If you don’t already know, SiGMA is one of the largest iGaming events in the world, where people from every aspect of the industry come together to discuss what they have done, what they are doing, and where the gaming and casino industry is heading.
SiGMA 2022 hosted numerous panels featuring experts in the industry.
I was honored to attend this year and wanted to share some of the best of what I saw and heard from iGaming leaders from around the world.
What is SiGMA?
Founded in 2014, SiGMA is an annual event that hosts vendors and entrepreneurs in the casino and gaming sectors, including top online casino operators, game providers, and more. This year, they saw a record attendance of over 25,000 attendees! The event has expanded to include multiple conferences happening at once. There are panels discussing casino trends, cryptocurrencies, medical technology, and even digital marketing.
What did I think of SiGMA?
Top game providers like NoLimit City were in attendance at SiGMA 2022.
Honestly, while I was a bit overwhelmed with all the different events and vendor booths, it was also exciting to learn so much about upcoming trends and meet the faces behind sites we list here on BCK. Founder, Eman Pulis, says that at SiGMA, the concept is, “Let’s be friends before doing business.” And you could feel that energy throughout every aspect of the event. I met a lot of interesting people who had plenty to share about what’s to come at crypto casinos next year.
Here’s what I learned.
What Can We Expect in 2023?
Security at Crypto Casinos
BC.Game Casino made an appearance at Sigma 2022.
The key word from those discussing top security concerns at online casinos was “responsible gaming.” Responsible gaming refers to tools and practices that protect us, the players, safe at casinos. There was a lot of discussion about soft versus hard in this aspect. The soft side refers to educating players more on responsible gaming and why it is important. While the hard side is more on the casino itself, the strategies they use, and the tools they provide us with.
Another top initiative discussed was anti-cheater systems, and I cannot stress to you how important this is. We can think of cheaters as free riders, those that benefit from receiving rewards without paying into the system. And cheating can come from players and casino operators alike. So, it is important to have technology and policies in place to catch players who might be “gaming the system,” so to speak, and for licensed casinos and game providers to receive independent audits to ensure their games are fair for all players.
It was interesting to see and hear from those very passionate about our safety and the steps they have taken and are going to take to increase it in the future. And I want to say a big shout-out and thank you to all of you that continue to work to keep us safe while we play.
Payment Methods at Crypto Casinos
SoftSwiss is one of the leading payment processing systems for crypto casinos.
A lot of discussion on the future of payments at crypto casinos was on KYC and withdrawals. The consensus was that we can expect to see more casinos requiring KYC and that casinos should place the necessary procedures and tools in place to make this process as quick and painless as possible for the players. Anyone who has gone through a KYC experience knows exactly how long it can take, so I applauded this. Let’s face it, who wants to wait 3-5 business days to receive your withdrawal?!
Regulating Crypto Casinos
Ron Segev and Pierre Lindh held a great discussion on potential future regulations for crypto casinos.
It might be just around the corner, and let’s focus on the positive aspects this could have for us. Ron Segev is a lawyer that specializes in cases for gaming/betting and crypto companies. Segev stated that we can 100% expect to see more regulations on crypto happening in the US, especially given the recent FTX scandal. He gave the example of Wyoming already allowing crypto to be used at online sportsbooks as an example of what is to come. He also shouted out Stake.com as a model for other crypto casinos to follow.
Segev ended his segment on stage by stating that crypto is not going anywhere, and if anything, the recent FTX situation has only showcased the continued stability of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. He said that there will continue to be a demand for crypto usage by US players, and therefore the market needs to get adequate regulations on the books so more online casinos can continue to meet this demand.
Personalized Casino Offers
Top game providers, like Push Gaming, showed off new online slots at SiGMA 2022.
Are you tired of receiving endless casino promotions in your inbox full of offers you have zero interest in? Me too! But casino managers are working on ways to alleviate our frustrations. Many in the industry are using tools and procedures using what is termed “real-time CRM management.” CRM stands for “customer relationship management” and is usually the team behind all those emails.
So how does real-time management work?
Thanks, in part, to new AI tools, these teams can scan all the data collected by us playing at their casino and create better, more targeted lists for specific promotional offers. Data collected will include:
- Types of games we play – slot vs. live dealer
- Themes of games we play – classic slots vs. hold and win slots
- Promotions we opt-in to – free spins vs. cashback
- And so much more
Using all this data will allow these teams to create personalized promotional offers specifically for us. This will hopefully help clear out all the unnecessary junk offers we’re never even going to open. Thank you! I’ll be expecting my bonus codes soon.
Final Thoughts
Had a great convo with the guys at Winz Casino.
Overall, SiGMA was a great experience. I learned so much about what we can expect from top crypto casinos next year.
- More responsible gaming initiatives
- An increase in anti-cheating procedures
- Faster KYC tools
- More regulations around cryptocurrency
- Personalized casino promotions
Will I be returning to SiGMA next year? Who knows? I certainly hope to. They host events all around the world now, including Dubai, Sao Paulo, and Cyprus. So, here’s hoping I’ll be able to make it to at least one of them in 2023.
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