SBC is gearing up to launch its debut Earnings & More: Capital Markets Forum event at the iconic New York Stock Exchange on May 6, offering 200 attendees a blend of learning and networking opportunities with leading experts.
This exclusive event, organized in collaboration with Earnings+More, aims to unite top minds from investment banks, M&A, and strategic advisory firms, alongside financial analysts and senior decision-makers from the gambling industry. Together, through a series of conference sessions, they will discuss pivotal trends shaping the betting and iGaming space in the United States and globally.
Conference Sessions
As the era of readily available capital wanes, private equity finds itself under pressure to validate its value proposition. Experts Adam Rosenberg (Senior Advisor | Gaming & Leisure, Blackstone), Joel H. Simkins (Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey), Nanette Heide (Global Chair, Private Equity Group, Duane Morris), and John Decree (Analyst, Global Commercial Real Estate Services) will dissect the specific contributions private equity can make to the gaming industry by evaluating its industry-related historical performance. Among other topics, the ‘Private Equity and Gaming’ panelists will elaborate on which companies they identify as promising targets for private equity involvement, both in the public market and among privately owned enterprises.
The ‘Billion-dollar Babies: The Swing to Profitability’ panel will explore the implications of the shift towards profitability and the rise of billion-dollar EBITDA giants for the rest of the United States’ online sports betting and online casino industry. The panelists will answer questions such as the repercussions the substantial profits amassed by sector frontrunners will have on others in the field, as well as how those earnings are going to be utilized. Andrew Fabian (Investment Banking – Global Technology Group, Citi), Barry Jonas (Managing Director, Truist Securities), Cassandra Lee (Senior Associate, Bettor Capital), and Chad Beynon (Senior Equity Analyst, Macquarie) will also discuss whether the industry will witness increased merger and acquisition activities, among other key discussion points.
As the trend of European companies struggling to penetrate the North American market prompts questions about their ongoing aspirations, the ‘Safe European Home: What do Withdrawals from North America Say about Future Ambitions?’ panel will delve into the associated challenges of the companies retracting their presence from North America. With concerns over wasted capital and failed ventures looming large, Ramy Ibrahim (Managing Director, Moelis & Company), Matt Sodl (Founding Partner & President, Innovation Capital), and Robin Chhabra (CEO, Tekkorp) will discuss strategies for assuaging investor apprehensions and articulating future plans. Scott Longley (CEO, Clear Concise Media) will moderate the session.
As the trend of continuously expanding portfolios with bolt-on deals becomes more challenging, the ‘No More Worlds to Conquer: What Happens When the Bolt-On Deals Dry Up?’ panel shifts the discussion to the future of M&A activity. Sandford Loudon (Partner, Oakvale Capital), Thomas Nicholls (Managing Director, Strategic Advisory Group, PJT Partners), Adam Berger (Partner, Duane Morris), and James Brodie (Head of Interactive, International, MGM Interactive) will zoom in on the quest for value-enhancing deals in Europe and beyond and analyze whether the era of the bolt-on juggernaut is nearing its end, with such opportunities dwindling and shareholders growing increasingly wary of costly expansions.
While the spotlight has largely been on the expansion of sports betting in the United States, the slower progress of online casino legalization at the state level has received less attention. Panelists Davis Catlin (Managing Partner, Discerning Capital), Josh Swissman (Consultant, GMA), Lauren Seiler (Founder, Global Gaming Advisors), and Eric Hession (President, Caesars Digital) will discuss the opportunities in the online casino field and the potential rewards that operators can capitalize on during the ‘Short-term memory: Have investors forgotten about iCasino?’ panel. Caroline Ponsetti (Communications Strategist, Invariant) will moderate the session where one main question will be answered: are investors tuned in to this long-term potential?
Once the conference session concludes, attendees will be invited to join Networking Drinks directly on the Trading Floor at 6 pm.
Secure your spot at the Capital Markets Forum with a pass priced at $300. Availability is limited.
Conveniently timed, the Capital Markets Forum precedes the SBC Summit North America, the foremost iGaming & Sports Betting Event in North America, scheduled for May 7-9 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey. This ensures convenience for those interested in attending both events.