ICE North America Digital - Day 2 ICE NA Digital Event Guide - Day 2-v6 | Page 5

DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Day one of ICE North America
Digital kicked off with a debate
on iGaming and how it could
offer land-based gaming
establishments a lifeline once
normal life resumes. Moderator
Marie Jones, an attorney at Fox
Rothschild LLP, was joined by
Aviram Alroy, VP Interactive
Games at Mohegan Sun, Jesse
Chemtob, General Manager
and VP of Casino at FanDuel
Group and Michigan State
Representative Brandt Iden to
answer questions on the impact
it has had – and will continue
to have – on bricks and mortar
properties. Not only did they
examine the strategies operators
are utilizing to generate revenue
and engage with their customers,
they also examined the legislative
imperative in states that have yet
to open up online, and how it is
set to play a pivotal role in the
phased re-opening of states that
have.
Aviram was the first to contribute,
indicating that growth in online
players, many of whom were
existing land-based customers
making the switch, was very
positive for the industry. He was
hopeful the statistics would
encourage states and land-based
only operators to understand the
value of having a diverse portfolio.
Jesse agreed, suggesting
they should view online as
complementary rather than
competitive, particularly given that
many trying it for the first time
were existing land-based patrons.
Brandt suggested taxation would
help states starved of funds in the
months to come and highlighted
the slow processing of licences
as a need to get on with it. He
also called
for shared
liquidity to
make it more
attractive to
players.
The panel
then
considered
the importance of monitoring
players to ensure better
protection during the stay
at home period, with Aviram
suggesting this was far easier to
do online and Brandt pointing
to the sophisticated technology
available to online operators.
He also suggested the online
world was a great opportunity for
venues to grow their database,
with Jesse holding New Jersey
up as a great example of the
opportunities on offer to states
who take the plunge.
The second panel session of
the day also focused on online
– but this time iLottery, and
how regulation is catching up
with technology. With David
Isaacson, VP Spectrum
Gaming Capital in the chair,
Gordon Medenica, director
Maryland Lottery and Gaming,
Lauren Walker, Director
Interactive content and customer
Service at Kentucky Lottery
and Ludovico Calvi, President
Global Lottery Monitoring
System looked at the importance
of having agile online products
and platforms to complement –
and improve – retail performance.
Gordon began proceedings
by maintaining the importance
of keeping retail partners
onside, with Lauren stating
that Kentucky had made a very
May 11, 2020
iGaming & iLottery
conscious decision to ensure
pay-outs were the same in retail
and online to do so. This had
helped retail revenues continue
to grow. Ludovico said it was
hard to convert lotteries from
being a cash-based businesses,
but that changing consumer
habits married to the Covid-19
epidemic was speeding that up.
He also suggested the growth
of sports betting was helping
operators in different verticals in
the U.S. adopt an omni-channel
approach.
Gordon went on to allay
fears that the older lottery
players won’t take to online by
suggesting the demographics
were almost identical to the
state they resided in. He also
highlighted lotteries universal
appeal. Lauren said big draws
appealed to those in their 40s,
whilst the real variety in iLottery
products was drawing in the 18-
25 year olds. As the debate then
swung to sports betting as having
potential for lottery operators,
Gordon concluded that launching
any kind of licensed iGaming
was important to combat illegal
operators.
To watch the full-length stream
of each session held on Monday,
May 11 during ICE North America
Digital, please click here.
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