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
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.
Speakers:
- Chris McGowan, Chief Executive Officer, Scatters
- Justin Muscat Galán, Senior Product Manager – Player Rewards & Gamification, Betsson Group
- Christoffer Grönlund, CEO, Mindboogie Marketing AB — Marketing, Affiliates & Growth for iGaming
- David Nardaia, CEO, Lambda Gaming
- Francesco Postiglione, CEO, Casumo
- 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
- Martyn Elliott, Media Director, SBC Media
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.
Speaker:
- Harrison Barrett, VP of Business Development, Soft2Bet
- Helen Walton, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder, G Gaming
Speakers and Presenters
Justin
Muscat Galán
Senior Product Manager - Player Rewards & Gamification
Betsson Group
Chris
McGowan
COO
Scatters
Christoffer
Gronlund
CEO
Mindboogle Affiliate Marketing & Growth
David
Nardaia
CEO
Lambda Gaming
Francesco
Postiglione
CEO
Casumo
Andrew
Cochrane
Chief Commercial Officer
Soft2Bet
Arjan
Korstjens
Principal
Casino Marketing Academy
Dr Colin
Lawrence
Ex-Senior Regulator/Former Director of Risk Specilaist Division
FSA/Bank of England
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Education+ Upgrade
Per Academy/Masterclass
€249
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