runs a bespoke matchmaking and business strategy service.

Flaviano Fogli

Director Fogli Consulting

Flaviano Fogli

Director

About the speaker

Flaviano Fogli is a dynamic and visionary entrepreneur with a proven track record in the online gaming and technology sectors. In 2001, they co-founded a gaming company that rapidly grew into an international enterprise, employing over 150 professionals across multiple offices and countries. They were the first to introduce the innovative white-label product concept, fundamentally reshaping how gaming platforms were marketed and operated. Additionally, they spearheaded the launch of casino software that was first in the industry to be translated into both simplified Chinese and Arabic.

Kate Puteiko

CMO BGaming

Kate Puteiko

CMO

About the speaker

Kate Puteiko has about ten years of profound marketing experience. In 2020, she joined BGaming as a Product Marketing Manager. For two years, she has headed the Marketing department as Chief Marketing Manager. Now, Kate has a team of 20 marketing specialists with whom she successfully implements international marketing campaigns, raises brand awareness, and makes BGaming stand out from others.

Patrick Seguev

Founder Andaria Financial Services & Intercash

Patrick Seguev

Founder

About the speaker

"With over 20 years of experience pioneering the global financial sector and payment industry, he has founded several highly successful FinTech businesses. As an innovative serial entrepreneur in digital payments and FinTech services, he has developed strong expertise in electronic payments with a special focus on global B2B prepaid cards, as well as the complete Mastercard and Visa card-issuing systems and processes. As the Founder of both Intercash and Andaria, he is proud of the commitment and dedication put forth by the entire group, leading both businesses to become globally recognized experts in FinTech and payment technology solutions. He is passionate about empowering and motivating all colleagues and employees, supporting them to contribute and enjoy the successful business they helped build."

Bob Reid

Founder & CEO Everest

Bob Reid

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Uliana Soroka

Team Lead & Talent Acquisition RedCore

Uliana Soroka

Team Lead & Talent Acquisition

About the speaker

Uliana Soroka is a results driven Talent Acquisition Lead with extensive experience in building and scaling high performing recruitment teams. Skilled in developing and executing strategic hiring plans, optimising recruitment processes and using data driven insights to attract and retain top talent across multiple functions and industries. Proficient in full cycle recruitment, including workforce planning, sourcing, interviewing and onboarding. As a team leader, she focuses on mentoring and developing recruiters.

Lara Barbuto

Director of Compliance, Compliance Officer & MLRO (Malta) OpenPayd

Lara Barbuto

Director of Compliance, Compliance Officer & MLRO (Malta)

About the speaker

Lara Barbuto is the Director of Compliance at OpenPayd, where she leads regulatory strategy and compliance operations across multiple jurisdictions. With extensive experience in financial services, she specialises in anti-money laundering and regulatory compliance, helping businesses navigate complex regulatory landscapes while driving innovation in fintech. Lara’s diverse background spans insurance, payments, and iGaming, providing her with a well-rounded perspective on risk management and regulatory challenges across different sectors. At OpenPayd, she plays a pivotal role in strengthening compliance frameworks and leading key regulatory engagements to ensure robust compliance while supporting business growth.

Shirley Pulis Xerxen

Head of News SiGMA Group

Shirley Pulis Xerxen

Head of News

About the speaker

Osmin Callis

Founder & CEO Mode8 Venture Studio

Osmin Callis

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

As the Founder and CEO of Mode8 Venture Studio, Osmin Callis brings over 28 years of experience in the technology and financial services industries. Throughout her career, she has witnessed and embraced every major technological development, from the advent of personal computers to the rise of the internet, mobile phones, Bitcoin and now AI.

Gil Tal

Founder & CEO PayConsult

Gil Tal

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Gil Tal is the Founder and CEO of PayConsult, bringing over a decade of expertise in payments and more than 8 years of experience in the iGaming industry. Throughout his career, Gil has worked with both platform providers and operators, giving him a unique perspective across the B2B and B2C landscapes. He has been directly involved in helping companies scale through turnkey and white-label solutions, guiding operators in navigating complex payment challenges, onboarding PSPs, and expanding into new regulated markets.

Stephen Aupy

Business Development Manager Mindway AI

Stephen Aupy

Business Development Manager

About the speaker

Giuseppe Volpe

Managing Partner Cuiprodest

Giuseppe Volpe

Managing Partner

About the speaker

Cum laude graduate in Communication from Sapienza University of Rome, with a thesis on pressure groups. He brings extensive experience as a lobbyist in highly regulated sectors across Rome and Brussels. Former Italian Country Manager for Europe’s largest public affairs firm, he founded Cuiprodest | Excellence in Political Affairs in 2008, now Italy’s only company exclusively focused on lobbying services. He has served as a speaker, moderator, and judge at some of Europe’s leading gaming events, and teaches lobbying in several public and private Master’s programs. Since 2023, he has been a Professor at Sapienza University of Rome.

Alexander Belov

Forbes Journalist, Coinstelegram Media & Fund Founder

Alexander Belov

Forbes Journalist, Coinstelegram Media & Fund Founder

About the speaker

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Emilio Colombo

Director Deloitte Consulting

Emilio Colombo

Director

About the speaker

Real Estate and Infrastructure Director with over 15 years of experience, specialised in energy saving, direction of sustainable net zero constructions and management of complex projects. Has developed solid experience in financial institutions dedicated to the Real Estate industry, Non-Performing Loans and real estate securitisations, holding the role of Head of Real Estate. Additionally, has a decade of experience in the conception and management of innovative and strategic projects employing Big Data, digital identity and artificial intelligence for risk analysis. Graduated cum laude with an Executive MBA.

Mike Waizman

CMO NGM Game

Mike Waizman

CMO

About the speaker

Mike Waizman is CMO of NGM Game, where he leads global marketing strategy and growth for one of iGaming's fastest growing providers. With 15 years in digital and product marketing, he has managed campaigns for global brands including LG, Nokia, Yandex and Kaspersky Lab, specialising in affiliate marketing, user acquisition and brand positioning. Recognised as a leading industry voice, Mike was ranked number 3 Top iGaming Voice on LinkedIn, where he has built a network of over 20,000 professionals.

Wojciech Trzaska

CCO SB Software

Wojciech Trzaska

CCO

About the speaker

Wojciech Trzaska is a former asset-manager turned iGaming brand-builder with 20 years’ sector insight. After steering portfolios containing William Hill and bwin, he shifted to operations and now heads strategic communications for sportsbook platform SB Software, championing a “entertainment-first” entertainment ethos. As founder of Vienna consultancy Spectacular, he crafts investor decks and trade-show narratives that win client attention in minutes for gaming and lottery innovators.

Dean Akinjobi

CEO Footbal Media

Dean Akinjobi

CEO

About the speaker

Dean Akinjobi has been active in crypto since 2010 and is CEO of Football Media, a global digital advertising and sponsorship agency with a network generating over 41 million monthly unique visitors. The company helps brands engage global audiences through digital marketing across Web2 and Web3, secures sponsorships with football clubs and ambassadors, and provides marketing activation strategies for numerous crypto and blockchain-related brands.

Federico Smanio

CEO Wylab

Federico Smanio

CEO

About the speaker

Federico Smanio is the CEO of Wylab, Italy’s first sports-tech incubator, and a former professional footballer. With over 25 years in professional sports and a decade advising startups, corporates, and institutions, he is an expert in innovation, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship. A university lecturer and frequent speaker at national and international events, he has served since 2022 as Program Director of WeSportUp, the sports and wellness accelerator promoted by Sport e Salute and CDP.

Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz

Co-Founder & Partner Valueships

Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz

Co-Founder & Partner

About the speaker

Kris serves as a pricing and strategy expert in various industries. He is responsible for Valueships project delivery. Before Valueships, Krzysztof spent years at McKinsey & Company. He supported various companies in pricing, branding, and revenue growth management in multiple industries, mainly in software, e-commerce, banking, telecommunications, retail, and CPG industries. Kris is a Certified Pricing Practitioner (CPP). He completed multiple courses in strategic management in the world's most renowned institutions (MIT, Section4). Kris is a member of the Professional Pricing Society.

Vasilije Lekovic

VP Gaming Trustly

Vasilije Lekovic

VP Gaming

About the speaker

Payments and fintech specialist with expertise in account-to-account (open banking) and carrier billing payments, user verification (KYC) and identity solutions across different industries (online gambling, social/video gaming, eCommerce) gained in various management and commercial roles. For the last 10 years, Vasilije has been leading the gaming commercial department of Trustly, the global leader in account-to-account payments, as well as various innovative product and business development initiatives, such as the successful rollout of Trustly's flagship Pay N Play product, AgeVerify, NameVerfiy, InBanner and others. Prior to Trustly, Vasilije was in different commercial and business development roles in the information security and telecommunications industries.

Liga Tarasova

Account Director PRace

Liga Tarasova

Account Director

About the speaker

Liga Tarasova is an Account Director at PRace, a fast-growing, data-driven B2B marketing and PR agency. At PRace, they combine performance marketing, public relations, and creative strategy to deliver measurable impact for clients in the iGaming and tech sectors. They value building and nurturing strong business relationships, driving results, and ensuring the process is both productive and enjoyable.

Jaime Debono

CEO iGaming Academy

Jaime Debono

CEO

About the speaker

Jamie Debono has over 11 years of experience in the gaming industry. In 2015, he co-founded iGaming Academy to deliver industry-specific and regulatory training for operators and suppliers. Now the largest training provider in the sector, it trains over 60,000 professionals annually. In April 2024, SiGMA Group acquired a majority stake in iGaming Academy, integrating education into its global events and expanding its reach across the industry.

Olga Filatova

CEO INFTY ART

Olga Filatova

CEO

About the speaker

Olga Filatova, CMO (Dubai), is a marketing and PR specialist featured among the 15 most influential women in NFT by Hackernoon. She remains active in the IT and business space as a Forbes Contributor covering women entrepreneurship and startups, and participates regularly at major global crypto and IT conferences. Currently, she is co-founder of SuperToys platform.

Marcin Kumięga

Business Development Director Voluum

Marcin Kumięga

Business Development Director

About the speaker

Cosmina Maria Simion

Managing Partner WH Simion & Partners

Cosmina Maria Simion

Managing Partner

About the speaker

Cosmina Maria Simion is a corporate, regulatory, technology and intellectual property lawyer with more than 20 years of professional experience, with particular emphasis on the gambling, online, media and entertainment industries. She is a licensed European trademark attorney and a Romanian National Chamber of Intellectual Property Attorneys member. Noted as a "practice crafter" (IAM Patent 1000, 2024), Cosmina combines strong advisory expertise with a business oriented approach. She is the only Romanian lawyer ranked as Thought Leader in Sports and Gaming by Who's Who Legal.

Francesco Gatti

Founder & CEO Bull Gaming

Francesco Gatti

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

An engineer and founder of Bakoo SpA (now part of the LOTTOMATICA group), he began working in the gaming industry in 2002 with the first slot machines installed in Italy. Throughout his career, he has held various positions in major industry associations, currently serving as vice president of SAPAR, the largest Italian gaming association. Following the sale of Bakoo SpA, he founded Bull Gaming, now one of the top software development companies in Italy. He won the prestigious Imbucci Award from the University of Salerno in 2024.

Eugene Ravdin

Head of PR SEOBROTHERS

Eugene Ravdin

Head of PR

About the speaker

Before joining SEOBROTHERS, spent 19 years with the UEFA official website in various roles, most notably as Editor in Chief of the Russian language editorial team. Worked on men's and women's UEFA EUROs, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League finals, interviewed notable figures including Arsène Wenger and Guus Hiddink, and built the UEFA Champions League community on VK from scratch to one million followers. Holds a degree in IT and has rich experience as a voice over artist.

Joe Hatch

VP Product StatsDrone

Joe Hatch

VP Product

About the speaker

Joe Hatch is VP Product at StatsDrone, where he leads product strategy and development for data tools in the affiliate marketing and iGaming sector. With more than a decade of experience in affiliation, he has worked across startups and publicly listed companies in roles ranging from Technical Product Owner to VP Product. His current focus is on advanced tracking, giving affiliates greater control of their data through solutions such as click level attribution, CRM integration and full funnel attribution.

Darran Ingretolli

Communications and Content IGA Group

Darran Ingretolli

Communications and Content

About the speaker

With a background in sales, VIP hospitality, marketing and business development across various industries, Darran brings well over a decade of experience in land based and online gaming. Darran speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish.

Andrew Gellatly

Executive Director Alderney Gambling Control Commission

Andrew Gellatly

Executive Director

About the speaker

Andrew Gellatly is Executive Director of the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC), a role he commenced in December 2022. The AGCC is a highly respected and bespoke Tier 1 supervisor of e-gambling businesses, securing an outstanding report in its 2024 MoneyVal mutual evaluation. Prior to joining the AGCC, Andrew co-founded the regulatory intelligence service VIXIO Gambling Compliance in 2006 and served as global managing editor. He has chaired and spoken at gambling conferences worldwide.

Martina Galea

Student University of Malta

Martina Galea

Student

About the speaker

Martina began reading law at the University of Malta in 2023 and is now in her third year of studies. Her main areas of interest include gaming, criminal, company, and commercial law, while remaining open to opportunities in other areas. Martina is also a legal intern at an audit and tax firm, where she is exposed to company, employment, gaming, aviation, and maritime law. This experience provides her with valuable insight into how law operates in practice and strengthens her analytical and research skills. In 2025, Martina won the first edition of the SiGMA writing competition, organised in collaboration with Filletti & Filletti Advocates and the University of Malta, with her article ‘Beyond the Algorithm: Regulating AI Accountability in the Gaming Industry’. This achievement has deepened Martina’s interest in gaming law, and she looks forward to building on these experiences as she continues developing her academic and professional career.

Mikhail Zhukov

Head of CPM Adsterra

Mikhail Zhukov

Head of CPM

About the speaker

Mikhail Zhukov is Head of CPM at Adsterra, a global advertising network delivering innovative solutions and partner focused growth. He specialises in strategic planning, market research, KPI setting, GEO testing and product development, combining operational expertise with a strong focus on client success. Starting his career as one of Adsterra's top account managers, Mikhail was instrumental in launching key features including the Social Bar format and Pricing Tokens for campaign optimisation. As a recognised industry expert, he regularly speaks at international conferences including SiGMA Europe and SiGMA Americas.

Lana Rossi

Founder & CEO Conversion Club

Lana Rossi

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Lana Rossi is the Founder and CEO of Conversion Club and Conversion Conf, a global event agency and conference series. She is an experienced affiliate marketing expert with over 10 years in the industry. Lana has successfully organised 50+ affiliate events across 13+ countries worldwide, bringing together top affiliate professionals, networks and brands from the performance marketing ecosystem.

Fabio Angeli Bufalini

Country Director Stake Italy

Fabio Angeli Bufalini

Country Director

About the speaker

Fabio Angeli Bufalini is the Country Director of Stake Italy, combining strong analytical skills with a hands-on attitude. With 20 years of marketing and growth experience, including 17 years in the digital iGaming sector, Fabio has led international online brand start-ups entering the Italian market, including PokerStars, PartyGaming, Betsson (StarCasino.it), and Everest Gaming, while reporting at board level and managing both budget and P&L responsibilities.

John Wright

Co-Founder & CEO StatsDrone

John Wright

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

John is the host of the Affiliate BI podcast and co-founder of StatsDrone. He's been in iGaming and affiliate marketing for over 2 decades and is building the next-gen tools for affiliate marketers.

Martin Zarian

Co-Founder Factory 39

Martin Zarian

Co-Founder

About the speaker

Martin Zarian is a full-stack brand builder, award-winning strategist and designer, recovering perfectionist, keynote speaker, podcast host… and a few other things he can’t even remember. He helps ambitious businesses in complex, saturated markets stand out, stay ahead and build brands that sell more…because a good product gets you in the game but a great brand is how you win it. As the co-founder of Factory 39, Martin has worked with global names like FIFA, eBay, Dr. Oetker, BT, Muskita, BBF, HFM and Sharp, as well as scale-ups across Tech, Finance, and SaaS. His motto? Stop hiding. Start branding. Oh, and he likes pickle juice."

Mariia Grinko

HR Team Lead Private inc.

Mariia Grinko

HR Team Lead

About the speaker

Mariia is the HR Team Lead at Private inc., one of the largest media buying holdings in the CIS. Mariia and her team are known for their skills in attracting top talent in a short timeframe, as well as their ability to develop effective strategies for employee retention. Mariia is recognized for her technical approach to hiring and her deep understanding of the industry. Every HR professional should be able to independently and accurately assess candidates—this is Mariia's core principle!

Florin Simovici

CEO Traffic Manager Group

Florin Simovici

CEO

About the speaker

Florin Simovici is the Co-Founder & CEO of TrafficManager, an affiliate tracking and management platform used by hundreds of advertisers and networks worldwide. He entered online marketing in 2010, built his first affiliate network in 2014, and later sold it to focus fully on TrafficManager. Today, the platform supports industries like eCommerce, COD (Cash on Delivery), Sweepstakes, iGaming, Nutra, Beauty, Leadgen, Membership sites and more. TrafficManager is proudly powering most COD affiliate programs in Italy and expanding across Europe and the iGaming space. Florin is also a frequent industry speaker at events such as Sigma, Affiliate World, TES Conferences, AW Summit, Affiliate Grand Slam, Internext, and Affiliate Expo, and author of “How to Build and Manage an Affiliate Program or Affiliate Network” (2024).

Laia Mena

Co-Founder & Director Caliu

Laia Mena

Co-Founder & Director

About the speaker

Laia Mena was born in Barcelona and holds a Communication degree in Journalism, Advertising, Public Relations and Audiovisuals, plus a master's in Advertising Strategy and Creativity. With 20 years of experience providing payments to the gaming sector, she is Co-founder and Director of Caliu, a consultancy firm founded in 2023 providing strategic payment solutions to operators and optimising products for fintech companies. She is also Co-founder of La Mecánica, a payment gateway with 200 plus payment solutions.

Nikolay Georgiev

Audit & Regulations Director EGT Digital

Nikolay Georgiev

Audit & Regulations Director

About the speaker

Nikolay Georgiev is an experienced and results driven compliance professional with over 10 years of progressive leadership in the gambling industry, including roles as Senior Manager, Director and Head of Compliance. He has a proven track record in regulatory compliance, risk management, AML/CTF, licensing and responsible gambling across multiple jurisdictions in the EU and US. Adept at building and leading high performing compliance teams, navigating complex regulatory landscapes and fostering strong relationships with regulators and stakeholders.

Alexandra Artemova

CEO FlexPlay

Alexandra Artemova

CEO

About the speaker

Alexandra is CEO of FlexPlay, a next generation casino aggregation platform born from the innovation ecosystem at EvenBet Gaming. With a strong foundation in business analysis and product development, Alexandra entered the iGaming industry when she joined EvenBet Gaming as Business Analyst. She quickly became a driving force behind product integrations, casino aggregation strategies and partnership growth. Her sharp analytical skills and strategic mindset propelled her into leadership, culminating in the launch of FlexPlay, where she delivers scalable, flexible solutions.

Dario Evangelista

Deputy General Counsel Betsson Group

Dario Evangelista

Deputy General Counsel

About the speaker

Dario Evangelista graduated with highest honours in Law from the University of Rome and earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Professions. With experience as an attorney and in-house counsel specialising in iGaming, he has held countless leadership roles and currently serves as Deputy General Counsel at Betsson Group.

Charles Herisson

International Investor Charles Herisson Ltd

Charles Herisson

International Investor

About the speaker

Charles Herisson, an international investor, is driven by a passion for sports and crypto. His diverse portfolio spans multiple sectors. As a philanthropist and successful serial entrepreneur, he specialises in startups and has mentored numerous people and companies worldwide. His commitment to creating meaningful impact is evident in his collaborative efforts with governments and institutions. As an accomplished author, he has written two books on cooperation, notably "From Local Competition to Global Collaboration," featuring a foreword by former President of the European Union, Romano Prodi.

Emilio Takas

Head of SEO Gentoo Media

Emilio Takas

Head of SEO

About the speaker

Formerly a Visual Storytelling multifaceted digital creative, with a strong technical background on websites, design, digital marketing and analytics helping people achieving the most out of their online appearance for over 21 years, Emilio is currently Head of SEO (Sports) at Gentoo Media, which you might remember by its former name, GiG Media, the affiliate media division of GiG (Gaming Innovation Group). He is also a visiting lecturer at Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) teaching SEO and Marketing Analytics, a seasoned speaker and a judge to SEO and iGaming Conferences and Awards.

Andrew Sudakov

CEO Rocks.Partners

Andrew Sudakov

CEO

About the speaker

Prof. Stefano Filletti

Head of Department of Criminal Law University of Malta

Prof. Stefano Filletti

Head of Department of Criminal Law

About the speaker

Prof. Stefano Filletti, is the Head of Department and resident lecturer in Criminal Law at the University of Malta. He also heads the Maltese delegation to the Council of Europe in the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) and has been elected to the Bureau of the CPDC. Prof. Filletti has made several contributions in various journals and books in Malta and abroad and is the Managing Partner of Filletti & Filletti Advocates.

Francesco Porcu

Founder & CEO 369X

Francesco Porcu

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Francesco Porcu is a seasoned leader in global financial markets and Founder and CEO of 369X, a licensed financial institution headquartered in Mauritius. With a career spanning senior leadership roles across London and international financial hubs, he has successfully built and led firms regulated under both the FSC and the FCA. At the helm of 369X, he is redefining the future of finance by bridging traditional systems with digital asset innovation, serving a global network of high net worth individuals and institutional clients.

Mike de Graaff

Co-Founder & Chief Compliance Officer BetComply

Mike de Graaff

Co-Founder & Chief Compliance Officer

About the speaker

Mike is Co-Founder and Chief Compliance Officer at BetComply, driving innovative compliance solutions for iGaming operators worldwide. Before acting as consultant, he held senior roles at Betclic and ComeOn, where he led teams through licensing, risk management and regulatory audits across multiple jurisdictions. Known for his integrity and expertise, Mike is a respected consultant, speaker and leader in the global compliance space.

Luigi Caputo

CEO Behaveme

Luigi Caputo

CEO

About the speaker

Luigi Caputo is the CEO of Behaveme - platform that predicts best candidates during recruiting processes with gaming simulations and AI that test people's skills. He's also President of Osservatorio Italiano Esports & Gaming and ex Country Project Manager for Coca-Cola Italy.

Simon Barff

Managing Director CLMS

Simon Barff

Managing Director

About the speaker

Simon brings nearly four decades of experience in the industry, with the last 20 in C-level positions. He began his career in 1986 at a small operating company in Leeds and has since held roles across sales, manufacturing and support services. His career has included time at some of the largest gaming organisations globally, including The Rank Group, Cirsa SA, SEGA, TCS, Blueprint and the Gauselmann Group, before taking on his current role as Managing Director at CLMS.

Fivos Polymniou

Founder & Director ASK Global Solutions

Fivos Polymniou

Founder & Director

About the speaker

Fivos Polymniou is a seasoned gaming and payments executive, entrepreneur and industry leader. He currently serves as Director of ASK Global Solutions Ltd, a company he founded in 2017 to introduce innovative cash handling and contactless payment kiosks into the UK gaming market. Over more than two decades, Fivos has held senior roles at major gaming companies, including IGT (formerly GTECH/Atronic), FutureLogic and Bally Gaming Technologies, building deep expertise in gaming systems and payments.

Karolis Dula

Head of Payments Alea

Karolis Dula

Head of Payments

About the speaker

Karolis Dula leads payments at Alea, where he built and scaled Alea Pay from the ground up. Launched in 2025, Alea Pay was designed to solve a problem Karolis understood firsthand: payments in iGaming are fragmented, complex and often unreliable. Under his leadership, Alea Pay has grown globally, bringing tailored payment methods, exclusive provider partnerships and bank grade API security to operators in challenging markets. Before Alea, Karolis spent over five years in fintech at Genome and Mistertango, focusing on international payments for high risk merchants.

Dieter Braekeveld

Intelligence & Investigations Manager International Olympic Committee

Dieter Braekeveld

Intelligence & Investigations Manager

About the speaker

Dieter serves as Intelligence and Investigations Manager within the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions. In this capacity, he oversees the collection and analysis of information and data, conducts risk assessments and leads investigations into cases of competition manipulation. Before joining the IOC, Dieter contributed to sports integrity efforts at INTERPOL, the International Police Cooperation Organisation. A Belgian national, he brings over a decade of experience in the international sports integrity environment.

Tatiana Botskina

CEO Deriskly

Tatiana Botskina

CEO

About the speaker

Tatiana Botskina is a serial founder, AI researcher and CEO of Deriskly, an award winning UK based company transforming customer insights into strategic opportunities. With a background as a banking lawyer and a doctoral researcher in Explainable AI at the University of Oxford, Tatiana combines expertise in AI, governance and data driven strategy. Her work focuses on building responsible AI systems that help financial and enterprise teams translate complex customer data into clear, evidence based strategies that drive growth and trust.

Mark Berkovich 

CEO Kea

Mark Berkovich 

CEO

About the speaker

Mark Berkovich, CEO of Kea, is an architect of tomorrow's financial landscape. He spearheads Kea, a group of licensed entities powering global finance with one KYB across banking, stablecoins, and crypto, supported by a custom core banking system, and a human-touch approach. A recognised authority in banking, fintech, neobanks, and the payments industry, Mark's insights into stablecoins and the broader crypto ecosystem make him a sought-after speaker on global panels.

Georgi Stoianov

COO LaPayo

Georgi Stoianov

COO

About the speaker

Stuart Stott

CEO Galactic Media Management

Stuart Stott

CEO

About the speaker

Stuart Stott is a digital transformation leader with over 15 years of experience driving innovation and disruption across emerging tech and media platforms. As CEO of Galactic Markets, he led strategic initiatives in Web3 and media prediction markets. Stuart held leadership roles at industry pioneers including Rightmove, Global Media, DMGT and MailOnline. His expertise lies in platform implementation, commercial strategy and bridging Web2 and Web3 ecosystems for scalable growth.

Alastair Cleland

Group Managing Director Pentasia

Alastair Cleland

Group Managing Director

About the speaker

Alastair is Group Managing Director of Conexus Human Capital, encompassing Pentasia, PaymentGenes, Conexus Leadership and Conexus Enterprise, global leaders in delivering talent solutions across the iGaming, Web3/Crypto, Lottery and Payments industries. With more than 30 years of recruitment experience, including more than a decade dedicated to iGaming and Payments, Alastair is widely regarded as a leading figure in global talent strategy and executive search. He leads a global network of recruitment and search professionals, supporting clients and candidates across fast evolving digital markets.

Julian Goffin

Co-Founder & CEO Alunafi

Julian Goffin

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Julian Goffin is a commercially minded C-level payments expert at Alunafi, with over 10 years experience in the payments industry. His expertise includes business development (B2B and B2C), solution oriented sales, high-risk markets, correspondent banking, SEPA and SWIFT payments and strategic collaborations. He has built multiple companies to multimillion- pound revenues.

Mex Emini

Managing Director SiGMA Play

Mex Emini

Managing Director

About the speaker

Simon Planzer

Partner Planzer Law

Simon Planzer

Partner

About the speaker

Dr Simon Planzer is founding partner at PLANZER LAW AG, which features internationally recognised legal specialisation in technology, gaming and entertainment. The firm's team provides highly specialised services on all gaming matters relating to Switzerland and EU/EEA. Dr Planzer wrote his PhD on EU/EEA gaming regulation and has published extensively on gaming matters. He serves as regular speaker at leading industry conferences and has been invited repeatedly by both the IAGR and the GREF to present to regulators.

Daniele Raimondi

Counsel Eversheds-Sutherland Italy

Daniele Raimondi

Counsel

About the speaker

Farzad Peyman

CEO AQSE NYCE

Farzad Peyman

CEO

About the speaker

Farzad has 18 years’ operational iGaming experience in B2B and B2C across both publicly listed and private gaming companies. He is a leader of significant business change, and regularly advises on product development, marketing, technology, M&A, corporate restructuring, regulation & licensing, compliance and financial control. Ex-CEO and CFO of Matchbook Betting Exchange, today Farzad is the CEO of NYCE International and Partner at Virya Group, a sales Advisory firm and gaming venture studio respectively, investing in the most promising and sustainable projects across iGaming, Web3, Metaverse, Blockchain and AI technologies.

Clinton Cutajar

CTO MediaTroopers

Clinton Cutajar

CTO

About the speaker

Clinton is a seasoned technology expert with extensive experience in information technology, affiliate marketing and leadership. For the past six years, Clinton has served as a C-level executive at two affiliate marketing firms, where, as Chief Technology Officer, he was instrumental in defining the company's technological direction and strategy. With over 25 years in the tech industry and more than a decade in affiliate marketing, Clinton has a proven track record of leading successful technology projects and fostering innovation.

Vitaly Balakhonov

Brand Growth Engineer GEARRRR.Agency

Vitaly Balakhonov

Brand Growth Engineer

About the speaker

Vitaly Balakhonov, founder and Brand Growth Engineer at GEARRRR.Agency, is a multi disciplinary brand strategist bridging visual, marketing and business crafts. He has orchestrated award winning, industry focused brand activations across major global iGaming shows, including SiGMA, ICE and G2E. Currently, he leads the agency pioneering unconventional growth channels such as organic TikTok, helping iGaming brands command attention and capture markets. He also provides creative advisory for iGaming brands and events.

Niccolò Caramatti

Founder & CEO Giochiamo.ai

Niccolò Caramatti

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Niccolò Caramatti began his career in financial markets after graduating from Bocconi University, working across New York, Milan and London. In 2009, he entered the online gaming industry, and in 2015, he introduced Daily Fantasy Sports to the Italian market, pioneering the data driven betting segment. As founder of Fantasy Gaming, he launched and grew Sportitaliabet.it and Fantasyteam.it. Today, Niccolò leads projects that merge technology, behavioural science and ethics to redefine the relationship between players and gaming platforms through Giochiamo.ai.

Jessica Maier

Co-Founder & Director EGARA - Executive Gaming and Risk Advisory

Jessica Maier

Co-Founder & Director

About the speaker

Jessica Maier is an internationally recognised advisor in the global gaming industry, trusted by operators, suppliers, investors, and policymakers for her expertise in regulation, licensing, risk, and compliance. As the Co-Founder of EGARA – Executive Gaming and Risk Advisory, she helps clients use compliance as a driver of growth, transform regulatory complexity into competitive advantage, and approach risk as a source of strategic opportunity. Her career includes executive leadership roles as Chief Risk Officer, Head of Legal & Compliance, and Head of Government Affairs at leading gaming software companies, as well as Partner at a specialist gaming law firm. She has managed multiple international B2C and B2B licensing projects, advised on major M&A transactions, and strengthened governance frameworks to support long-term success. Jessica serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) and co-chairs its EMEA Engagement Committee. She is widely respected for her pragmatic approach and her ability to build constructive relationships with regulators and industry stakeholders worldwide.

Claudia Ionescu

People & Organization Strategic Advisor

Claudia Ionescu

People & Organization Strategic Advisor

About the speaker

Claudia Ionescu is an international HR leader with more than 20 years of experience across the tech and fintech industries, driving large scale organisational transformations in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Her focus lies in building purpose driven organisational cultures and developing agile, resilient teams. Claudia has held senior HR leadership roles at companies such as PayU (Naspers), SumUp and AVIV Group, where she shaped global people strategies, led mergers and acquisitions and guided complex organisational transformation in fast paced environments.

Raymond Ratti

Partnerships Director Swiftshore

Raymond Ratti

Partnerships Director

About the speaker

Raymond is currently Partnerships Director at Swiftshore, a global sports and media company building on chain brand value through partnerships, sponsorships and fan tokens. Previously, Raymond worked at iTeller PTYD, a fintech crypto exchange company focused on OTC services and crypto ATMs.

Karsten Kasteleiner

Head of Public Policy Tipico

Karsten Kasteleiner

Head of Public Policy

About the speaker

Karsten Kasteleiner is Tipico's Head of Public Policy, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in sports betting, compliance and regulation. He began his career as a horseracing bookmaker at Quotenhaus GmbH before joining Tipico in 2016, where he led Retail Shop Compliance and oversaw licensing, regulatory processes and audits. Since 2025, Karsten has been driving Tipico's public policy strategy, advocating in regulatory discussions and contributing expert insights to shape the future of the gambling industry.

Christian Heins

Director iGaming Tipico

Christian Heins

Director iGaming

About the speaker

Christian Heins is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in gaming, gambling and digital media. As Director iGaming at Tipico Games, he led the company's transition to German licensing, achieved 300 per cent market share growth and positioned Tipico as Germany's number one online casino household brand. Heins is also founder of the German Gambling Gathering and initiator of the Code of Conduct, frameworks designed to strengthen transparency and self regulation in the regulated gambling market.

Aarti Carl

VP of HR Eeze

Aarti Carl

VP of HR

About the speaker

Aarti Carl is Vice President of Human Resources at Eeze, with over 18 years of experience spanning the land based casino, online gaming and iGaming sectors. A seasoned HR leader, Aarti has built and led high performing, cross functional teams across multiple global jurisdictions, helping organisations scale whilst maintaining strong, people first cultures in highly regulated and competitive environments. At Eeze, Aarti leads HR strategy across multiple regions, partnering with executive leadership to foster inclusive, high impact workplaces that support both operational excellence and long term growth.

Emilio Zamparelli

Chairman STS - FIT

Emilio Zamparelli

Chairman

About the speaker

Melvin Ritsema

Co-Founder & CEO Xcite Ventures

Melvin Ritsema

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Melvin has been in the industry for almost 17 years, starting his journey as an affiliate in Gibraltar. He was an integral part of successfully building and growing online casino and sportsbook operator Royal Panda from their startup days, which eventually sold to LeoVegas Group in 2017. During his time with Royal Panda, he actively ran crucial aspects of the business, from casino and sportsbook to CRM, marketing and compliance. After the acquisition, Melvin was made Managing Director of Royal Panda. He is currently CEO and co-founder of Xcite Ventures Ltd.

Nikola Stojanovic

Account Management Team Lead Gentoo Media

Nikola Stojanovic

Account Management Team Lead

About the speaker

Nikola Stojanović is an experienced sales leader in the iGaming industry, currently heading the Sales team at Gentoo Media, the company behind the renowned AskGamblers brand as well as Casinomeister and CasinoTopsOnline. With a proven track record in building strong affiliate partnerships and driving commercial growth, Nikola combines strategic leadership with hands on industry expertise. He has also played a key role in organising the AskGamblers Awards for three consecutive years, a spectacular industry event celebrating excellence and innovation in iGaming.

Ricardo Rosada

CoCEO & Board Member  BandBet

Ricardo Rosada

CoCEO & Board Member 

About the speaker

Ricardo Rosada has over 20 years of expertise in strategy, marketing and regulation for the global gambling and iGaming industry. In Brazil, he has been directly involved in market entry, branding and acquisition strategies for leading operators. He contributes insights on regulation, player behaviour, marketing innovation, AI and payment ecosystems.

Austeja Lazaraviciute

Investor COINVEST Capital

Austeja Lazaraviciute

Investor

About the speaker

Roger Grossenbacher 

CFO CrowdSports

Roger Grossenbacher 

CFO

About the speaker

Roger Grossenbacher is an experienced finance executive and entrepreneur with a strong background in fintech and digital growth. Before joining CrowdSports, he served as CRO at BW2, one of Switzerland's leading casino software providers, and worked in banking and private equity with UBS, Credit Suisse and Schroders. At CrowdSports, Roger serves as CFO and Chairman, driving global strategy and growth. CrowdSports provides an innovative fan engagement and club financing platform that enables supporters to participate in their clubs' success.

Ana Kandelaki

Business Development Manager Altente

Ana Kandelaki

Business Development Manager

About the speaker

Ana Kandelaki is Business Development Manager at Altente, overseeing a wide spectrum of responsibilities that drive the growth and success of the company, from sales and marketing to CRM, events and organisational strategy. With a professional background spanning International Relations, Communications, Business Development and Project Management, she brings a strategic, cross functional approach to every project. Passionate about fostering relationships, driving innovation and creating seamless experiences for clients and partners alike, Ana aims to contribute to the evolution of the iGaming industry.

Olha Maksymova

Founder & CEO HolyTraff

Olha Maksymova

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Olha Maksymova is Founder and CEO of HolyTraff Media and Co-Founder of PRO MAM. In 2023, she launched HolyTraff Media, an independent iGaming and digital industry hub that now partners with over 50 companies and has produced 77 YouTube episodes. The project was named Best YouTube Channel 2024 by an independent Ukrainian iGaming media outlet. In 2024, Olha expanded with HolyTraff Market, providing apps, accounts, landing pages and creatives while leading major affiliate programme rebrands.

Nestor Vazquez

Founder igamingseoconsulting.com

Nestor Vazquez

Founder

About the speaker

Meet Nestor Vazquez, a Mexico-based iGaming SEO strategist with a passion for turning clicks into jackpots. With years of experience in online casinos, sportsbooks, and gaming platforms, he combines data-driven insights with engaging storytelling to keep players interested and elevate brand rankings. Whether he's optimising a new slot site, scaling a sportsbook, or breaking into emerging markets, Nestor plays the long game because in SEO, just like in gaming, the house always wins when the strategy is smart.

Luís Portela de Carvalho

Partner Lektou

Luís Portela de Carvalho

Partner

About the speaker

Luís began his legal career in 2016 and specialises in gambling, advertising, commercial law, technology and intellectual property. He is admitted to practise in Portugal and currently leads Lektou's Porto office. His practice focuses on gaming, media and entertainment law, advising clients on complex cross border mandates. Before joining Lektou as Partner in 2024, Luís served as Head of Legal at Clever Advertising. A member of IMGL and IAGA, Luís frequently speaks at international conferences as a gambling industry expert.

Paola Cirilli

Partner & Head of the Policy Analysis and Research Center Cuiprodest

Paola Cirilli

Partner & Head of the Policy Analysis and Research Center

About the speaker

Partner and Head of the Policy Analysis and Research Center areas at Cuiprodest, Paola Cirilli is a professional with solid experience in evaluating public policies at both national and European levels. She has developed an academic and professional background dedicated to the evaluation methodologies of European Union policies, gaining significant experience in Brussels at the European Commission’s DG Research. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with Italian and European research institutes, becoming a consultant for the evaluation of reforms, public policies, and the performance of public administration. She is recognized as an expert in research methodology, a field in which she has contributed numerous publications for the European Commission. At Cuiprodest, she focuses particularly on analyzing the impact of proposed regulations on business models and on regulatory affairs with the Ministry of Health, as well as coordinating the activities of the Research Center. Since 2023, she has been a lecturer at Sapienza University of Rome.

Eugene Bredenkamp

Performance Janitor Black Labz

Eugene Bredenkamp

Performance Janitor

About the speaker

Eugene is currently Performance Janitor at Black Labz. He has spent the last 15 years leading data driven marketing in iGaming, crypto, SaaS and eCommerce, always with the same focus: building scalable systems that make marketing measurable and efficient. Most recently, he has been focused on automation, making sure processes like affiliate onboarding connect seamlessly to tracking, compliance and CRM. He has worked across different products, from crypto casinos to health tech, which gives him a wider toolbox.

Stefan Muehlbauer (AffPal)

Head of Program Masters in Cash

Stefan Muehlbauer (AffPal)

Head of Program

About the speaker

Stefan 'Affpal' Muehlbauer is a leading Affiliate Management expert and 2024 Affiliate World Forum Awards winner for best affiliate manager. He is Author of 'The Affiliate Management Starter Kit' and host of 'Affiliate Manager Academy.' With Affpal consultancy, he offers services programmes and networks need to excel in their vertical. He also serves as Director of the advertiser Masters in Cash.

Nick Levenstein

Managing Director Nicholas Levenstein & Company

Nick Levenstein

Managing Director

About the speaker

Nicholas Levenstein runs a hedge fund that specialises in derivative strategies. With a track record of outperforming major indexes (70% per annum over five and a half years), he shares practical insights on creating value from the investor’s point of view. Nicholas has a BA, from Yale University and MBA from University of California, Los Angeles. With over 30 years of experience he has a wide range of industry knowledge to share.

Pascal Haider

CEO Cheeer

Pascal Haider

CEO

About the speaker

Pascal Haider is an accomplished entrepreneur, visionary strategist and leader with a deep passion for innovation, people and creating outstanding value. A world traveller and father of four, he holds master's degrees in Business Administration and International Management. Originally from Austria, Pascal's career began in asset management before transitioning into key leadership roles in global tech and marketing firms. He currently leads a sportstech and global marketing agency serving Fortune 500 companies worldwide. His expertise lies in developing bold concepts that drive business success and foster meaningful connections.

Alex Bobes

Managing Partner Extremoo

Alex Bobes

Managing Partner

About the speaker

Alex Bobes is Managing Partner at Extremoo, a results driven affiliate marketing company focused on the iGaming sector, and Chief Technology Officer at Casino Alpha, one of the top casino review sites with over 900 casinos assessed. With more than 10 years as a CTO and technology leader, Alex transforms complex technical challenges into practical business solutions. His expertise spans AI implementation, blockchain development, cybersecurity and modern software architecture. Beyond corporate achievements, Alex serves as President of Asociatia Taxi Gratis, an NGO he founded in 2013.

Samir Ceric

Managing Partner SportingThinking

Samir Ceric

Managing Partner

About the speaker

Samir Ceric is a globally recognised entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and visionary, working at the intersection of sports, technology, and finance. A former elite athlete and football club chairman, his unique background gives him a practical understanding of sports dynamics and a passion for integrating cutting-edge technology. He has been a pioneering figure in the digitalization of the sports industry, from enhancing fan engagement through blockchain and AI to driving sustainability with climate tech solutions. Ceric’s latest venture is a pioneering investment platform dedicated to acquiring and transforming sports teams globally in a unique and impact driven way. He is a chairman of a seventh-generation, values-driven family office embodying a deep commitment to trust, growth, and innovation.

Thamillin Valery Klen

Founder & CEO TP Marketing BR

Thamillin Valery Klen

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Thamillin Valery Klen is a visionary executive and international speaker with a solid career in iGaming, digital marketing and innovation. Known for her strategic leadership and ability to build global connections, she has become a reference in international expansion and brand positioning within the competitive digital entertainment industry. She is CEO and founder of Maior Apostas, a leading affiliate guide and educational platform for sports betting and online casinos in Brazil and Portugal. In parallel, she founded TP Marketing BR, a digital marketing agency focused on end to end marketing solutions.

Jeremiah Maangi

CEO iGaming AFRIKA

Jeremiah Maangi

CEO

About the speaker

Jeremiah Maangi is an outstanding figure in the African b2b and b2c Gaming ecosystem. He is driven by the desire to alleviate the continent's high rate of unemployment by championing the 'Invest in Africa' agenda. An ardent crypto enthusiast campaigning for change in the African Fintech world through the adoption of cryptocurrencies as a means of exchange and payment throughout the continent. Jeremiah is also a marketing and investment professional with extensive experience in advertising, marketing, and startup consulting for African gambling businesses. He is the current CEO of igasummit.com, igamingafrika.com and Founding Director of iGaming Consult Africa and AfriAdz Affiliates.

Barb Tasci

Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer RevPanda

Barb Tasci

Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer

About the speaker

Luca Giancola

Payments & Operations Director Lucky7 Ventures – Superbet Group

Luca Giancola

Payments & Operations Director

About the speaker

Jillian Dingwall

Senior News Writer SiGMA Group

Jillian Dingwall

Senior News Writer

About the speaker

Cordelia Morgan Cooper

Founder CMC Consulting

Cordelia Morgan Cooper

Founder

About the speaker

Passionate about employee wellbeing, transformation and people, Cordelia Morgan Cooper has over 10 years of talent management experience in recruitment, both agency and in-house, including international work in Malta. Having founded CMC Consulting in March 2022, she has successfully hired across Tech, Finance, Marketing, Sales and Executive roles globally.

Filip Jelavic

Secretary General Croatian Gaming Association (CGA)

Filip Jelavic

Secretary General

About the speaker

Christopher Grech Bonett

Owner & Founder R77

Christopher Grech Bonett

Owner & Founder

About the speaker

Christopher Grech Bonett is an HR strategist with 15 years’ experience helping companies plan their workforce globally. He has guided organisations through growth, transformation and complex international talent challenges, aligning people and business goals. In recent years, he founded his own business offering an integrated ecosystem of HR and advisory services, providing companies with the tools, partnerships and strategies needed to thrive and adapt in today’s fast-changing, competitive environment.

Alena Tsuranova

CCO Megafair

Alena Tsuranova

CCO

About the speaker

Anna Maria Baccaro

Sports Journalist & Content Creator

Anna Maria Baccaro

Sports Journalist & Content Creator

About the speaker

Luke Todd

CEO, Executive Coach & Trainer MadeYou

Luke Todd

CEO, Executive Coach & Trainer

About the speaker

Luke Todd, Founder and CEO of MadeYou since 2014, leads growth in executive coaching, leadership training, employer branding and feedback services across Europe. A Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach with 25+ years' experience, Luke combines operational knowledge to create practical, engaging learning experiences.

Charmagne Garcia-Laconico

Founder & Executive Director ProAdvantage Consulting HR and Training

Charmagne Garcia-Laconico

Founder & Executive Director

About the speaker

Charmagne Garcia-Laconico is a distinguished HR and Training Executive whose career bridges communications, human resources and education. A Behavioural Science graduate with an MBA and certification from the Human Resource Development Authority, she brings over two decades of international experience designing and implementing people strategies and training programmes across Southeast Asia, North America and Europe. Renowned for her expertise in leadership development, corporate culture transformation and professional branding, she creates bespoke training solutions that foster excellence, confidence and cohesive workplace identity.

Tim Dobbing

Director HWF Partners

Tim Dobbing

Director

About the speaker

Sarah Hamlet

Investigator Internation Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)

Sarah Hamlet

Investigator

About the speaker

Nikolay Lobov

CEO Nobles Gaming

Nikolay Lobov

CEO

About the speaker

Kamaru Usman

UFC Welterweight Champion

Kamaru Usman

UFC Welterweight Champion

About the speaker

Kamarudeen "Kamaru" Usman is one of the most recognisable fighters of our time. His nickname, The Nigerian Nightmare, was earned for a reason. He made history in the UFC as the welterweight champion, holding the title from 2019 to 2022. His record-breaking win streak — 15 consecutive victories in the division — included successful title defences against some of the toughest opponents. He is also known as one of the most disciplined and strategically-minded athletes in the world of mixed martial arts. The choice of Kamaru Usman as an ambassador for MelBet Partners is both strategic and symbolic. It reflects the values the company promotes in working with its partners: strength, discipline, strategy, and leadership.

Karolina Pelc

Founder BeyondPlay

Karolina Pelc

Founder

About the speaker

Karolina Pelc has spent over two decades navigating the male-dominated world of real-money gaming, building a career that spans from dealing cards in brick-and-mortar and cruise ship casinos to leading some of the industry’s most influential companies. She held senior leadership roles at Betsson Group, William Hill Online, and LeoVegas (MGM), and later served as a board director for the Nasdaq-listed Gaming Innovation Group. In 2021, Karolina founded BeyondPlay, an engagement SaaS start-up, raising over €7M in angel and VC funding and guiding it through one of the fastest exits in the sector with its 2024 acquisition by FanDuel, the #1 gaming brand in the US. She then served as Vice President at FanDuel, steering product integration and expansion. Alongside her executive career, Karolina advises VC firms, founders, and M&A transactions, while mentoring and investing in early-stage entrepreneurs through her platform, HerPlay. Her debut book Her Play, launched in a limited gifting edition on Necker Island in 2025, chronicles her journey from casino floors to startup boardrooms, with a commercial release planned for Spring 2026. Named a LinkedIn Top Startup Voice and one of iGaming’s Top 10 Most Influential Women, Karolina continues to speak globally, blending storytelling with actionable insights to inspire bold reinvention.

Manuel Atzler

Director New Business Sport1 GmbH

Manuel Atzler

Director New Business

About the speaker

Harmen Brenninkmeijer

Managing Partner NYCE International

Harmen Brenninkmeijer

Managing Partner

About the speaker

Harmen Brenninkmeijer has a 30+ year track record in developing, manufacturing, and distributing technology products in the gaming industry. His expertise derives from selling and operating in over 75 countries with an emphasis on emerging markets. His extensive experience across the gaming industry has given him a wealth of knowledge, proving invaluable in business and enabling him to regularly contribute to panels on a wide variety of subjects. Harmen founded the Gaming Incubator in 2007 and has invested in the development of over 20+ technology focused companies. Today he is building NYCE International to represent industry-leading companies, connecting them across the globe with operators, and developing unique ventures along the way.

Martha Brincat

Head - Compliance & Player Protection Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)

Martha Brincat

Head - Compliance & Player Protection

About the speaker

Nick Moutter

CEO Lift

Nick Moutter

CEO

About the speaker

Ray Lee

Director of Business Development TaDa Gaming

Ray Lee

Director of Business Development

About the speaker

Ray Lee is the Director of Business Development at TaDa Gaming Ltd., a rising star game provider in the global iGaming industry. He manages partnerships with operators, aggregators, and platform providers worldwide, driving the company’s growth and international expansion.

Chaim Heber

Founder & CEO Cevro AI

Chaim Heber

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Cevro AI is an AI-native customer experience platform built specifically for the iGaming industry. He leads the company’s vision to create empathic, compliance-aware AI agents that connect operators and players at scale, turning support from a cost center into a growth engine. With a background spanning product, engineering, and commercial strategy, under his leadership, Cevro has secured funding, onboarded leading iGaming operators, and positioned itself as the first AI-native platform designed for regulated iGaming environments. Chaim’s philosophy is simple: humans respond, Cevro connects. He champions a culture of velocity, creativity, and empathy, building not just technology, but relationships that drive sustainable impact across the gaming ecosystem

Dr Theodoros Christodoulou

Co-Founder & CEO Lab4crypto

Dr Theodoros Christodoulou

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Dr. Theodoros Christodoulou created Lab4Crypto, a quantitative analytics platform designed to empower professional and retail investors, as well as institutions, to make informed decisions in the crypto market. In less than a year, Lab4Crypto has grown to a thriving community of over 100,000 followers. A former nuclear physicist who transitioned from academia to pursue crypto full-time, Dr. Theodoros leverages his expertise to develop unique models and quantitative strategies for the crypto market. He is deeply passionate about the future of crypto and is committed to helping others navigate its complexities.

Giovanni Bertoli

Co-Founder & CEO Wall Street Football Odds

Giovanni Bertoli

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Jochen Biewer

Managing Director Chevron Group

Jochen Biewer

Managing Director

About the speaker

Jochen Biewer founded Chevron Consultants in 2000, supporting regulated market applications. The company grew into Chevron Group, a leading provider of compliance consulting, outsourcing, training and audits across multiple jurisdictions, with offices in Frankfurt, Sliema, Milan and Barcelona. Jochen also co-founded MGT, delivering regulatory API orchestration and monitoring. He frequently speaks at global conferences and holds board positions in several industry associations.

Mara di Lecce

Communication & Marketing Director NOVOMATIC Italy

Mara di Lecce

Communication & Marketing Director

About the speaker

Riccardo Vecchi Lari

Project Manager Nomisma

Riccardo Vecchi Lari

Project Manager

About the speaker

Kyrylo Korobka

Executive Director Ready to Fight

Kyrylo Korobka

Executive Director

About the speaker

Francesco Maddalena

Founder & CEO Hub Affiliations

Francesco Maddalena

Founder & CEO

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Bruno Pereira

Ftd Specialist Bruno Ads

Bruno Pereira

Ftd Specialist

About the speaker

Manila Di Giovanni

Founder & CEO DWorld Malta

Manila Di Giovanni

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Manila Di Giovanni is the founder & CEO of DWorld, a tech startup creating the world’s first ever virtual economy for several countries and cities including Malta, the Principality of Monaco, Genova and Napoli in Italy, Philippines, and now expanding in Jersey and the Middle East. After being nominated in the Forbes 30U30 list and winning several international awards, she is currently one of the youngest metaverse leaders globally. Her mission is to transform the metaverse from a simple entertainment space into a driver of social and economic progress, turning digital transformation into a force for shared growth, equity, and the enhancement of every nation’s future developments.

Mark Galea Salomone

Managing Associate WH Partners

Mark Galea Salomone

Managing Associate

About the speaker

Mark Galea Salomone is a Managing Associate in the tax team at WH Partners. He has extensive experience in corporate tax, having previously served as a Tax Senior Associate with Dentons in the UK's London office and worked in KPMG UK’s corporate tax department. Mark advises domestic and international clients on complex UK, Maltese, and cross-border tax matters, including tax restructuring, inbound and outbound investment, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and private wealth tax law. His clients include private equity houses, leading multinationals, financial institutions, and companies in the technology and crypto sectors. He has contributed to leading publications such as Cahiers de droit fiscal international (International Fiscal Association), International Tax Review, and Tax Journal. Mark is dual-qualified as both a lawyer and an accountant. He holds an LL.M. in Tax from the London School of Economics and an LL.D. (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Malta, and he is also a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA).

Charles Mizzi

CEO Malta Gaming Authority

Charles Mizzi

CEO

About the speaker

Charles Mizzi is Chief Executive Officer at the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). He joined the MGA following a five-year tenure at the helm of the Residency Malta Agency. During his time there, he led the organisation towards its goal of ensuring that Malta is one of the most reputable and desireable residencies by investment jurisdictions. He has extensive experience in operations management and a background in marketing, communications and national-level event management.

Stephen Crystal

Founder & CEO SCCG Management

Stephen Crystal

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Stephen A. Crystal has spent over 32 years in all aspects of the casino, gaming technology, iGaming, sports betting, eSports, and sports entertainment industries. He has served as an attorney representing public and private gaming companies; a Las Vegas casino owner and gaming executive employing thousands of employees; and an investor and advisor on over 2 billion dollars of project finance, mergers, and acquisitions in the casino, gaming technology, iGaming, sports betting, eSports, and sports entertainment verticals. Steve received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1987 and his Juris Doctor degree from American University in 1992. He is licensed to practice law in Missouri (1992) and the District of Columbia (1993). He served as one of the youngest State Representatives in New Hampshire State history and ran campaign strategy for numerous Presidential, Senatorial, and Congressional campaigns across the USA!

Andrea Marchetti

Partner & Director WH Partners Italy

Andrea Marchetti

Partner & Director

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Zsuzsanna Zeibig

General Manager EGT Kenya

Zsuzsanna Zeibig

General Manager

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Avv. Valérie Peano

Founding Partner EGLA (European Gambling Lawyers and Advisors) 

Avv. Valérie Peano

Founding Partner

About the speaker

Attorney-at-Law admitted as a Barrister of the Italian Supreme Courts and founding Partner of EGLA, Valérie is advising on all aspects of gambling law including licence tender applications, compliance, advertising, licence reviews, changes of control and business sales. She has acted as legal advisor for online gambling to the Italian Gaming Authority and the Italian Chamber of Deputies IV Finance Commission. Presently, she is advising national and international lotteries and gambling operators, B2B game and software suppliers as well as national regulatory authorities in various jurisdictions. From 2023 to date, she is acting as legal expert to the International Olympic Committee Unit against match-fixing. She actively contributes as author of various articles on gambling both at national and international level and acts as Jury for gambling awards.

Adam Rosenberg

Senior Advisor Blackstone

Adam Rosenberg

Senior Advisor

About the speaker

Christopher Mitoli

Head of Acquisition Italy Marathonbet

Christopher Mitoli

Head of Acquisition Italy

About the speaker

Simon Stokes

CCO The Conexus Group

Simon Stokes

CCO

About the speaker

Simon Stokes is Group Chief Commercial Officer at The Conexus Group, a role in which he leads commercial strategy and operations across a portfolio of specialist businesses in the Payments and FinTech industry. With over 20 years’ experience in these sectors, he drives revenue growth, spearheads group-wide initiatives, and cultivates key client relationships for the group. Simon also spearheaded the launch of The Conexus Group’s dedicated FinTech M&A advisory arm, PaymentGenes Capital. In addition, he serves as a Commercial Board Advisor to a number of early-stage FinTech ventures.

Serhii Zakharov

Founder & CEO PayDo

Serhii Zakharov

Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Matt Sahakian

Founder MS Consulting

Matt Sahakian

Founder

About the speaker

Matt Sahakian has over 6 years of experience in the gaming, crypto, and tech industries, helping companies grow and expand globally. With strong expertise in business development and market entry, he focuses on creating strategies that drive real results, for PAMs, Operators and Game providers. Specialized in connecting worlds in the gaming sector Gaming, Matt offers a full 360° approach for partners looking to enter or scale in Brazi-Latam. With a strong multicultural and multilingual background, his expertise & connections helps bridge global opportunities with local emerging markets. Passionate about innovation and emerging businesses, Matt uses his experience & contact as regional director with big players such as Digitais and Betconstruct to strengthen his client presence, growth and strategies in Brazil & Latam. Matt Sahakian, connecting Gaming worlds through innovative solutions.

Valentina Diaco

Founder Profit Matches

Valentina Diaco

Founder

About the speaker

Valentina Diaco is a marketing strategist and growth advisor with nearly two decades of experience across entertainment, luxury, and iGaming. She has led digital for global brands including Bulgari, FOX International Channels, and PlayStation, and has held leadership roles at successful crypto and fiat operators, orchestrating marketing departments across branding, acquisition, and retention , from affiliates to influencers and KOLs. She is the Founder of Profit Matches, a marketing consultancy that helps businesses craft rational, data-driven strategies designed to align profit with purpose, and AI Match, a matchmaking platform that connects iGaming and crypto companies with the right AI solutions to bridge marketing, technology, and growth.

Sean Bianco

Co-Founder & CEO GainChanger

Sean Bianco

Co-Founder & CEO

About the speaker

Sean Bianco is the Co-founder and CEO of GainChanger, an SEO agency specializing in driving scalable, consistent, and results-driven growth for iGaming brands and online businesses. Since launching in 2020, GainChanger has helped companies achieve sustainable organic visibility through data-driven SEO, affiliate marketing, and brand protection strategies. A regular speaker at international conferences such as SEOday, Sean shares actionable insights on link-building, competitive SEO strategy, and building robust digital assets that generate long-term ROI. He is also developing an eBook and course series focused on helping entrepreneurs build resilient online businesses that can thrive amid industry disruption.

Matej Novota

Head of Casino Research Casino Guru

Matej Novota

Head of Casino Research

About the speaker

Matej Novota leads Casino Research at Casino Guru, the world's largest independent online casino database. He helped grow the platform from 40 to over 8,000 reviews, building its trusted, data-driven methodology. Matej oversees the Complaint Resolution and Data Teams, drives tools like the Safety Index and champions fair play. A former software specialist, he brings technical and industry expertise to global conferences and initiatives promoting transparency and responsible gaming.

David Yatom Hay

General Counsel Soft2Bet

David Yatom Hay

General Counsel

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Lior Aizik

Co-Founder & COO XBO.com

Lior Aizik

Co-Founder & COO

About the speaker

Lior Aizik is the Co-Founder and COO of XBO.com - the next-gen crypto exchange and payment solutions for businesses. With over a decade of experience in fintech, algo-trading, and gaming, Lior focuses on building secure, scalable financial solutions that bridge traditional finance with the future of digital assets.

Nicolò D'Ercole

EVP - Technology and AI Sportradar

Nicolò D'Ercole

EVP - Technology and AI

About the speaker

Nicolò D’Ercole is Sportradar’s EVP Technology and AI, responsible for the company’s Odds and Sports Media products, for all the AI products, and for the adoption of Gen AI across the company. Prior to joining Sportradar in September 2024, Nicolò was a Director of Engineering at Google, where he worked for almost 14 years. When there, among other things, he led the development of Google Assistant Smart Display, Smart Dictation on Google Pixel phones, and more recently of the Gemini APIs and Google AI Studio.

Paul Puolakka

CMO Mr. Gamble

Paul Puolakka

CMO

About the speaker

Andrea Ruggieri

Journalist

Andrea Ruggieri

Journalist

About the speaker

Roberto Magnifico

Partner & Board Member Zest Innovation

Roberto Magnifico

Partner & Board Member

About the speaker

Serafino Vaccino

Technical Compliance Director & AI Legal Lead EveryMatrix

Serafino Vaccino

Technical Compliance Director & AI Legal Lead

About the speaker

Nick Harding

Chairman EAG Expo

Nick Harding

Chairman

About the speaker

Devin Holmberg

Co-Founder Richmond Street

Devin Holmberg

Co-Founder

About the speaker

Devin Holmberg is the Co-Founder of Richmond Street Inc., a Canadian digital marketing company behind YTZ.com, a leading traffic monetization platform, and All In Affiliates, a fast-growing iGaming affiliate network. Active in affiliate marketing since 2008, Devin focuses on combining data-driven strategy and machine learning with human insight to drive sustainable partner growth.

Enrico Bradamante

CEO EGT Malta

Enrico Bradamante

CEO

About the speaker

Adam Calleja Urry

Business Development Director - Malta BetConstruct

Adam Calleja Urry

Business Development Director - Malta

About the speaker

Adam Calleja Urry is a highly accomplished commercial professional with over 15 years of experience in sales and business development. His expertise lies in scaling B2B revenue streams and building high-performing sales and account management teams. He has a proven track record of managing P&L, developing effective go-to-market strategies, and expanding into key markets across EMEA, Latin America, and Asia. He is currently the Business Development Director for Malta at BetConstruct.