The first edition of the Italian Gaming Expo & Conference (IGE) entitled “The sustainable future of gaming” ended with lots of approval.
The B2B event dedicated to the Italian gaming market, with the aim to analyze in depth the reality of a sector whose importance is internationally recognized, together with institutions, experts, scholars, opinion leaders and influencers. With the participation of around 1200 delegates from over 12 different countries and the presence of multiple political, institutional and media personalities.
The numbers
Over 130 speakers, coming from several countries in Europe and the world, more than 35 content sessions and over 50 companies involved, including partners and exhibitors,over 20 political representatives and more than 10 institutions represented, including: Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, Coni, Agcom, Ministry of Home Affairs, Masaf (Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests), State Police, Italian finance police, Europol, Interpol , as well as the Government and Parliament, with a large presence of representatives of the Chamber and Senate. To which we must add foreign regulators (such as the UK Gambling Commission and Mga, Malta Gaming Authority) and various international entities (such as Easg, G4, Imgl - International master of gaming law, Iagr - International association of gaming regulators, Ulis - United Lotteries for integrity in sports). These are the numbers of the first edition of IGE. With a public presence that reached 1187 units in the two days of the event.
At the heart of the event, the main topics that will drive the world of legal gaming in the coming months and years, and the definition of the approach guidelines for companies that want to look to the future, to innovation, to sustainability. The reform of public gaming, the sustainable future of gaming, the strenght of promotions between reorganization and consumer protection, the Italian model as a reference to ensure the integrity of sport, in addition to the reform of horse racing. These are some of the topics discussed during the first day.
One of the primary goals of IGE is to allow participants to meet and discuss with experts, opinion leaders, scholars and some of the best C-levels at national and international level, to find new ideas and solutions for the growth and development of their business. And it can be considered achieved, taking into account the approval recorded by the event, which also recorded the presence of authoritative exponents of the world of information: from the TV host and deputy director of Il Giornale, Nicola Porro, to the deputy director of the La7 news program and TV host, Andrea Pancani, to the Director of RaiNews24 Paolo Petrecca.
According to Mario Lollobrigida, Central Games Director of the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli: “The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, as a regulatory body for the public gaming sector, has always been at the forefront in the defense and promotion of the principles representing the cornerstones on which the gaming industry is based: that of legality, safety and protection of consumers and public order. For this reason, the Agency welcomed this Italian gaming expo & Conference event, as it is exactly focused on these communication values. In particular, we appreciate the highly scientific profile of the event, thanks to the participation of famous personalities and leading universities, such as those of the Luiss, Bocconi and Politecnico di Milano, who will participate in these two days of debate".
As regards the topical issues that animated the IGE discussion, the reform of the sector just launched by the government was undoubtedly at the heart. Marco Osnato, President of the Finance Commission, Chamber of Deputies, stressed that: “The new law is a chance for the State to undoubtedly find some additional resources from the tax levy, resources that allow the administration to make its choices. With this decree we have managed to achieve a balance of interests that is healthy for everyone. We always start from the protection of the citizen, the user of effective, traceable and exact legal services, also in compliance with legal systems which have become more limited, with a view to protecting and professionalising companies. A more peaceful approach."
According to Ettore Rosato, Copasir Secretary, member of the Foreign Affairs Commission, Chamber of Deputies: “Gaming is a sector that I have been dealing with for a long time and I believe it is essential that politics recognize its value both in economic terms, from tax revenue to the number of employees and companies on the market, both in terms of legality and social impact. Public gaming is an obstruction to organized crime and is a controlled system, which also allows us to control the risks of gambling addiction that may arise".
However, we must pay attention to all the interesting and topical issues revolving around the sector, starting with the ban on advertising, which is still in force today. Laura Aria, Agcom Commissioner, declared that: “According to article 57 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the provision of gaming service cannot be completely banned. Moreover, managing highly addictive phenomena, such as gambling addiction, with a prohibitionist approach towards the medium, i.e. gambling, does not seem to be an effective solution. I believe that a better awareness campaign and inter-institutional cooperation is needed. Legislation and monitoring of gambling allow for better management of gambling addiction. Therefore, investing in prevention is the central point."
But they also talked about matchfixing and the Italian intelligence network based on the betting sector, which represents excellence on a global level. According to Ugo Taucer, Attorney General, Coni: “Even before the Macolin convention there is an Italian tradition of discussion between police forces, institutional bodies responsible for games control, private operators, federations, sports, through the Luiss office, which establishes institutional cooperation and an exchange of news. There is a wide scope for exchange and discussion, a strong correspondence between the various areas".
There is a lot of content relating to responsible gaming, with particular attention to the investigative work previewed by the Fondazione Fair, as explained by the president Matteo Caroli: “In Italy there are no independent Foundations dedicated to Responsible Gaming. With the Fondazione Fair we want to promote a gaming culture that focuses on prevention, as well as respect and people protection, through the development of lines of scientific research, studies and research. We also aim to promote cooperation and study activities with qualified third parties, thus adopting a multidisciplinary approach open to discussion with everyone".
According to Alessio Crisantemi, Gn Media President & co-founder: "The gaming industry is a real source of talent and cradle of true excellence, especially in Italy. In this sense, we are proud of the success of this event, which offers a precious opportunity for discussion and training between stakeholders, institutions and operators on crucial issues for the future of the sector, such as sustainability and innovation. But innovation is not for its own sake, neither only oriented to profitability or product appeal, but applied above all in the search for solutions and systems for consumer protection and safety. Therefore, these two days of meetings and discussions are even more important, in order to give proper prominence to a sector that needs to be promoted and enhanced, as it can substantially contribute to the growth of the country, but in a sustainable way".
The event, which aims to be an annual event for the industry, ended by announcing the next dates of 9-10 April 2025.
The debut of the Italian Gaming Awards
The first edition of IGE was crowned by the Gala evening of the Italian Gaming Awards (IGA), hosted by the Director of RaiNews24 Paolo Petrecca and the actress Giorgia Fiori, who celebrated the excellence of gaming in Italy, awarding 19 prizes to operators, suppliers and other categories: with the complete list of winners which can be read at this link.