With only a few more days to go until the inaugural SBC Digital Summit, weโve been quizzing our event sponsors on what they think will be the biggest innovations in 2020, and what they plan to promote at the digital event.
Speaking to SBC, 1xBetโs Alex Sommers has revealed that their focus has turned towards their virtual sports and esports product lines to address the shortfall in live sporting events.
What are you looking forward to at the SBC Digital Summit?
The SBC Digital Summit is a truly groundbreaking event for the betting and gaming industry for the simple fact that it will be held online. Delegates will experience an entirely virtual, interactive conference and exhibition. It was necessary to come up with this set-up for the event since the extraordinary circumstances that have arisen due to this new kind of virus have affected even the gambling industry.
As such, we have all been confronted with an unprecedented challenge which requires us to come together to overcome the crisis we are facing. Postponed events and travel restrictions have changed the way we conduct meetings and made us turn to online platforms to connect and share knowledge. Our company is looking forward to meeting industry leaders to understand their vision for market stabilization and to exchange crucial business ideas.
What would be your biggest bit of advice for betting and gaming businesses trying to mitigate the impact of COVID-19?
In a time where all sports events have had to be put on hold, the demand for online gambling products has risen. Esports have become the main line of focus for betting, as the number of events in the world of video gaming has increased.
Aside from the traditional CS:GO and Dota 2 games, the number of esports events and tournaments has also increased: football, hockey, basketball, etc. Virtual sports are also worth a mention: bets can be placed on horse and dog racing, and other similar sports.
What are you promoting at SBC Digital Summit?
At SBC Digital Summit, we will be presenting one of the top bookmaker platforms. The 1xBet network is unparalleled in the number of pre-match and live markets available, as well as casino games, slots, and live casino products. During this period of isolation, we will be providing our full range of entertainment content, which can be found on the 1xBet website.
What industry innovation will capture the most attention in 2020?
In 2020, practically all operators have turned their attention to esports due to the current circumstances. We can also attribute to these circumstances the unprecedented interest we are seeing in online gambling content: slots, games, live casino, virtual sport. In the absence of the main sporting events, our main priorities for this year are therefore our virtual sports and esports product lines.
Which operator has impressed you the most in 2020?
During this time in which all sports events have been suspended, providers are all striving to optimize their operations and get them to their pre-lockdown levels. As such, in the current climate wherein companies all have to work together to find a solution and overcome this crisis, we cannot single out one operator over all the others.
Which parts of the conference agenda have caught your eye?
Having looked at the agenda for the summit for all five days, we can see that all parts of the conference will be of interest to the company. All events that are to be held at the SBC Digital Summit will be touching upon many of the aspects of our operations, and it will be valuable to learn something new and share our experience.