Player Experience Academy
Tuesday, 29 September 2026
13:30 - 17:00
Sala Tejo, MEO Arena
Player experience has become one of the industry’s biggest differentiators, shaping engagement, loyalty, and long-term player value. As operators strive to create more engaging experiences while meeting evolving regulatory expectations, understanding the role of gamification, what works, what doesn’t, and where the boundaries lie has never been more important.
By attending, you’ll be able to:
- Design more engaging player experiences using proven gamification mechanics, progression systems and reward structures.
- Understand how leading industries, from video gaming to consumer technology, use gamification to influence behaviour, increase loyalty and build stronger customer relationships.
- Evaluate the ethical and regulatory considerations surrounding gamification, balancing engagement objectives with player protection responsibilities.
- Identify how mechanics such as battle passes, missions, achievements and seasonal content can be adapted for betting and gaming environments.
- Develop player engagement strategies tailored to different player types, motivations and risk profiles, creating experiences that are both effective and sustainable.
Sessions
Keynote
Tuesday, 29 Sept.
1:30-14:00
Player Experience Academy 2026 Update: As it is now and what’s next?
TBD
Speaker:
- Yoel Zuckerberg, CPO, Soft2Bet
Panel
Tuesday, 29 Sept.
14:00-14:45
Driving Innovation in Responsible Player Experience
This panel explores how player experience innovation and engagement are reshaping retention strategies. It examines how behavioural design and layered protection can drive user engagement while ensuring ethical responsiblity. The discusion also highlights how stakeholders can scale across multiple jurisdictions while balancing compliance, player wellbeing and sustainable growth.
Speaker:
- Chris McGowan, Chief Executive Officer, Scatters
- Justin Muscat Galán, Senior Product Manager – Player Rewards & Gamification, Betsson Group
- Christoffer Gronlund, CEO, Mindboogle Affiliate Marketing & Growth (confirmed)
- David Nardaia, CEO, Lambda Gaming
- Andrew Cochrane, CCO, Soft2Bet
Presentation
Tuesday, 29 Sept.
14:45-15:15
What iGaming Can Learn from Responsible Player Experience
A presentation by an industry expert
Speaker:
- Arjan Korstjens, Principal, Trainer, Casino Marketing Academy
Case Study
Tuesday, 29 Sept.
15:45-16:10
Responsible Player Experience: Managing Risk for Commercial Sustainabliity
This case study examines how responsible player experience can be used to manage risk while supporting long term commercial sustainability. It explores how behavioural design, engagement mechanics and retention strategies can be structured to balance performance with player protection and ethical responsiblity. The session highlights the importance of identifying and mitigating behavioural risk, market risk, operational risk and reputational risk, particularly in multi-jurisdictional environments. Ultimately it focuses on how operators can build commercially effective player experience frameworks that are sustainable, compliant and aligned with long term business resilience.
Speaker:
- Dr Colin Lawrence, Former Senior Regulator/Former Director of Risk Specilaist Division, FSA/Bank of England
Workshop
Tuesday, 29 Sept.
16:10-17:00
Know Your Player: Using Gamification to Drive Safer Engagement
Not all players engage in the same way, and effective player protection requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. This interactive workshop explores how operators can identify different player types and tailor engagement strategies to match behaviours, motivations and risk profiles.
Presentation
Wednesday, 30 Sept.
14:00-14:45
Web 3.0 Academy
After years of hype, Web3 in gambling is entering a more practical phase. Crypto payments, blockchain transparency, and digital assets are no longer theoretical, but adoption remains uneven and highly dependent on regulation. Where is Web3 delivering real value today and what role will crypto, blockchain, and hybrid models play in the future of regulated and unregulated markets?
Panel
Wednesday, 30 Sept.
14:00-14:45
Crypto Payments in Regulated Markets: Hype or Reality?
Crypto and stablecoins are gaining traction as alternative payment rails in gambling, promising faster settlements and lower costs. But regulatory uncertainty and compliance requirements continue to limit adoption across Europe and beyond. Where are crypto payments genuinely adding value, how are operators integrating them alongside traditional methods, and can they scale within regulated frameworks without compromising AML, KYC, and player protection standards?
Speaker:
- Anthony Day, Marketing Director, VeChainAnthony Day, Marketing Director, VeChain
- Lissele Pratt, Founder, Capitalixe
Fireside Chat
Wednesday, 30 Sept.
14:45-15:15
Trust on the Chain: Does Blockchain Really Make Gaming Fair?
Blockchain technology is enabling new levels of transparency in gaming through provably fair systems and auditable outcomes. As trust becomes a key competitive differentiator, operators are exploring whether on-chain verification can genuinely strengthen fairness, integrity, and regulatory compliance. How are these systems working in real environments, what are their current limitations, and can they realistically scale across regulated markets while improving player confidence without adding friction to the user experience?
Case Study/Live Demo
Wednesday, 30 Sept.
15:45-16:10
Provably Fair – Live Demo: Can Players Really Verify Every Outcome?
Blockchain is reshaping transparency in gaming through provably fair systems, but how does it actually work in practice? This live demo walks through a real game round, showing how outcomes are generated, hashed, and independently verified by the player. By comparing traditional RNG models with on-chain verification, this session explores whether provably fair technology can genuinely enhance trust, meet regulatory expectations, and scale across regulated markets without adding friction to the player experience
Workshop
Wednesday, 30 Sept.
16:10-17:00
Building Hybrid Gambling Platforms: Where Web2 Meets Web3
Fully decentralised gambling has struggled in regulated markets, creating new opportunities for hybrid models that blend blockchain innovation with traditional platforms. But how do operators use blockchain practically without rebuilding their business or breaking regulation? Explores crypto payments, on-chain verification, and digital assets through real-world examples, showing how to unlock Web3 opportunities, strengthen player trust, and drive innovation while staying compliant
Speaker:
- Gene Deyev, Co-Founder & CEO, Stobox
- Vaibhavv (Vali) Ali, Co-Founder , Cryptonite UAE
- Brett Calapp, CEO / Co-Founder, Turnt Gaming
Education+ Upgrade
Per Academy/Masterclass
€249
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