IMGL 2019 Autumn Conference

September 11 - 13, 2019

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Overview

September 11–13, 2019

Munich, Germany

The IMGL Autumn 2019 Conference was held in Munich, Germany.

The conference host hotel was the Charles Hotel Munich.

The list of conference events is posted to this website, including schedule, sessions, speakers, and sponsor information.

Sponsorships

Sponsorships are now available. For more details, contact brien@imgl.org

View the sponsorship prospectus here.

Opening Reception Sponsor

Melchers Law Fim
www.melchers.com
MELCHERS covers all classic business law areas including corporate law, commercial law, property law, IP and IT, and labour and employment law as well as regulatory law and litigation and also special fields such as construction law, public economic law and law relating to economic and fiscal offenses among many other specialist areas. With its expertise, MELCHERS is further able to advise its clients in very specialized fields as gaming law, data protection law and law of architects. MELCHERS all-around coverage is completed by its notary’s office in Berlin.

Gold Sponsor

Gauselmann
www.gauselmann.com
We are an internationally active family-owned company, committed to providing leisure-time entertainment and gaming fun with small stakes and prizes, true to our motto “More than a game”. Our core competences – content, technology and operating – enable us to offer top-quality games anywhere it is permitted and at any time based on the respective legislative framework. We stand for responsible gaming – the latest insights into prevention and consumer protection continually flow into our product range. Alongside our products, our employees play a major role in ensuring that our entire offering sets high benchmarks.

NOVOMATIC
www.novomatic.com
NOVOMATIC is one of the largest integrated conglomerates of the international gaming industry. Founded by the entrepreneur Prof. Johann F. Graf the Group comprises affiliated companies in 45 countries, produces high-tech gaming devices and exports to 80 countries. Consistent investments in research and development, an eagerness to do pioneer work, a distinct feeling for trends and a total commitment to quality have made the NOVOMATIC Group a major player of the international gaming industry. Responsible Gaming, an extreme customer focus, respectability and technological trendsetting as well as quality standards which are exemplary in the gaming industry and beyond, build the foundation of international success.
Closing Reception Sponsor

Play’n GO
www.playngo.com
Play’n GO is an award-winning game producer and leading casino platform supplier that has been in business for over 10 years. For both online and retail casino operators who are looking to increase revenue and customer loyalty, Play’n GO offers products that deliver original, fun experiences across any channel. Unlike most, our products are based on unique inspirations, creativity and are backed by a solid back-office platform.

Silver Sponsor

Magic Sports Media GmbH
www.magicsportsmedia.com
Magic Sports Media GmbH, based in Ismaning, near Munich, Germany, is a company of the Constantin Medien Group. Founded in 2018, it comprises the marketing portfolio and comprehensive expertise in the fields of betting, poker, casino and lottery. MAGIC SPORTS MEDIA offers companies in the gaming and gambling sector, media companies as well as sports associations, leagues and clubs a comprehensive service portfolio encompassing ad sales and consulting as well as regulation and policy.

Bronze Sponsors

BMM Testlabs
www.bmm.com
BMM is the longest established and most experienced private independent gaming certification lab in the world, providing professional technical and regulatory compliance services to the gaming industry since 1981. BMM is a systems-expert company that has provided consulting for and tested many of the largest gaming networks and systems over the last 35 years. In addition, BMM has been successfully testing and certifying the full scope of Class III casino products for over two decades. BMM authored the first set of independent gaming standards in 1992 and the first set of online gaming standards in 2001. BMM employs some 300 people in 13 global locations and serves over 440 jurisdictions.

TÜV Rheinland
www.tuvrheinland.com
The TÜV Rheinland Group is a leading provider of technical services worldwide. Since our foundation in 1872, we have been developing safe and sustainable solutions for the challenges arising from the interaction between man, the environment and technology. As an independent, neutral and professional organization, we are committed to working towards a future that can fulfil the needs of both mankind and the environment in the long term. In the ever changing markets in which we operate, our focus is on serving customers, achieving success and constantly enhancing our appeal to customers, partners and staff.

Saiber LLC
www.saiber.com
Lawyers for Business, Counselors for Life.
For over 60 years, Saiber has approached the practice of law with a dual purpose: to advocate tenaciously for our clients in times of conflict, and offer guidance and advice in our role as trusted advisors. We continue to uphold this legacy every day, working with a diverse clientele that includes national corporations, closely-held businesses, professional practitioners, families and individuals. Our practice encompasses virtually every area of the law, and ranges from simple, straightforward matters to complex, sophisticated litigation, corporate counseling, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory matters. With thorough preparation, keen insight and immersive knowledge of your business interests, our lawyers are well equipped to represent you at all levels. We bring the same level of expertise to your corporate and commercial transactions and your personal family matters.

Casino Trac
www.tabletrac.com
Table Trac, Inc. was founded in 1995 as a Nevada-company and is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The company is publicly-traded (TBTC.QB). Table Trac, Inc. develops and sells a suite of casino management products system that automates and monitors the operations of a casino, using the name of CasinoTrac, a total casino management system with functionality modules for guest rewards and loyalty club, marketing analysis, guest service, promotions administration/management, vault/cage management, and audit/accounting. The Company currently has systems installed in 130 sites throughout North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.

Schneider Schiffer Weihermüller
www.ssw.eu
SSW is one of the leading IT-Boutiques in Germany. A team of more than 30 experts provides quality and personal advise to national and international clients with a focus on IT law but under consideration of all other relevant fields of law and taxes. With 15 years of experience in the gaming sector Frieder Backu and his team represent and advise international gaming companies. This includes representation at court and before tax and administrative authorities as well as developing forward-thinking strategies in challenging regulatory environments.

Supporting Sponsor

Spectrum Gaming Group
www.spectrumgaming.com
Spectrum is an independent research, analysis and professional services firm serving private- and public-sector clients worldwide. Its client base includes government agencies from Singapore to West Virginia and Massachusetts, major securities firms, and commercial and tribal gaming operators. Spectrum has performed gaming analysis in areas from Macau and South Korea to emerging markets in the U.S. and elsewhere. Its services include regulatory and due-diligence services, to internet gaming and public policy to feasibility and economic-impact studies. Spectrum serves as the Executive Director for the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) and its sister companies include Spectrum Gaming Capital, based in New York; Spectrum Asia, based in Bangkok; and Spectrum-I, based in Horsham, PA.

Schedule

Schedule and Events

Download the program booklet from the conference.

Wednesday, September 11

10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Registration
Charles Hotel
Ballroom Foyer
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Member Meeting
Charles Hotel
Ballroom
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Opening Reception
Charles Hotel
Sophias Bar/Terrace and Marocain

Opening reception at sophias bar and terrace

Thursday, September 12
MORNING SESSIONS
Ballroom

8:00 am – 4:45 pm
Registration
Ballroom Foyer

9:00 am – 9:10 am
Welcome and Conference Overview
Jamie Nettleton, IMGL President

9:10 am – 9:30 am
Keynote Speaker
Harald Neumann, CEO, Novomatic AG, Austria

9:30 am – 10:30 am
The Regulator’s View on Gambling Regulation – What is the best way of channeling the demand for gambling?

Among regulators it is rare to find anyone not agreeing that illegal gambling is harmful to players and society. But when it comes to regulating gambling diversity kicks in and very different legislative models can be found around the world. Listen in on why so different ways to channelize gambling into a legal framework has been chosen in Spain, Norway, and Africa – and if they indeed has turned out to be successful.

Moderator: Birgitte Sand, Director, Spillemyndigheden, Denmark
Panelists:
Gunn Merete Paulsen, Director General, Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority, Norway
Thulisizwe Johnson, CEO, Botswana Gambling Authority, Botswana
Eugenio Álvarez, Vice-Deputy DG, Regulation and International Relations, Directorate General for Gambling Regulation, Spain

10:30 am – 11:00 am
Networking Break
Ballroom Foyer

11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Outlook 2021 – The Executive Vision

Technology drives the industry – and technology advances rapidly. Executives in the market must identify opportunities, trends and new markets from an early stage and position their companies successfully. So what’s in store for us in the next two years? Where do we stand today and what are the challenges for decision-makers? We may expect a gaze into the crystal balls of the executive floors and an exciting discussion about personal paths and goals.

Moderator: Dr. Joerg Hofmann, Senior Partner, MELCHERS Law Firm, Germany
Panelists:
Harald Neumann, CEO, Novomatic AG, Austria
Dr. Dirk Quermann, CEO, Merkur Media GmbH, Germany
Ian Ince, Global Head of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, Playtech, UK
Chad Hoehne, CEO, Casino Trac, USA
Eric Olders, CEO, JVH Gaming, Netherlands

12:00 pm – 1:15 pm
IMGL Awards Luncheon: Regulator of the Year Asia/Australasia : Paulo Martins Chan
Presenter: Changbin Wang – The Changing VIP Business of Gaming in Macao
Park Café München GmbH
Sophienstraße 7
80333 Munich
**We will walk to lunch at Park Café through the Old Botanical Garden.

Keynote Speaker:
Trude Felde: President of IAGR & Senior Adviser of Norwegian Gaming Authority, Norway

Thursday, September 12

AFTERNOON TRACKS
Track 1 (Developments in North America): Salon 3
Track 2 (Global Trends in Gaming Regulation): Ballroom

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Track 1: Hot Topics in North America

The hot topics panel will discuss the latest issues in gaming confronting regulators and the gaming industry. Topics will range from tribal, Lottery, online and emerging jurisdiction. The format will be free ranging and interactive to address questions and issues of interest the audience.

Moderator: Marc Dunbar, Shareholder, Dean Mead, USA
Panelists:
Kevin Braig, Attorney at Law, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP, USA
Mark Hemmerle, VP, Legal & Compliance, Worldpay Gaming Solutions, USA
John K. Maloney, Owner/Attorney, Law Offices of John K. Maloney, USA
Marc Ellinger, Principal, Ellinger and Associates, LLC, USA

Track 2: Gaming on TV – from a pan EU legal and business perspective

TV has been a difficult medium for gaming. The internet offers quicker and cheaper interactivity and less regulation. Can TV better support online gaming through advertising and editorial content that shows gaming in a positive light? This panel looks at the upsides and downsides of mass media TV for the gambling industry.

Moderator: Jason Chess, Partner, Wiggin, UK
Panelists:
Michael Zimmer, Legal Counsel/Head of Legal Department, Sport 1, Germany
Katja Heintschel von Heinegg, Director of European Affairs, German Advertising Counsel, Germany
Michael Leadbeater, Group Legal Director, GVC Group PLC, UK

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm
Track 1: Tribal Sports Betting – Compact and Contract Issues

This panel will address federal compact and contract requirements for Indian tribal governments to offer sports betting on Indian lands. Some of the issues discussed will include the compact process, exclusivity issues and the use of management contracts to offer sports betting.

Moderator: Joseph Webster, Managing Partner, Hobbs, Straus,Dean & Walker, LLP, USA
Panelists:
C.J. Fisher, Attorney, Fox Rothschild, USA
Kevin Quigley, Attorney / Consultant, Foley & Quigley PLC, USA

Track 2: Sunrise in the East – Licensing opportunities in Central Eastern Europe in the spotlight

The gambling regulation in the Central and Eastern Europe region is constantly developing and is offering attractive business opportunities for the gambling industry. However, the political landscape is rather volatile and in some cases even hostile towards the gambling business. This panel will provide you with a regulatory update of key jurisdictions in Central and Eastern Europe, expected regulatory developments and what business opportunities lie in the region.

Moderator: Jaka Repansek, Founder, RePublis, Slovenia
Panelists:
Marek Smrha, Investment Manager, Penta Investments, Czech Republic
Jan Rehola, Lawyer at Petroš Sedláčková Legal, Czech Republic
Marcin Wierzbicki, Partner, Konieczny, Wierzbicki Kancelaria Radców Prawnych Spółka Partnerska, Poland
Maksym Liashko, General Counsel, Pari Match, Ukraine
Dr. Dmitry Dragun, CEO, Ukraine Game, Ukraine
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Networking Break
Ballroom Foyer

3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Track 1: Idiosyncrasies with US Licensing

The US gaming licensing process can be intrusive and often offensive to applicants experiencing it for the first time. The scope of disclosure and the depth of investigation often go well beyond what is the norm in non-US gaming jurisdictions. This panel will explore how to navigate US licensing requirements through the lens of practitioners, as well as European lawyers and operators, and how to manage cross-border issues such as GDPR, international tax issues, language barriers, and differences in business culture and compliance, during the licensing process.

Moderator: Jeremy Kleiman, Member, Saiber LLC, USA
Panelists:
Mark Clayton, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, USA
C.J. Fisher, Partner, Fox Rothschild, LLP, USA
Martin Lycka, Director of Regulatory Affairs, GVC Holdings, PLC, UK
Kristin Konschnik, Partner, Butler Snow LLP, UK

Track 2: Latin America

Slowly but surely, the Latin American region is in the process of incorporating new gambling regulations. After the approval of the Provisional Measure 846/2018 in order to authorize a future regulation on sports betting, Brazil has recently launched a public consultation in order to receive industry input on how to construct its regulatory system. Meanwhile, the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, shall soon approve the list of the 7 companies that will be entitled to run online gambling operations within the boundaries of said province. What are the latest developments in these and other Latin American jurisdictions? In general terms, are the LatAm jurisdictions attractive for international stakeholders, or these jurisdictions can only be attractive for local companies due to its bureaucratic difficulties?

Moderator: Santiago Asensi, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain
Panelists:
Luiz Felipe Maia, Partner, FYMSA Advogados, Brazil
Tomas Garcia Botta, Partner, Masot & Frettes Abogados, Buenos Aires
Francesco Rodano, Chief Policy Officer, Playtech, UK

4:15 pm – 5:00 pm
Track 1: International Panel: Marijuana/drug use and gaming licensing

Legalization of Marijuana- new compliance challenges in the gaming industry due in part to the banking restrictions imposed. The panel will explore the complex compliance challenges on gambling operators, KYC, AML policies, restricting conferences that promote marijuana. How much is enough?

Moderator: John K. Maloney, Owner/Attorney, Law Offices of John K. Maloney, USA
Panelists:
Andrew Cotton, Director Of Betting and Gaming, Ince Gordon Dadds LLP, UK
Bill Foss, Business Development and Marketing Director, Table Trac, USA
Elaine Alsén-Behr, COO, e-Management, Curacao
Michael Lipton, Senior Partner, Dickinson Wright LLP, Canada

Track 2: Tax Responsibility – New trends in the taxation of gambling in Europe and across the pond

Whereas the regulatory environment for gambling is subject to constant national and international change, it appears that tax legislation follows different principles and goals. The panel discusses current tax developments in Europe and across the pond and addresses the question of a reasonable taxation of gambling activities.

Moderator: Frieder Backu, Attorney, SSW Schneider Schiffer Weihermuller, Germany
Panelists:
Peter J. Kulick, Member, Dickinson Wright LLC, USA
Ramona Azzopardi, Tax Partner, WH Partners, Malta
Dr. Mónika Molnár, Tax Partner, MME Legal, Switzerland

6:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Gala Dinner
Bavarie @ BMW World
Am Olympiapark 1
80809 Munich
**Shuttle buses will pick up attendees beginning at 5:30 pm from The Charles Hotel and will begin taking attendees back between 10:00 pm – 10:45 pm.

Gala dinner at Bavarie at BMW World

Friday, September 13

MORNING TRACKS
Track 1 (Self-Regulation): Ballroom
Track 2 (Responsible Regulation): Salon 3

8:00 am – 4:45 pm
Registration
Ballroom Foyer

9:00 am – 10:00 am
Young Gaming Lawyers’ + New Members Networking Event – Bavarian Breakfast
Park Café
Sophienstrasse 7, 80333 Munich, Germany
Join new members of the IMGL and young gaming lawyers for a traditional Bavarian breakfast networking event at the Park Café at approx. 1min walking distance to the conference venue. After the long night of the IMGL Gala Dinner at the BMW world on Thursday, a rich Bavarian breakfast comprising local food such as pretzels, sausage and local cheese will get you ready for the final conference day.

9:20 am – 9:30 am
Welcome
Jamie Nettleton, IMGL President
Ballroom

9:30 am – 10:15 am
Track 1: Certification and Self-Regulation and Compliance of Gambling Halls

Moderator: Jason Frost, President, EUROMAT, UK
Panelists:
Gene Chayevsky, Executive Vice President, BMM, Europe & South America
Olaf Seiche, Regional Manager “Service Sector”, TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH, Germany
Jochen Biewer, CEO, Chevron Consulting, Germany
Track 2: The Role of AI in Gaming in Promoting Responsible Gaming

The role of AI in the gaming industry is by no means limited to just online gaming and betting anymore but extends to every gaming vertical (i.e. casinos, lotteries, betting, bingo) delivered through both the online and offline channels. The use of AI varies widely from predicting more accurately the outcomes of event-based games to better understanding and managing risks associated with sports betting; preventing cheating within casinos; and improving customer services. The big question is whether AI can be used as a reliable tool in detecting and monitoring addictive behavior, an area that is of concern to both gaming regulators and operators.

Moderator: Pieter Remmers, CEO, Assissa, Netherlands
Panelists:
Simo Dragicevic, CEO, BetBuddy/Playtech, UK
Kim Mouridsen, Professor, Aarhus University, Denmark
10:15 am – 11:00 am
Track 1: Betting on eSports and Peer-to-Peer Gaming: Are We Reaching a New Era?

In recent years, both eSports and Peer-to-Peer Gaming – skill-based, luck-based and the combination of the two – has gained interest by operators, players and regulators on both of the sides of the Atlantic. What are the current trends in these industries? What are the challenges companies are currently facing and what shall the future hold?

Moderator: Tal Itzhak Ron, Chairman and CEO, Tal Ron, Drihem & Co., Law Firm, Israel
Panelists:
Kok Keng Lau, Partner, Rajah & Tann, Singapore
Dr. Holger Jakob, General Counsel, G2 Esports GmbH, Germany
Ariel Weiss, CEO, n00b AG, Israel
Hans Jagnow, President, eSports Federation, Germany

Track 2: How to Regulate Land-based and Online Casinos in Compliance with EU Law?

Gambling is one of the business sectors that have not been harmonised at EU level and the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has granted wide discretion to member states in this area. Yet, the CJEU has also repeatedly made it clear that the EU primary law with its fundamental freedoms nevertheless applies to gambling services, too. For many years now, this clash of supranational and national powers has led to significant, on-going tensions between national gambling laws and EU law as well as to a voluminous, meandering case law.
Hence, what is the legal status of casino games in the EU? In the midst of a perceived legal insecurity, this is a question of utmost relevance to legislators, regulators, B2Cs, B2Bs and gaming lawyers. This panel seeks to offer meaningful answers to the ongoing question: How to regulate your national land-based and online casino markets to ensure compliance with EU law? What are the regulatory options? Where do member states enjoy much autonomy – and where not?

Moderator: Guido Schlütz, CEO, Casino Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Panelists:
Kevin O’Neal, Director Business Development, The StarsGroup, Austria
Dr. Simon Planzer, Founding Partner, PLANZER LAW, Switzerland
Dr. Alexander Legat, GeneralCounsel, Novomatic, Austria

11:00 am – 11:15 am
Networking Break
Ballroom Foyer

11:15 am – 12:00 pm
EU New Online Gambling – Do’s and don’ts for advertising campaigns
Ballroom

In the wake of the blanket gambling advertising ban implemented by the Italian government little more than one year ago, a contagious domino effect was spurred across Europe with other jurisdictions since following suit introducing ever stricter rules and very rigid limitations for gaming operators to promote their business. This panel will discuss the current situation as well as the likely developments in some of the most important European gaming markets offering also a view on how the industry should best cope with the advertising restrictions.

Moderator: Quirino Mancini, Partner, Tonucci & Partners, Italy
Panelists:
Justin Franssen, Partner, Kaff, Katz & Franssen, Netherlands
Alla Serebrianskaia, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain
Dr. Wulf Hambach, Founding Partner, Hambach & Hambach, Germany
Joe Kelly, Partner, A&L Goodbody, Ireland
Tatjana Klaeser, Partner, Klaeser Avocat, Belgium

12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Regulatory Best Practices – Guidance of former gaming regulators finding themselves now on ‘the other side’
Ballroom

This panel will discuss former and current regulatory practices with the benefit of hindsight, which as they say, is a most wonderful thing! The panel, made up of former gaming regulators, now find themselves in different spheres of the gaming and betting industry, and are therefore in the ideal position to comment on current and former regulatory practices, especially, considering what they have learned whilst being ‘on the other side’. It is hoped that this discussion will be of value to both gaming advisors and regulators in considering best practices in building and developing a regulatory regime which is in the best interest of all stakeholders i.e. consumers, government and industry.

Moderator: Andre Wilsenach, SVP Government Relations, BMM Testlabs, UK
Panelists:
Francesco Rodano, Chief Policy Officer, Playtech, UK
Morten Ronde, Founding Partner, Nordic Gambling, Denmark
Rolf Francis Sims, Manager of Public Affairs, Kindred Group, Norway
Joseph F. Borg, Senior Advisor, WH Partners, Malta
Guido Schlütz, CEO, SpielbankSH GmbH, Germany

12:45 pm – 2:00 pm
IMGL Luncheon
Ballroom Foyer

Friday, September 13

AFTERNOON DISCUSSION GROUPS
Track 1: Ballroom
Track 2: Ballroom
Track 3: Salon 3

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Round table session: Regulator and Lawyer Speed Dating
Ballroom

Discussing current trends in regulation; observation of increasing issues of the industry with its public perception and brand awareness, and best practices to work on it.

Table 1 UK Stephen Kettleley, Partner, Wiggin LLP, UK

Table 2 Sweden Henrik Hoffmann, Partner, Nordic Gambling, Denmark

Table 3 Spain Eugenio Álvarez, Vice-Deputy DG, Regulation and International Relations, Directorate General for Gambling Regulation, Spain

Table 4 Norway Gunn Merete Paulsen, Director General, Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority, Norway

Table 5 Brazil Luiz Felipe Maia, Partner, FYMSA Advogados, Brazil

Table 6 USA Michael Pollock, Managing Director, Spectrum Gaming, USA

Table 7 Africa Thulisizwe Johnson, CEO, Botswana Gambling Authority, Botswana

ROUND 1 DISCUSSION GROUPS
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Track 1: The Gambling Industry’s Commitment to Diversity: Is it real or hot air?

Global Gaming Women brings together women from all segments of gaming in an effort to enrich their professional and personal lives. It was established by the American Gaming Association to create a wide network that allows peers to connect with their colleagues. The goal is for female gaming professionals to learn from one another, create lasting connections and nurture emerging women leaders. In 2016, GGW launched as an independent charitable organization to deliver high impact programs and events on a global scale that support, inspire, and influence the development of women in the gaming and lottery industry.

Facilitators:
Veronique dos Reis, Legal, Compliance and Regulatory affairs Manager, Pinnacle, Netherlands Antilles
Cosmina Simion, Partner, Simion & Baciu, Romania
Tina Kilmer, Board Member, Global Gaming Women, USA

Track 2: Enforcement Action in the EU vs US

This discussion group will focus on the unique challenges presented by disciplinary investigations and enforcement proceedings, in particular in helping clients balance the need to preserve important working relationships with regulators while protecting the client’s legal rights and business interests. Each stage of the disciplinary process presents different challenges which, in turn, differ across jurisdictions. Facilitators will lead the discussion group participants through the various stages of the disciplinary process, with a focus on comparing the differences among jurisdictions: informal or formal notice to the licensee, the investigation process, formal complaints or orders, settlements, appeal and judicial review. Through shared real-world examples, participants will be better positioned to help clients navigate enforcement actions.

Facilitators:
Alan Littler, Lawyer, Kalff Katz & Franssen, Netherlands
Stephanie Bell, Partner Ellinger and Associates LLC, USA
Tamsin Blow, Partner, CMS Law, UK

Track 3: Gazing Into the Crystal Ball: What commercial and regulatory challenges will the sports betting industry be facing in 2020?

The discussion group will address new challenges facing the industry and the trends in regulated vs unregulated markets, including Brexit and product restrictions.

Facilitators:
David Zeffman, Partner/Head of Gambling and Sport, CMS Law, UK
Dr. Matthias Spitz, Partner, MELCHERS Law Firm, Germany
Chris Elliott, Associate, Wiggin, UK

ROUND 2 DISCUSSION GROUPS
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Track 1: The Gambling Industry’s Commitment to Diversity: Is it real or hot air?

Track 2: Enforcement Action in the EU vs US

Facilitators:
Alan Littler, Lawyer, Kalff Katz & Franssen, Netherlands
Stephanie Bell, Partner Ellinger and Associates LLC, USA
Tamsin Blow, Partner, CMS Law, UK

Track 3: Gazing Into the Crystal Ball: What commercial and regulatory challenges will the sports betting industry be facing in 2020?

The discussion group will address new challenges facing the industry and the trends in regulated vs unregulated markets, including Brexit and product restrictions.

Facilitators:
David Zeffman, Partner/Head of Gambling and Sport, CMS Law, UK
Dr. Matthias Spitz, Partner, MELCHERS Law Firm, Germany
Chris Elliott, Associate, Wiggin, UK

5:00 pm – 5:15 pm
Closing Remarks
Jamie Nettleton, IMGL President
Ballroom Foyer

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Closing Reception
Rooftop Garden at Hotel Bayerishcher Hof
Promenadeplatz 2-6
80333 Munich
**Hotel Bayerischer is 1.0 km and within walking distance from The Charles Hotel. It is approximately a 10 minute walk. You may walk, Uber, or ask for a taxi ride to this event.
Closing reception on rooftop garden at Hotel Bayerishcher Hof

Accommodations

photo montage of the Charles Hotel in Munich

Host Hotel

The Charles Hotel Munich
Sophienstr. 28
80333 Munich
Germany

Special IMGL Conference Rate

A special rate of EUR 295 per night. This rate includes VAT, Breakfast, WiFI, the Charles Spa, Newspaper, and two bottles of water.
There is no additional charge for a second guest in the same room, but there will be an additional charge for the second guest’s breakfast.
To guarantee receipt of this special rate, reservations must be made before 15 July 2019.
Dates of reservations can be adjusted individually for stays between 9 and 15 September, 2019.
The rooms from the allotment that we are offering to the guests are Classic King (standard room). The Charles Hotel is offering the below special rates for upgrades (the staff from the hotel will inform the guests as well when they are booking):

Superior Deluxe Room: €155

Junior Suite: € 290

Classic Suite: € 1090

Executive Suite: € 1490

Deluxe Suite: € 2440

Please note: The prices above are the extra charge! That means our basic price of 295 € + the ones above (for example: Superior Deluxe costs 450 €).

To Make Reservations

Please contact the Charles Hotel direct via email or telephone and reference the code: IMGL
phone: +49/89/544 555 1430
email: reservations.charles@roccofortehotels.com

Please address your email to Mr. Jan Breuer at the above listed email.

An example of your message will look like this:
Dear Mr. Jan Breuer,

I am attending the IMGL Autumn conference taking place from 12-13 September 2019 in your house and I would like to book a room for me, [full name] from [arrival] – [departure] using code IMGL.

I would be delighted to receive a booking confirmation.

Thank you and kind regards,

XXX

Speakers

Alan Littler, Lawyer, Kalff Katz & Franssen, Netherlands

The focus of Alan’s work is for remote gambling operators and adjacent activities, such as social gaming. He also advises those providing services to the sector, e.g. payment services providers, and covers regulatory developments in the lottery and casino markets. Current interests include issues concerning data protection and privacy around gambling.

Alan has a strong academic background in European law, holding a LL.M. (cum laude) in European Community Law from Leiden University, and moreover having been awarded his PhD from Tilburg University for research on the regulation of gambling and EU law. His research was published under the title Member States versus the European Union: The Regulation of Gambling by Martinus Nijhoff in 2011.

Alla Serebrianskaia, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain

Alla Serebrianskaia is a specialized lawyer in Gaming Law and expert in licensing procedures and public tenders. Alla joined ASENSI in August 2011 and she has been deeply involved both in the first and in the second Spanish licensing process, representing the interest of most of the major operators. Prior to this, she was an in-house lawyer working at Indra Sistemas S.A. providing comprehensive legal advice for the company, particularly in the public procurement sector, administrative concessions, commercial matters and corporate contracts of national and international nature. Alla studied a bachelor of Law and a also bears the title of a Master in Business Law, both at ESADE Business School. Alla is included in the Global Gaming & Gambling section of the leading publication Chambers Global. Asensi Abogados has been awarded as the “best service provider” in Spain for the gambling industry by the Association Jdigital in 2014 & 2016. Alla is co-author of the Gaming Law Book published by Thomson Reuters (Editions 2012/2014/2016). Alla speaks English, Spanish, French, Russian, Hebrew, Czech, Croatian and Catalan.

Dr. Alexander Legat, General Counsel, Novomatic, Austria

Dr. Alexander Legat currently holds the position of Head of the Group Legal Department at the gaming technology group NOVOMATIC AG in Austria, a position he holds since 2006.

Furthermore he is Member of the Supervisory Board of the Austrian gaming and sports betting operations companies.

Between 1995 and 2004 Alexander Legat studied law in Vienna. During this time he also spent a year abroad, at the University of Turku, in Finland. After his graduation, Dr. Legat worked as a lecturer at the FH St.Pölten and the University of Vienna. During this time, in 2004, he first came in touch with the gaming industry as Legal Advisor at Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH, former subsidiary of NOVOMATIC AG. In 2004 Alexander Legat got a doctorate of law and graduated with excellence. He is price winner of the Hardegg´sch Private Foundation for Doctors Institute of Business Law – University of Vienna.

Andre Wilsenach, SVP, Government Relations, BMM Testlabs

André Wilsenach leads BMM’s executive team as senior vice president of government relations. Wilsenach supports the continued expansion of BMM Testlabs’ global footprint with expertise in government relations and gaming regulations that spans 20+ years and several countries.Wilsenach is a graduate of the University of Pretoria, South Africa and amongst others worked for the Africa Institute of South Africa, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Ernst & Young as well as the South African Government prior to a longstanding career in gaming regulation.

Wilsenach’s career in gaming started in 1995, when he was appointed to the South African Lotteries and Gambling Board which was set up to advise the Mandela government on the legalization of gambling in South Africa. During the period 1995 to 2000 he was the executive officer of the Mpumalanga Gaming Board whilst serving as a member of the National Gambling Board. In 2001 he was appointed as the first executive officer of Zonke Monitoring Systems, a private company established to render electronic monitoring services to the National Gambling Board of South Africa. In 2002 he was appointed executive director of the Alderney Gambling Control Commission which regulated online gambling. In 2016 he joined the University of Nevada Las Vegas to set up the International Center for Gaming Regulation. He held the position of executive director of the Center until the end of 2018.

Wilsenach is a former president of the International Association of Gaming Regulators and an active member of the International Masters of Gaming Law and the International Association of Gaming Advisors.

Dr. Andreas Blaue, General Counsel, Prokurist Constantin Medien AG / CEO Magic Sports Media GmbHG, Germany

Following completion of his studies of law, European legal practice, and journalism in Germany and abroad Andreas Blaue began his career in 2001 as a lawyer for the public television station Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen – ZDF. Following positions at ProSiebenSat.1 Digital and as a legal consultant at the media supervision authority BLM (Bavarian Regulatory Authority for Commercial Broadcasting) he began working for the publicly listed Constantin Medien AG and its subsidiaries in mid-2003, initially as corporate counsel for the multimedia platform sport1.de, subsequently as Deputy Head of the Legal Department of the television station Deutsches SportFernsehen – DSF (nowadays SPORT1) and as Chief Legal Officer for the holding company Constantin Medien Group. Since 2017 he has been active as General Counsel and authorized officer of Constantin Medien Group. In a secondary function he has also been responsible for the advertising marketing of TV broadcasters and digital platforms, initially as Director Entertainment & DRTV for the marketing company Sport1 Media, since 2018 as CEO of Magic Sports Media. In 2010 Andreas Blaue obtained his doctorate on the subject of television advertising and received the title of Doctor of Economic Science. He publishes articles on media and gambling law and was a nominee for the European Counsel Award 2016 in the category “Regulatory – Best Individual”.

As General Counsel and authorized officer of Constantin Medien AG Andreas Blaue is responsible for all legal, regulatory and policy issues affecting in particular the group holding, the television stations SPORT1, SPORT1+ and eSPORT1, the radio station SPORT1.fm, the digital media platforms sport1.de, the marketing company Sport1 Media and the television production company PLAZAMEDIA. He specialises in gambling law and regulation and has a network of contacts encompassing authorities and politics. Furthermore in his role as CEO of Magic Sports Media Andreas Blaue is responsible for the marketing of gambling advertisement (sports betting, poker, casino, lottery etc.) on television stations and internet, mobile and social media platforms of the SPORT1 brand and other brands. SPORT1 was the first mover in the German market in media advertising for sports betting (since 2003), poker (since 2005), and casino (since 2013).

Andrew Cotton, Director Of Betting and Gaming, Ince Gordon Dadds LLP, UK

Andrew is an experienced and self-motivated solicitor with a sustained record of achievement in one of the UK’s leading gambling-based leisure operators, now providing remote and land-based gambling operators with licensing, on-going legal compliance and regulatory support services. Andrew has strong interpersonal, negotiating and analytical skills which have ensured positive results with an excellent track record of delivering competitive advantage in a highly regulated market. Andrew has successfully focused on establishing and implementing strategies to exploit existing and new markets delivering in excess of £60m in licence asset value. Andrew is also a specialist in alcohol, entertainment and gambling law with close working relationships with the Gambling Commission, local authorities and government.

Ariel Weiss, CEO, n00b AG, Israel

Ariel is the CEO of n00b, an eSports startup aiming to make eSports accessible for non-professional gamers as regular sports are for everybody.

Ariel graduated from the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) school of Mathematics & Computer Science in 2004, and further obtained an M.B.A from the Tel Aviv University in 2010.

With over 18 years of experience in the software and hi-tech business, Ariel has long held an appreciation of how technology can change the world. From early career roles in the elite tech unit of the Israeli Defence Forces leading command & control system development, to start-up, C-suite leadership roles in the edTech as well as the eSports space, Ariel have advocated the importance of creating technological products that address user pain points.

Bill Foss, Business Development and Marketing Director, Table Trac, USA

William Foss is the Business Development & Marketing Director at Table Trac Inc. (CasinoTrac) headquartered in Minnetonka Minnesota. CasinoTrac is a progressive Casino Management System (CMS), currently installed in 145 casinos across North & South America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Bill has over twenty-six years of experience in the Gaming Industry. Twenty-five years operational experience from being a General Manager or Director of Marketing and Sales on property at corporate and native american owned casinos, in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, California (multiple properties), Arizona & New Mexico. Also having his own Marketing Firm for the for almost seven years that specialized in supervising smaller casino’s marketing and sales departments.

Birgitte Sand, Director, Spillemyndigheden, Denmark

Birgitte Sand, Director of the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA). In 2008, appointed to her current position after being a long-standing member of the Executive Board of the National Tax Administration in Copenhagen. Birgitte Sand has been responsible for the successful implementation of a partly liberalisation of the Danish Gambling Market. The results show that the market is now stable, highly compliant and well-functioning. DGA is responsible for issuing licences – and furthermore supervising and controlling – a wide range of gaming providers that stretches from land-based casinos to lotteries, gaming machines, charity lotteries, betting, online casino, public poker tournaments and horseracing. Birgitte Sand holds a master’s degree in Law from the University of Copenhagen and among several executive educations including an INSEAD Executive Programme. She began her career in the Danish Court of Taxation, but has since then covered a wide range of different tasks and management positions in the Ministry of Taxation. Her experiences span from legal advice on corporate tax structures and taxation of private companies and property to central IT responsibilities, and furthermore includes projects regarding leadership, innovation, strategy, change of organizational structures and the development of a nationwide user-friendly IT solution for salary payments. She has also been a long-standing member of the Board coordinating the nationwide tax compliance projects. Since 2011, Birgitte Sand has been a member of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) Board of Trustees and served as President from October 2014 to October 2015. She is still serving as a trustee and furthermore as chair of the subcommittee for statistics.

Chad Hoehne, CEO, Table Trac, USA

Chad Hoehne is the Founder, President and CEO of Table Trac, Inc. After graduating from Minnesota State University Mankato earning his BS in Business Administration and Finance, Mr. Hoehne spent 10 years working in management for a Minneapolis-based electronics manufacturing and software company prior to founding Table Trac Inc. in 1995. Mr. Hoehne took his experience in electronic manufacturing and software design and applied those in the area of gaming systems, developing and patenting the first of its kind table games management system (Table Trac) in 1996, and leading the company’s business plan to encompass the entire Casino Management Systems business in all jurisdictions. Table Trac Inc has grown to be licensed in Nevada and 4 other states commercially, 12 countries and dozens of First Nations serving over 150 casinos.

Chris Elliott, Associate, Wiggin, UK

Chris is a commercial and regulatory lawyer, concentrating on providing UK regulatory and compliance advice to various stakeholders in the online gambling and gaming industries. Chris acts for some of the industry’s leading operators and suppliers, as well as smaller start-up companies, advising on the regulation and marketing of betting and gaming products. Chris also regularly advises businesses looking to expand into new markets, and has particular expertise in helping businesses understand the legal and regulatory implications associated with operating in regulated and unregulated markets.

C.J. Fisher, Attorney, Fox Rothschild, USA

C.J. represents clients in a range of corporate and gaming law matters. He has represented and advised various entities and individuals in gaming licensing, regulatory and compliance matters, including:

International, national and regional casino companies and corporations,
Slot machine, table game and other gaming equipment manufacturers and distributors,
Private equity firms and other investors,
Vendors and various technology providers and
Internet gaming operators and service providers.

C.J. has represented casino licensees before various domestic gaming regulatory agencies, including the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board.

Cosmina Simion, Simion & Baciu, Romania

Cosmina is a Partner with NNDKP, one of the most preeminent business law firms in Romania, where she co-head the Gaming and Consumer Protection & Advertising practices together with Ana-Maria Baciu. In addition to the gambling industry, her practice focuses on intellectual property issues, media & entertainment, online industries. She is a licensed European trademark and design attorney and a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA). Previous coordination roles include heading the Intellectual Property, Media and Technology Romanian Practice of a global law firm, as well as acting as in-house counsel for a US media group, in CEE jurisdictions where the group was a market leader. In the gaming field, her experience encompasses the full range of regulatory and operational gaming aspects, including assistance and representation before the gambling regulator of betting and gaming operators, software & platform suppliers, financial services providers, international testing laboratories, industry relevant associations or marketing affiliates. She has been actively involved in the review and drafting of the Romanian gaming legal framework and has participated in the technical meetings of the Consultative Committee organized at the level of the National Gambling Office. She regularly contributes to industry dedicated publications as well as working groups seeking to improve the business and regulatory approaches in gaming, technology, media and communication fields.

David Zeffman, Partner/Head of Gambling and Sport, CMS Law, UK

David has been one of the leading lawyers in the UK media sector for over 25 years and has extensive experience providing strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to clients in the gambling, sport and television sectors. He has been involved in many of the major transactions that have taken place in these sectors, including the launch of several television channels and the sale of media rights to some of the world’s biggest sporting competitions.

Dr. Dirk Quermann, CEO, Merkur Media GmbH, Germany

Dr. Dirk Quermann entered the gambling industry at the Business Development division of the Gauselmann Group in 2003. Since 2006 he is the Managing Director and CEO of several companies of the Gauselmann Group within Germany and abroad dealing with both land-based as well as online gambling and the respective licensing for these fields. In addition, Dr. Quermann represents the Gauselmann Group within several industry associations. He is the President of the German Online Casino Association (DOCV) and a Vice President of the German Sportsbetting Assiciaiton (DSWV). Dr. Quermann holds a Master of Economics and a Ph. D from the University of Bielefeld, Germany.

Elaine Alsén-Behr, COO, e-Management, Curacao

Elaine has been working in the financial services industry since January 2004. Her areas of expertise are regulatory & compliance consulting, process optimization and implementation, corporate governance and company secretarial services.

Elaine enjoys partaking in board activities and does so both professionally and voluntarily. She is a member of several associations both within and outside of the financial services industry. In addition to her professional career and extra-curricular activities, she loves spending time with her family, which includes beach visits, boating and grilling, outdoor activities, cooking and plain old family time.

Erich Olders, CEO, JVH Gaming, Netherlands

Eric Olders is the Chief Executive Officer of JVH gaming & entertainment group, the leading private casino and arcade company in The Netherlands. From 2006 Mr. Olders was CFO of JVH gaming & entertainment group until he was appointed CEO and Chairman of the Board in 2008. In 2007 – 2008 Mr. Olders was responsible for the financial and operational restructuring of the group following a massive change in the gaming taxes in The Netherlands. From then on he successfully led the strategic repositioning of the company and strong growth path from thereon. In addition, Mr. Olders is also an active member in the VAN (Dutch branch organisation). Before entering the gaming market Mr. Olders held several board positions as a CFO in the IT and telecommunications business, in both privately-held and publicly-listed companies. Mr. Olders holds a Masters degree (with honours) in Business Administration and postgraduate degrees in Accounting and Finance.

Eugenio Álvarez, Vice-Deputy DG for Regulation and International Relations, Directorate General for Gambling Regulation, Spain

Eugenio Álvarez, Deputy Head of Unit of the Subdirectorate General of Regulation, joined the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation october 2018. Since then, he has been deeply involved in the third Spanish licensing process as well as in the preparation of draft regulations. The supervision of sanctioning procedures and issues related to the system of jurisdictions between State and Regions are among other of his duties.

Prior to this, from september 2014 to september 2018, he was Technical Vicesecretary General of the Ministry of Justice, and before – from 2011 – he was in the same department as Deputy Head of Unit being his main tasks the organization and coordination of the Department’s Council of Ministers affairs and legal advice on regulatory drafting.

Between 2006 and 2010 he held a position as area manager for public procurement and budgetary management in the Directorate-General for External Service of the Ministry for Foreing Affairs.

He holds a Law degree from the University of Vigo.

Francesco Rodano, Chief Policy Officer, Playtech

Francesco, born in Rome, Italy, is Playtech’s Chief Policy Officer. He engages with policy-makers and advises company executives on governmental policies at local, state, national and EU levels as well as provide Playtech with further business opportunities.

From 2007 to 2016 he was the Italian regulator for online gambling, building from scratch the Italian regulatory framework and leading it to a size of €1B – Europe’s second largest regulated market.

Francesco has more than 20 years’ experience in e-business related jobs. He began his career in IT, then worked in a variety of roles for private companies, focusing on B2B marketing.

Frieder Backu, Attorney, SSW Schneider Schiffer Weihermuller, Germany

Frieder Backu is Partner with SSW Schneider Schiffer Weihermüller, one of the leading German law firms in the field of information technology law. He studied law at the universities of Munich and London. Following Backu’s studies at university he passed an education as certified expert for tax law and for information technology law. His focus is online and information technology law. Since 2002 Backu consults and represents international gaming companies with respect to their business activities in Germany. He is co-author and editor of the monthly journal Der IT-Rechtsberater (IT Law Specialist, www.itrb.de) and author of numerous publications in the field of IT and taxes. Backu lectures regularly in the field of IT. He is Member of the German Bar Association, Munich Bar Association and the Information Technology Working Group of the German Bar Association (DAV IT).

Gene Chayevsky, Executive Vice President, BMM, Europe & South America

Chayevsky has over 25 years of executive management and investment banking experience, and served as chair and CEO of Cadillac Jack, a gaming manufacturer. His background also includes senior corporate and private equity executive knowledge with substantial experience in US and international executive management, turn arounds, private equity investing/acquisitions, and investment banking. Gene has particular specialization in the gaming industry, with global operational and investing experience.

Guido Schlütz, CEO, SpielbankSH GmbH, Germany

Guido Schlütz, formerly head of gambling supervision in the Ministry of the Interior of Schleswig-Holstein, assumes the role of managing director at the SH GmbH gaming house in Kiel, which acts as a management company for the five Schles- tern-Holstein casinos Schenefeld, Kiel, Lübeck, Flensburg and Sylt. The casinos Schleswig-Holstein are public casinos. Schlütz succeeds Jürgen Kiehne, who retired in May 2019 after 21 years. Guido Schlütz is a lawyer and was, among other things, head of gambling supervision at the Ministry of the Interior of Schleswig-Holstein. In 2012 he was named “Regulator of the Year” by the International Association of Gambling Lawyers.

Gunn Merete Paulsen, Director General, Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority, Norway

Gunn Merete Paulsen became Director General of The Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority in August 2018. She has previously worked as senior adviser and later Deputy Director General under Atle Hamar between 2008 and 2015.

Gunn Merete has a Master’s degree in law from The University of Bergen. She is an experienced judge and lawyer, both from private and public sector. When she became Director General, she came from a position as Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). She has degrees in Leadership Management and History.

Gunn Merete is a member of International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) and Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF).

Gunn Merete is also engaged in local politics and has over many years volunteered to work with children’s sports activities.

Hans Jagnow, President, eSports Federation, Germany

Hans Jagnow is President of the eSport Federation Germany. He has been working for several years on the subject of digitization and network policy in the Berlin Chamber of Deputies as a research assistant and has completed his law studies in October 2017. From 2016 to 2018, Hans Jagnow was a member of the executive board of the 1st Berlin eSport Club eV and has been responsible for communication work there.

Harald Neumann, CEO, Novomatic AG, Austria

Harald Neumann has 20 years of leadership experience gained in different companies focused on technology. In 2011, he joined the NOVOMATIC Group as Managing Director of Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH. Since October 2014, Mr. Neumann has served as Chief Executive Officer of NOVOMATIC AG. In February 2017, he became Non-Executive Director of Ainsworth Game Technology Ltd. and since March 2017 Mr. Neumann was appointed as a Member of the Supervisory Board of Casinos Austria AG.

Harald Neumann finished his studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business in 1985. In 1993, he worked for the technology company Alcatel as Key Account Director Public Administration for six years and later in the position of regional CEO for Central and Eastern Europe. In 2001, he started at T-Systems Austria, an information technology company, as General Manager Desktop Services & Solutions for the Austrian market. In 2003, he changed to the Federal Computing Center, Bundesrechenzentrum GmbH, as Managing Director. Prior to joining NOVOMATIC, Mr. Neumann managed the G45 Security Services Austria AG as Chairman of the Board.

Henrik Norsk Hoffmann

Henrik Norsk Hoffmann is a founding partner of Nordic Gambling and he has 14 years of experience from working in the industry.

Henrik has over 14 years of experience from working in the industry. He is a Danish attorney at law and he specializes in gaming law, corporate and commercial law and international commercial and arbitration law. He offers legal advice in regard to gaming law issues in Denmark. Hoffmann has worked with gaming law since 2002, and has handled some of the most important court cases regarding gambling and in particular poker.

Henrik has been appointed to be a member of a committee under the Danish Ministry of Justice, which was appointed with the task of reviewing Danish Gambling law on poker. Hoffman was the first Young Gaming Attorney to be inducted into the International Masters of Gaming Law. Henrik is based in Frankfurt, Germany.

Dr. Holger Jakob, General Counsel, G2 Esports GmbH, Germany

Dr. Holger Jakob, born in Mannheim, studied law in Heidelberg, Saarbrücken, Speyer and Berlin, where he also successfully completed his dissertation. He has been working as a lawyer for Entertainment and Sports law since 2002 and has been working as an In-house lawyer in the gaming and gambling industry since 2008. In January 2019, he became Head of Legal at G Esports Holding GmbH, which manages some of the most successful Esports teams in the world under the brand G2 Esports (e.g. League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege).

Ian Ince, Global Head of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, Playtech, UK

Ian joined Playtech as Head of Regulation and Compliance in 2013 previously he worked for Sportingbet as Head of Regulatory Affairs. During this time he has firsthand experience of regulation across Europe and now has a deep understanding of regulation and the on-line gaming environment. Ian came to gaming through professional services, with Deloitte consulting in their Programme Leadership division, delivering business change to the BBC, and the NHS. He was also seconded to HM Treasury where he spent a year in the defense spending team analyzing and advising to cabinet level on maritime procurement. The remainder of Ian’s career to date was spent in the British Army throughout the world. Unusually for a regulatory position Ian is not a lawyer! He has a degree in Engineering and an MBA.

Jaka Repansek, Founder, RePublis, Slovenia

Jaka has worked for various TIME (Telecom, Internet, Media, Entertainment) companies since 1996. He is recognized as one of the leading experts on gaming, media and digital law in Slovenia. Jaka graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and gained his graduate degree from Cambridge University in England and Faculty of Law in Ljubljana (Diploma in European Community Law) and completed two-year MBA graduate studies at the University of Kansas in the USA. Jaka is an active member of IMGL (Slovenia) and a member of several other domestic and international organizations and is active also as a lecturer in various seminars and conferences.

Jan Rehola, Lawyer, Petroš Sedláčková Legal, Czech Republic

Jan Řehola has over 7 years of experiences in gambling field, both from the public and private sector. He is a master of Law from the Charles University in Prague.

Jan has been working for 4 years for the Ministry of Finance – Czech Gambling regulator, firstly as a Head of the Legal Unit and later as a Director of Gambling Department. In his work for the Czech Gambling regulator Jan was responsible for all gambling policy issues, including drafting of new legislation, issuing of gambling licences and cooperation with other European regulators as a member of European Commission Expert Group on Online Gambling.

Due to his background, he is well versed in all aspects of gambling operations.

PS Legal is Prague based law firm specialized in providing legal services to all sectors of the gaming industry. PS Legal has rich experience in gambling field and provide professional and high quality legal and compliance consultancy to key players on Czech gambling market.

Jason Chess, Partner, Wiggin, UK

Jason is a partner and co-head of the Betting and Gaming group. Jason has a particular expertise in electronic betting and gaming, as well as all types of lotteries, competitions and promotions. He represents both the platforms and operators providing electronic gambling and also the brand and media owners who use remote gambling to monetise existing audiences. He advises upon the regulation and marketing of betting and gaming as well as the associated issues of distribution and sponsorship. Jason is a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law and sits on the Editorial Board of the World Online Gambling Law Report.

Jason Frost, President, EUROMAT, United Kingdom

Jason Frost was born in Chichester, West Sussex (UK) where he attended Littlemead Grammar school. He is a fourth generation showman and his family travelled extensively in the early days before settling down in Selsey, West Sussex, where the family operated an amusement park as well as Adult Gaming Centres and Family Entertainment Centres, on the south coast and in Salisbury.

Working in the family business Jason gained wide experience of the business as his duties covered all aspects of running the amusement park and the arcades. in 1991 Jason left the family business and worked for Southern Games (Jersey) Ltd, where he operated casinos both on cruise ships and land based, in a variety of jurisdictions around the world until 1998.

Having married Amanda in 1999, the family moved to Cornwall in 2003 where they now operate two AGCs; one in Liskeard, Cornwall and one in Plymouth, Devon. Jason is a very hands on operator and is in his arcades most days, overseeing day to day running as well as keeping a watchful eye on any future expansion plans and opportunities for the business.

Jason has organised various charity events working locally with the Round Table and nationally with bacta and Rays of Sunshine. He organised the bacta South West open days and race evenings in May 2013 and 2014, both of which were enormous successes.

Jason has been a passionate bacta member for more than ten years, following his Father and Grandfather who were both bacta members before him. He was the Chairman of Division 3 as well as the Regional Chairman for the West of England, before being elected President of bacta in March 2015. Since becoming President, Jason has been keen to act as a figurehead for the industry and has been tireless in his desire to engage with opinion formers and other individuals, promoting the industry and addressing key issues and concerns. Over the past year he has developed relationships with key people important to the industry including senior officials and ministers at HM Treasury, DCMS, 10 Downing Street together with regulators. Jason has also represented bacta at meetings, seminars and other events in the UK and Europe.

Jason’s aim has always been to lead by example and he is determined to ensure that at the end of his Presidency, the amusement machine industry in the UK, will be in a stronger and healthier position than it was before he took up the role.

Jeremy Kleiman, Member, Saiber LLC, USA

Jeremy Kleiman focuses his practice on gaming, regulatory and business law, representing casino operators, gaming equipment suppliers, technology providers and financial institutions involved in the gaming and lottery industries. He specializes in gaming-related corporate, regulatory, licensing and compliance matters, with an emphasis on the online and mobile gaming industry.

Prior to rejoining the firm, Jeremy served as Executive Vice President, Regulatory & Business Affairs for Coastal Development, LLC, a developer, investor and operator in casino resorts and racetracks. In that role, he was responsible for the company’s legal affairs, government relations and compliance functions, as well as sourcing, negotiating and executing on a number of business transactions. Jeremy’s background and experience on the business side of the gaming industry uniquely positions him to counsel and advise clients on transactional and regulatory matters while understanding the clients’ business objectives.

Joe Kelly, Partner, A&L Goodbody, Ireland

Joe Kelly is a Partner with A&L Goodbody Solicitors in Dublin, one of Ireland’s largest law firms. For almost 20 years Kelly has advised clients active in the Gaming, Leisure and Licensed Trade Sectors. He heads up the specialist Gaming Law Group which advises land based casinos, suppliers to the sector, internet gaming operators and trade associations, many of whom were attracted to Ireland by a favorable tax and business regime. A&L Goodbody is playing a leadership role in creating the conditions for regulating and legislating the land based and online sectors in Ireland. Legislation reforming Ireland’s gaming laws and establishing an up to date licensing system to regulate gaming, is due to be published this year and Kelly has contributed a number of position papers to those involved in writing the legislation. He is a frequent contributor to the media in Ireland, including radio, TV and print, on the subject of legislating for Ireland’s gaming industry.

John K. Maloney, Owner/Attorney, Law Offices of John K. Maloney, USA

John K. Maloney is the founder of the Law Offices of John K. Maloney with offices in Las Vegas and Sacramento. Maloney specializes in the area of gaming regulatory law and assists gaming clients in domestic and international markets. The work includes representation of gaming vendors, to include gaming manufactures and distributors in such markets. Maloney has more than 30 years in the gaming field and spent 8 years with the State of Nevada Gaming Control Board in the Investigations Division and four years with the Casino Control Division in Queensland, Australia. This work involved complex forensic accounting investigations of large multinational companies and interactions with law enforcement and regulatory bodies worldwide. Maloney is a founding member of the International Masters of Gaming Law. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.) in the Gaming Law Section and The Chambers Guide. Maloney is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley, earned a Masters degree from the American Graduate School of International management (Thunderbird) and a JD from the University of Pacific’s Mc George School of Law.

Jochen Biewer, CEO, Chevron Consulting, Germany

JochenBieweris the founder and CEO of Chevron Consultants, a German company specialised in compliance consulting and auditing. The majority of the clients are from the gaming and financial industry. Its areas of expertise are all aspects of compliance in Gaming including licensing, anti-money laundering, data protection and consumer protection. Chevron Consultants supports clients in the establishing of effective compliance and risk management systems based on ISO standards 19600 and 31000. Chevron Academy delivers compliance training in several European countries with its own web-based training platform or classroom training. Chevron Technology provides a case management platform for internal suspicious transaction reports and whistle blower reports. Jochenholds a bachelor degree in Economics and an LLM degree. He is also a certified compliance auditor, certified AML officer and certified data protection officer.

Joseph Webster, Managing Partner, Hobbs, Straus,Dean & Walker, LLP, USA

Joe is recognized for his knowledge of and experience in tribal rights under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. He represents tribes before the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), as well as in federal court. He also has worked on several multimillion-dollar tribal gaming development and financing projects. Joe was the primary drafter of the 2004 Oklahoma Tribal-State Gaming Compact. He represented the Seminole Tribe of Florida in the negotiation of the landmark 2010 Gaming Compact with the State of Florida and in subsequent litigation over the Tribe’s right to continue offering banked card games. In 2016, Joe represented the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in its successful effort to negotiate an amended gaming compact with the State of California. Joe also has represented tribes in the Class III secretarial procedures process before the DOI. Joe represents tribes on issues related to various state and federal internet gaming proposals. He has focused on helping to ensure that proposed internet gaming legislation protects existing tribal gaming operations and respects tribal sovereignty. In the area of Class II gaming, Joe advises tribes on the scope of permitted games, especially those using technologic aids. He helped to obtain groundbreaking Class II advisory opinions from the NIGC Office of General Counsel on linked electronic bingo games and works with tribal and industry representatives to defend against regulatory and legislative efforts to restrict tribal Class II gaming rights.

Justin Franssen, Partner, Kaff, Katz & Franssen, the Netherlands

Partner Justin Franssen is head of the Gaming practice group at Kalff Katz & Franssen Attorneys at Law. Prior to his admission to the bar in Amsterdam, he worked as a general counsel for a gaming company in Amsterdam and New York. He founded the KPMG European Gaming & Entertainment Services Group and co-founded gaminglaw.eu, the leading European portal on gaming and gambling law and regulation. Franssen established the Gaming, Sports & Entertainment practice group at VMW Taxand Attorneys at law, which he led for 12 years. He is board member of the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) and member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA). In addition, he is on the editorial board of Gaming Law Review & Economics and on the advisory boards of the UNLV Gaming Law Journal and the International Research Institute for Gambling and Gaming in Bonn (D). He is a frequent speaker at key conferences and industry events and publishes regularly. He has been awarded eight consecutive ‘ Band 1′ rankings in Chambers Global. Peers laud Justin Franssen of Kalff Katz & Franssen Attorneys at Law as “the best gaming lawyer in Holland and one of the best in Europe.” (Chambers Global Edition 2014).

Katja Heintschel von Heinegg, Director of European Affairs, German Advertising Counsel, Germany

Katja Heintschel von Heinegg M.E.S. is head of European affairs at the German Advertising federation (ZAW) and the advertising selfregulation organisation Deutscher Werberat (DWR). Since 2011 she is the chair of the selfregulatory committee of the European Advertising Standards association (EASA), the umbrella organisation of advertising selfregulation organisations across Europe.

Katja von Heinegg is an attorney at law and holds a master degree in European Studies. Before joining ZAW and DWR she worked in a law firm specialised in Media Law.

Kevin Braig, Attorney at Law, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP, USA

With nearly 25 years of legal experience, clients frequently look to Kevin for his experience representing large scale agricultural operations in the area of livestock permitting and communicating and negotiating with both state and local governments, neighbors, citizens groups, and other members of the national agribusiness community. He also is experienced in assisting clients that operate as agricultural cooperatives with specialized business counseling under the Ohio Cooperative Law.

In the technology space, Kevin’s attention is mostly focused with an emphasis on sports betting, esports gaming, daily fantasy sports, and other gaming and blockchain related legal issues. Kevin advises clients with respect to licensing, record-keeping, and compliance with state and federal law, including the Wire Act of 1961 , the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and gambling laws, rules, and regulations in all 50 states and Australia and Europe. He also has defended governmental enforcement actions, and has drafted statutory gaming language for proposed state gaming laws. His research and knowledge of the economics of network effects and two-sided matching markets add value to his clients’ business strategies in this space.

Kevin’s passion for gaming and software development has led to a number of interesting ventures, including the invention and patenting of an electronic system and exchange that enables educational institutions to manage economic risks associated with intercollegiate athletic and educational programs. He also has authored a number of articles relating to both quantitative analysis and regulation in sports.

Kevin O’Neal, Director Business Development, The StarsGroup, Canada

Kevin O’Neal is Director, Market Development at The Stars Group and has extensive experience in regulating markets. He is a regular speaker at conferences.

Kevin Quigley, Attorney / Consultant, Foley & Quigley PLC, USA

Kevin Quigley’s practice is focused on providing Indian gaming business counsel services nationwide to casino management/development companies, gaming equipment vendors, financial institutions and tribal governments and their tribal agencies with matters related to federal, state and tribal regulatory compliance, financing, taxation, jurisdiction, Indian lands and i-gaming issues. Quigley also assists tribes and states with negotiating tribal-state compacts, acts as legal counsel to tribal gaming commissions, and advises utility companies with tribal jurisdiction issues. Besides his Indian country work, Quigley also assists gaming industry clients in connection with Minnesota state licensing and regulatory compliance matters. In addition to being elected in 2005 as a general member of the International Masters of Gaming Law, Quigley has been selected for The Best Lawyers in America for Gaming Law and Native American Law for many years, and is a frequent speaker and writer on Indian gaming business matters.

Kim Mouridsen, Professor, Aarhus University, Denmark

Kim Mouridsen has previously worked at the University College of London and held faculty positions at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He has a track-record of developing clinically applicable decision support tools combining neuroscience and artificial intelligence. Kim has founded and developed the core technologies in award-winning companies Mindway AI and Cercare Medical.

Kok Keng Lau, Partner, Rajah & Tann, Singapore

Lau Kok Keng has been in practice in Singapore since 1990. He currently leads Rajah & Tann LLP’s Gaming practice. His team handles advisory, regulatory, transactional and disputes work relating to gambling and the industry. Kok Keng is recognized as a leading lawyer in his fields by following publications such as Asian Legal Business’s Legal Who’s Who, Asia Pacific Legal 500, AsiaLaw Profiles, PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook Singapore and Who’s Who Legal Singapore. Kok Keng has also been consistently named in The International Who’s Who of Internet, e-Commerce & Data Protection Lawyers, The International Who’s Who of Sports & Entertainment Lawyers, The International Who’s Who of Information Technology Lawyers and the Asia Pacific Legal 500, placing him amongst the world’s pre-eminent lawyers in these respective fields. Since 2001, Kok Keng has been actively involved in representing and advising clients in the gambling industry. His practice is arguably the most experienced and extensive gambling law practice in Singapore and in the region. Kok Keng is one of only 2 Singapore lawyers who are members of the International Masters in Gaming Law.

Kristin Konschnik, Partner, Butler Snow LLP, UK

Kristin advises individuals and their companies on US and international transactional tax matters, including cross-border sales and acquisitions, intellectual property structuring, hedge and private equity funds, and tax-efficient US inbound and outbound business and investments. She also regularly advises on foreign tax credit and treaty planning. Kristin frequently works with founders, investors and management on a range of US tax issues, including compensation matters, in private equity buyout and rollover transactions. Kristin helps clients consider tax-efficient giving, including through personal philanthropic vehicles, and advises clients on creating and operating US tax-exempt ‘public charities’ and ‘private foundations’ under US Section 501(c)(3). Kristin also advises clients on tax-efficient cross-border charitable giving, including through the use of US ‘friends of’ organizations and ‘dual qualified’ charities. Kristin represents and advocates for clients before the US Internal Revenue Service in a variety of matters, and advises on compliance with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and Common Reporting Standard (CRS).

Luiz Felipe Maia, Partner, FYMSA Advogados, Brazil

Maia has a J.D. degree from the University of São Paulo, specialising in business law with a focus on contracts from Getúlio Vargas Foundation, and a Master’s degree in Law from Federal University of Pernambuco. He is also an experienced negotiator and mediator, certified by the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and teaches negotiation courses in business school. He is member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors, a General Member of International Masters of Gaming Law, and is the author of the Brazilian chapter of the two editions of The Gambling Law Review (https://thelawreviews.co.uk/edition/1001028/the-gambling-law-review-edition-2) and the Peer Reviewer for GamblingCompliance in Brazil. Maia is a frequent speaker at international gaming events and was awarded for Corporate Livewire Excellence Gaming Awards 2016 and recognized as one the top100 lawyers in Brazil by Lawyer Monthly in 2018, being the only Brazilian gaming attorney to receive such award.

Marc Dunbar, Shareholder, Dean Mead, USA

Mr. Dunbar focuses his practice on governmental relations and legislative advocacy, commercial transactions and gaming. He has more than two decades of experience, and he advises a wide range of clients, with particular emphasis on businesses in highly regulated industries. Mr. Dunbar handles legal matters and provides lobbying representation for a multitude of regulated industries, including motor vehicle manufacturing and dealerships, gaming, tobacco, alcohol, healthcare services and providers, and medical cannabis.

At the trial and appellate levels, Mr. Dunbar is regularly engaged in litigating complex statutory and constitutional matters. He has more than two dozen reported appellate cases that he has won on behalf of clients in regulated professions. In addition to civil, administrative, and appellate litigation, Mr. Dunbar has been very active in assisting regulated entities and private equity firms in exploring and evaluating emerging opportunities in industries in which federal and state governments exercise high levels of oversight and law enforcement agencies focus their scrutiny. He is frequently asked by industry clients to draft proposed changes to complex rules and statutes affecting regulated professions in Florida and elsewhere.

Along with his work for regulated industries, Mr. Dunbar also practices ethics and elections law representing a host of statewide campaigns such as the campaign for Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican Governors Association. He has served as a gubernatorial appointee to one of Florida’s water management districts and presently is an appointee by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer to the board of Citizens Property Insurance Company.

Furthermore, Mr. Dunbar has extensive private-sector experience outside of his legal practice. Among other examples, he has twice served in senior executive capacities for large, integrated gaming properties; qualified as an expert witness in a gaming-related administrative trial; founded and sold a gaming-related business; and regularly retained as a game-design consultant.

Mr. Dunbar is a member of the Board of Visitors for Florida State University College of Law, where he also serves as an adjunct professor.

Following law school, Mr. Dunbar worked for several years in the public sector. He was recognized for his exceptional legal work by Florida Tax Watch, and he was a recipient of the Davis Productivity Award, which honors state employees for exemplary service to Florida’s taxpayers.

Marc Ellinger, Principal, Ellinger and Associates, LLC, USA

Marc Ellinger is a founding partner of Ellinger and Associates, LLC, Attorneys and Counselors at Law. This firm has a civil practice with an emphasis in government regulatory law, political law, and compliance matters. Ellinger has actively engaged in the representation of gaming clients since 1999. He represents gaming licensees, including those operating gaming facilities and online platforms, key personnel, and manufacturer/supplier licensees, on all facets of gaming, including licensing, relicensing, disciplinary matters, gaming transaction compliance matters, legislative counsel and direct representation, including litigation, before the Missouri Gaming Commission. Ellinger regularly speaks and moderates at international gaming conferences on emerging gaming issues. Ellinger is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant. He has extensive experience in regulatory matters regarding financial transactions as well as litigation experience representing gaming clients in regulatory actions and in the state and federal courts in Missouri.

Marcin Wierzbicki, Partner, Konieczny, Wierzbicki Kancelaria Radców Prawnych Spółka Partnerska, Poland

A graduate of law, with honors, at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University and of the American Law School of the Columbus School of Law. He also completed scholarships at the faculties of law of the Tilburg University (the Netherlands) and the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (the Ukraine). A certified advisor in the NewConnect Alternative Trading System. He specializes in corporate law, real property law, and investment processes. He has extensive experience in providing comprehensive legal services in terms of construction projects and to property development companies, including international aspects. Very experienced in negotiating commercial agreements and managing complex court litigations, as well as out-of-court settlement of disputes. He provides legal services to domestic and foreign enterprises. Speaks fluent English and Ukrainian. In private, a keen Alpine skier and a lover of Australia.

Marek Smrha, Investment Manager, Penta Investments, Czech Republic

Marek Smrha graduated from the Manchester Business School (B.Sc. (Hons) in Management) in 2009 and London Business School (Masters in Management degree) in 2010. He has been working for Penta Investments since 2011. He is currently in charge of the fund’s interests in betting & gaming (board member of Fortuna Entertainment Group) and aerospace & defense (board member of Aero Vodochody). He also oversees Penta’s investment in RTSmunity, a young start-up focusing on esports and advanced trading techniques.

Mark Clayton, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, USA

Mark A. Clayton is Co-Chair of the Global Gaming Practice and has wide-ranging experience in the gaming industry and focuses his practice on gaming operational and regulatory matters, including those related to land-based gaming, internet gaming and the manufacturing and distribution of gaming equipment. He also focuses on legislation and regulatory projects and represents clients with gaming matters in U.S. and international jurisdictions. Prior to joining the firm, Mark served as counsel for three casino corporations. He is a former member of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Mark Hemmerle, VP, Legal & Compliance, Worldpay Gaming Solutions, USA

Mark works with Worldpay Gaming Solutions (formerly Vantiv Gaming Solutions), where his responsibilities include contractual matters and evaluating companies’ proposed gaming models, especially those in on-line and mobile markets, to ensure the operations and offerings comport with existing state and federal laws and regulations, as well as payment industry requirements. Mark joined Worldpay in 2014. Prior to Worldpay, Mark spent more than 15 years in the casino industry as a General Manager, General Counsel and Assistant General Manager for several casinos in the mid-west. Most recently he was General Manager for Indiana Live! Casino responsible for the opening and operation of both its temporary and permanent facilities.

Martin Lycka, Director of Regulatory Affairs, GVC Holdings, PLC, UK

Martin Lycka, solicitor, is the Corporate Industrial Affairs Director at GVC Holdings. Martin has been an in-house legal and regulatory counsel to large operators in the gambling industry for over 8 years. Prior to that Martin worked with a number of other entities, including Salans Europe LLP or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. He has graduated from the Prague Law Faculty and has obtained a LLM degree at the College of Europe in Bruges as well as a LLB degree at the University Law London. Martin has authored or co-authored over 80 academic articles as well as 3 books on EU law and gambling law.

Dr. Matthias Spitz, Partner, MELCHERS Law Firm, Germany

Dr. Matthias Spitz is a Senior Partner at Melchers Law Firm. He specialises in the area of gaming law with a focus on European law and administrative matters. Since 2013, he has been a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law (“IMGL”). He advises clients on the legal developments in online gambling and sports betting in Germany and, specifically, on the implementation of new gambling products on the German market, as well as on the development of advertising strategies for operators of online gaming. His areas of practice further cover administrative proceedings against regulatory measures. Matthias frequently publishes articles on regulatory developments in leading industry journals.

Michael Lipton, Senior Partner, Dickinson Wright LLP, Canada

Michael Lipton is a Senior Partner of Dickinson Wright LLP, based in Toronto and heads the Canadian gaming law group. For over 25 years, he has served as senior counsel on several complex gaming law matters including advising on Requests for Proposals from governments to operate commercial and charitable casinos and advising applicants who seek registration with the gaming regulatory authorities throughout Canada. He regularly represents and counsels gaming equipment suppliers, institutional investors, governments, racetracks, casinos, First Nations and pari-mutuel operators in all aspects of gaming law from both a land based and internet perspective. He has presented numerous papers on the various aspects of gaming law at international legal conferences and his gaming law articles have been published on a global basis including the Canadian chapter of the Internet Gaming Report. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the World Online Gaming Report and the founding editor of Canadian Gaming Lawyer. Michael’s vast expertise and knowledge in gaming law have been recognized by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada and by Chambers Global from 2008 to 2016. He is a founding member of the International Masters of Gaming Law and a past President. In 2011, the Canadian Gaming Association presented him with an award for Leadership and Outstanding Contribution to the Gaming Industry. Michael has earned a global reputation for the strength and substance of his practice.

Michael Pollock, Managing Director, Spectrum Gaming, USA

Michael Pollock oversees a broad portfolio of Spectrum services, including policy and impact studies for country, state and local governments, and financial and market studies for private-sector clients. Pollock – a pioneer in the study of the economic impacts of gaming — is the author of the award-winning book Hostage to Fortune: Atlantic City and Casino Gambling, published by the Center for Analysis of Public Issues in Princeton. The book examines the impact of casinos on Atlantic City and New Jersey.

He has led economic-impact studies around the world from Spain and Korea to Guam and Cyprus, as well as in Florida, Georgia, Washington State, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and other states, provinces and municipalities in North America.

Pollock began analyzing the casino industry in 1978 and served as spokesman for the New Jersey Casino Control Commission from 1991 through 1996. He was a close advisor to the chairman, and oversaw the Office of Legislative Liaison. During this period of rapid deregulation, his charge was to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the regulatory system.

He has testified before the International Tribunal at The Hague, the World Bank in Washington DC, the US Senate Indian Affairs Committee and the US Senate Select Committee on Indian Gaming, and has been a featured speaker at the Congressional Gaming Caucus, a group of US House of Representatives members from gaming jurisdictions. He has also testified before numerous legislative committees throughout the United States.

He has led Spectrum economic analyses in markets throughout North America, as well as in Latin America, Guam and Korea.

Pollock has won 20 journalism awards, and is the former editorial page editor of The Press of Atlantic City. Pollock is often cited by national media outlets, including The New York Times, Star-Ledger, BBC, MSNBC, ABC News and National Public Radio.

Pollock earned his MBA, with high honors, from Rutgers University, and has served as a member of the adjunct faculty of New York University, Rutgers University and Stockton University.

Dr. Mónika Molnár, Tax Partner, MME Legal, Switzerland

Dr. Mónika Molnár joined MME in 2016. She has long-standing experience in the field of national and international indirect taxation (VAT and customs), including acting as indirect tax knowledge manager and national representative for Switzerland at a Big Four advisory firm. Among other aspects, she focuses on advisory services in connection with international VAT and customs duties in cross-border transactions of all types, auditing of existing structures, support with VAT audits and representation of clients in dealings with authorities.

Mónika is a very versed lecturer and author of several publications and textbooks. In addition, she placed her research work at the disposal of the IBFD (International Bureau for Fiscal Documentation) in Amsterdam and continues to act as the Bureau’s correspondent for Switzerland and Hungary.

Morten Ronde, IMGL/Nordic Gambling, Denmark

With over 15 years of experience from the private and public sector Morten is the Director of Education and Association Development in the International Masters of Gaming Law. Morten’s background is in gaming regulation. He worked 12 years as legal counsel for the Danish Gambling Authority and during his time as a regulator he drafted the Danish online gambling reform that allowed licensing of betting and online casino operators in Denmark. Morten received the IMGL European Regulator of the Year Award in 2010. He moved to the private sector in 2012 and has since been involved in advising governments and industry operators about European regulatory affairs. He acts as the CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association (DOGA), a trade association for online gambling operators in Denmark. Furthermore does works in partnership with the Brussels based public affairs agency Instinctif and the London based law firm Harris Hagan. Morten is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Olaf Seiche, Regional Manager “Service Sector”, TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH, Germany

Since 2002, Olaf Seiche has worked for TÜV Rheinland as an auditor for several standards. His other responsibilities include development of new business fields and several industries and customizing solutions for the German gambling halls. He has about 15 years of experience in several projects regarding the relation between certification and law making and legislation His educational background includes the study of production technology as an engineer.

Peter J. Kulick, Member, Dickinson Wright LLC, USA

Peter J. Kulick is a Member of Dickinson Wright PLLC. For nearly 15 years, Peter has brought creative solutions to clients’ complex and tax-driven transactions. Peter’s transactional experience runs the gambit of mergers and acquisitions to a variety of financing transactions. With his tax law background, Peter is well-versed in navigating clients through complex bodies of law. Beyond his tax law practice, Peter has represented all types of gaming businesses, including land-based gaming operators, i-gaming operators and suppliers in a variety of transactional and regulatory matters. Prior to practicing law, Peter served on the staffs of a United States Senator and United States Congressman. His experience and law practice background has served well to assist gaming clients with regulatory matters and developing sophisticated operational structures, which are sensitive to the unique intricacies of tax law and gaming law. Peter regularly speaks at gaming conferences throughout North America and is a prolific author on gaming law matters, with his articles appearing in such publications as the Drake Law Review, the John Marshall Law Review, the Michigan State University Law Review, Casino Lawyer, Casino Enterprise Management, and the Journal of Multi-State Taxation and Incentives. Peter authored a chapter on accounting and audit regulations in legal treatises cover the regulation of land-based casino gaming and in REGULATING INTERNET GAMING, one of the first legal treatise on i-gaming, published by the UNLV Press. He also the co-author of Chapter 11 Cases Involving Gambling Casinos, which appears in the preeminent U.S. bankruptcy practice guide, COLLIER GUIDE TO CHAPTER 11: KEY TOPICS AND SELECTED INDUSTRIES.

Pieter Remmers, CEO, Assissa, Netherlands

Pieter Remmers is a veteran in the area of responsible gaming, consultancy and training of gambling industry professionals. At present he has his own company, Assissa Consultancy Europe (since 1999). However, he has been involved in projects with the gambling industry already since 1989. Pieter started his career as the head of an outpatient clinic (part of Jellinek, the largest treatment agency on addictions in the Netherlands) and served as managing director of Jellinek Consultancy since the early ‘90’s. Pieter was involved in a number of surveys on problem gambling. Assissa Consultancy Europe works / worked on responsible gaming policies and programmes in a number of countries a.o. South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Belgium, Italy, Spain (Catalunya) and Sweden. Besides Pieter is a consultant world wide for as well as the industry offline and online, casinos and lotteries and as well for regulators or other governmental bodies. In 1996 he became the co-chair of the section on gambling of the International Council on Alcohol and other Addictions (ICAA). Since 1997, he has been a member of the Executive Committee and serves as administrator / conference organizer of the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG), the sponsor of major bi -annual conferences on gambling issues in Europe. Pieter is also a shareholder/board member of the Swedish company ACE Sweden/ Spelinstitutet and a Trustee of Gordon House / Gordon Moody Association in the UK. In 2003 he also was the initiator of G4 ( Global Gambling Guidance Group ) G4 is to set up an International Accreditation System on Responsible Gaming for the Remote and E-Gambling Industry. At present he is also very much involved in the development and carry out of online education programmes on problem gambling and responsible gaming for the gambling industry as well as online treatment modules, like a self help manual with assistance of professional (CBT /MI based) counseling.

Quirino Mancini, Partner, Tonucci & Partners, Italy

Quirino Mancini is a partner at Tonucci, a top ten Italian general practice firm with offices in Rome, Milan, Brescia, Padua and Florence as well one of the leading Western firms in the key Eastern European markets such as Romania, Serbia and Albania. Quirino has a vast experience and a solid as well as long-established professional background in the sports, entertainment, media, and e-commerce fields. In particular, over the past fifteen years he has developed an almost unique know-how and specialist practice in national/EU gaming & gambling law acting on behalf of several foreign-based operators in connection with their Italian market entry plans as well as advising them on joint-venture and M&A deals, commercial partnerships sponsorship arrangements and contract matters in general. He also advises market analysts, investment houses and venture capital funds involved in the Italian gaming business. He also offers a bespoke match-making service aimed at devising the most sensible Italian business strategies and introducing foreign companies planning to enter the Italian market to suitable local businesses for purposes of joint venture, acquisition or commercial deals. Quirino is a regular speaker at the most important European and international gaming conferences and sits in the editorial board of various gaming and sports publications. He is a member of the advisory board of the International Research for Gambling and Gaming of Bonn, Germany. He is the Secretary of the International Masters of Gaming Law and a member of its Leadership Committee. Awarded Top Rank (Band 1) status by Chambers Global as the leading lawyer in Italy in the gaming and gambling field for six consecutive years (2009-15). Rated by Who’s Who Legal as one of the Italian leading sports & entertainment lawyers. He is a co-founder and editor of www.gaminglaw.eu, a pan-European information and commentary portal focusing on legal and regulatory issues under European and national gaming laws.

Ramona Azzopardi, Tax Partner, WH Partners, Malta

Ramona Azzopardi is recognized as one of the leading taxation lawyers in Malta. Although her expertise covers any industry, she is particularly active in the Gaming, Commercial, Private Clients and Financial Services industries.

She has in-depth expertise in both direct and indirect tax issues in cross-border transactions. She regularly assists private clients with wealth management and relocation services.

Prior to joining WH Partners in 2014, Ramona worked at Fenech & Fenech Advocates, where for seven years she was a tax lawyer assisting clients in tax matters in relation to Gaming, Aviation, Shipping, Financial Services and ICT.

Ramona is a member of the Malta Institute of Taxation, Chamber of Advocates and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners where she also serves as committee member on the Taxation Sub-Committee.Ramona is frequently invited to speak at various tax conferences and has contributed to a number of international tax publications.

Rolf Francis Sims, Manager of Public Affairs, Kindred Group, Norway

Rolf graduated with a law degree from the University of Oslo in 1995, specializing in intellectual property and international human rights. He has previously worked on land concessions and area planning at the Ministry of Agriculture and legislation and individual cases related to oil pollution in the North Sea at the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority.

Between 1998 and 2018 he worked as a gaming regulator, first with the Ministry of Justice and Police, and from 2001 with the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry is responsible for the regulation of all gaming in Norway except gaming connected to equestrian activities. His scope of work encompassed EU/EEA-law, all aspects of legislation connected to gaming machines, I-gaming, bingo, provisions and regulations on lotteries and sportsbetting. He has also supervised the administration of Norsk Tipping, the Norwegian state-owned gaming company, as well as the Norwegian Gaming Authority. He was particularly involved in the Norwegian Slot machine case and Ladbrokes case which questioned the compatibility of Norwegian gaming law to EU/EEA-law. Rolf also participated as the Norwegian Government`s representative in the European Commission’s Expert Group on Gambling Services, which provides the Commission with advice and expertise in relation to the preparation of policy initiatives and facilitates the exchange of regulatory experience and good practices between EEA Member States. He was also a director on the board of the Gaming Regulators European Forum. In August 2018 Rolf took up a new position as public affairs manager for Kindred Group in Norway.

Santiago Asensi, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Spain

Santiago Asensi is the Managing Partner of Asensi Abogados and is an expert attorney in Gaming & Gambling Law. Asensi represents most of the major operators and gaming services providers, being deeply involved in all the regulatory developments carried out for this industry. Asensi provides legal advice to a large number of bookmakers, poker, casino, bingo and skill games operators (online and terrestrial), software providers, slot suppliers with interests located in Spain and Latin America as well as to gaming jurisdictions. Asensi is General Member for Spain of the IMGL, member of IAGA and one of the European co-partner law firms of the portal Gaminglaw.eu. Santiago is included in the Global Gaming & Gambling section of the leading publication Chambers Global. Asensi has been awarded this prestigious inclusion within “Band 1” from 2009 to 2013. Since 2014, Santiago has been ranked as “Star Individual”, a distinction only received by 3 lawyers world-wide. Asensi has been awarded as the “best service provider” in Spain for the gambling industry by the Association Jdigital in 2014 & 2016. He is co-author of the Gaming Law Book (Editions 2012 / 2014/2017) published by Thomson Reuters and of the Spanish Gambling Market Report for MECN (Editions 2007 / 2011). Likewise, he is the co-editor of the magazine “La Ley del Juego” published by IMGL. During the last years, Asensi has also acted as the official advisor of Coljuegos (the Colombian Gambling Regulator). In 2016, Asensi has opened an office in Bogota in order to represent international clients.

Simo Dragicevic, BetBuddy, Playtech, UK

Simo is Founder and CEO of BetBuddy, Playtech’s award-winning safer gambling data analytics company. Simo is an expert in gambling products, consumer behaviour, and consumer protection. Simo’s research is centred on data, safer gambling, and making Artificial Intelligence (AI) explainable and more human-like. His research has been published at the most respected gambling journals and AI conferences, including NIPS, ECAI, and The Joint Multi-Conference on Human-Level AI. Simo is a PhD supervisor at the Research Centre for Machine Learning at City, University of London, a board member of the Responsible Gambling Council, and was named AMBA Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.

Dr. Simon Planzer, Founding Partner, PLANZER LAW, Switzerland

Dr. Simon Planzer is partner at PLANZER LAW, a Zurich-based law firm specialising in Swiss and EU/EEA gaming & entertainment and online & technology businesses. PLANZER LAW’s team notably provides strategic, regulatory and legal advice to B2Cs and B2Bs, regulators and other stakeholders, including compliance issues such as AML, responsible gaming and data privacy. PLANZER LAW represent the interests of both large corporations and start-ups. The firm has been shortlisted for the 2019 GC Global Regulatory Awards as ‘Best European Regulatory Law Firm’ in London.

Simon has specialised in gaming law and EU/EEA law through many years in practice. Prior to running his own law firm, he worked inter alia on gaming cases at the European Free Trade Association Court (EFTA, Luxembourg) and on EEA matters at EFTA’s legal service (Brussels). Simon has substantially contributed to regulatory best practices, working closely with industry, regulators, policy makers and the media. He is endorsed as „absolutely excellent“ and „the top Swiss lawyer“ for gaming (Chambers & Partners). He has presented and published extensively on Swiss and EU/EEA gaming matters. He has i.a. authored the chapter on ‘Gambling Law’ for the official ‘Handbook of EEA Law’ (2016) and the monograph ‘Empirical Views on European Gambling Law and Addiction’ (2014), both published by Springer International Publishing and endorsed by some of the world’s leading gaming lawyers. Simon is an alumnus of the College of Europe and did further studies i.a. at Harvard University and the European University Institute. In addition to running his law firm, he also serves as Lecturer in Law at the University of St.Gallen teaching on gaming and EU law matters.

Stephanie Bell, Partner Ellinger and Associates LLC, USA

Stephanie Bell is a founding partner of Ellinger and Associates, LLC. Her practice focuses on election, regulatory, utility, gaming, tax and other governmental disputes. She represents individuals, businesses, associations, committees, and political subdivisions in a wide array of state and local government matters and has achieved a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating.

Stephanie previously worked at Blitz, Bardgett, & Deutsch, LC, for almost a decade. Stephanie’s litigation practice includes representing clients before government agencies, the Administrative Hearing Commission, the Public Service Commission, circuit courts, and Missouri Appellate courts. She has litigated cases concerning constitutional and statutory amendments being proposed by initiative petition, challenges to agency rules, the Missouri Sunshine Law, professional licensing, and general business disputes.

Stephanie also regularly advises candidates, committees, political subdivisions, and other entities regarding campaign finance compliance. Stephanie has served as treasurer of multi-million dollar political action committees. She has successfully defended clients against Missouri Ethics Commission complaints.

Stephanie regularly advises clients in relation to highly regulated industries. She has represented political subdivisions and state agencies before the Missouri Public Service Commission in both water and electric rate cases, as well as certificate of convenience and necessity (CCN) cases. She also advises clients in relation to Missouri Gaming Commission matters.

Stephanie has also advised numerous entities during Missouri Department of Revenue audits. With respect to sales and use tax in refund cases and appeals from notices of assessments, Stephanie has represented clients from small businesses to nationwide corporations . She has also represented recipients of tax credits who have received penalty notices.

While in law school, Stephanie served as Symposium Editor of the Missouri Law Review and was a member of the Board of Advocates. She is the recipient of Academic Excellence Awards in Legislation, State Constitutional Law, Trial Practice and Advocacy & Government Agencies. She received the Fred L. Howard Prize for Excellence in the Advancement of Advocacy and was inducted into the Order of the Barristers. She also received the Stanley B. Botner Award for achievements in earning her Master of Public Administration in Public Policy at the Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs

Stephen Kettleley, Partner, Wiggin LLP, UK

Steve Ketteley is a partner at Wiggin, a leading firm in the media, entertainment and gaming spaces. He is based in London. By background, Stephen is a commercial, regulatory and technology lawyer and concentrates on advising clients on all operational and regulatory aspects of their businesses, with a particular expertise in the infrastructure that underpins the on-line gambling industry. He acts for operators and suppliers alike by drafting, negotiating and advising on matters such as intellectual property, software licensing and development, white-label supply agreements and affiliate arrangements and advises on the regulatory aspects of corporate transactions and the corresponding issues affecting investors, lenders and intermediaries. He regularly speaks at the sector’s major conferences, regularly writes for its major publications and is noted in Chambers and the Legal500 as an expert on legal matters relating to the online gambling industry.

Tal Itzhak Ron, Chairman and CEO, Tal Ron, Drihem & Co., Law Firm, Israel

Advocate and Notary Tal Itzhak Ron – LLB, BSc, MSc, International Master of Gaming Law (IMGL), a Financial Entertainment, i-Gaming and Crypto veteran, working with the biggest names in online gaming and financial trading since 2003. Tal graduated from Haifa University School of Law and Faculty of Computer Science in 2001, and while working as a software developer at the publicly-traded software company Ness Technologies, has further obtained a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Bar Ilan University in 2006. Tal founded Tal Ron, Drihem & Co., Law Firm 15 years ago, focusing from its start on Online Gaming, Fintech, Hi-Tech, and Ad-Tech, quickly becoming one of the first international firms focusing solely on these areas and one of the best known names on the market. His firm today advises the world leading operations, affiliates, platforms and governing bodies in Europe and Asia, and is considered a first point of contact for entrepreneurs searching for turnkey solutions in the online space.

Tamsin Blow, Partner, CMS Law, UK

Tamsin Blow is a Partner in the Litigation and Arbitration Group, specializing in commercial, media and public law dispute resolution. Tamsin draws on over ten years’ experience with the firm to offer clients strategic and commercial advice on potential and on-going disputes. Tamsin acts in substantial commercial disputes including multi-jurisdictional fraud cases for claimants (such as the former subsidiaries of Yukos Oil) and defendants. Tamsin supports clients through reputation management issues and times of crisis. She draws on her expertise in defamation, data protection and privacy law and her investigations experience, including as advisor to News International in relation to the voicemail interception crisis. Tamsin also has particular expertise advising gambling operators on a full range of contentious legal and regulatory issues, including supplier disputes, customer disputes, judicial reviews, Gambling Commission investigations and license reviews and anti-money laundering and social responsibility policies and procedures. Tamsin is a strong supporter of CMS’ CSR programme, in particular coordinating support for the Ladies Day initiative by Whitechapel Mission, which provides support to the homeless and vulnerable in East London.

Tatjana Klaeser, Attorney at Law, Klaeser Avocat, Belgium

Tatjana Klaeser is a Member of the Brussels Bar Association, since 2009. She holds a Bachelor and a MasterDegree, Private Law orientation (options intellectual and industrial property / information technologies) from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Tatjana Klaeser worked in several major law firms and has been in charge of the Gaming & Entertainment Law Practice in a Franco-Belgian niche office, which led her to advise clients both for the French and Belgian market. Advising, drafting contracts, accompanying and defending the interests of her clients in their dealings with authorities, as well as litigation, are part of the usual practice of Tatjana Klaeser.

Tatjana has a broad experience in different areas of IP and IT law, and especially in the gambling sector advising both land based and online operators in matters ranging from licensing to the development of tailor-made strategies to fit the specific legal and technical requirements of a local market.

She also contributes to scientific research by publishing in the field of Gaming Law, Fair trade practices, Intellectual property and Information technologies, being frequently consulted as an expert on these subjects. She regularly intervenes in the context of conferences and seminars on legal topics relating to new technologies. She is further involved on an Academic level and teaches as a Lecturer within the Sports Law Master at the Université d’Aix-Marseille.

Thulisizwe Johnson, CEO, Botswana Gambling Authority

Mr. Thulisizwe Johnson has a distinguished varied career in Financial Services, including having led the National Development Bank of Botswana, and Metropolitan Life Botswana. Mr. Johnson also has over 7 years’ experience as Managing Director of Barclays Bank of Botswana. He was the first employee of the Gambling Authority of Botswana, as its founding Chief Executive Officer in 2014, and was tasked with setting-up and crafting the strategic direction of the Authority. He has overseen the growth of the Authority to the current 53 employees and is currently leading the licensing of the first Botswana National Lottery.

Tina Kilmer, Board Member of the Global Gaming Women, USA

As Senior Director of Engineering for Gaming Laboratories International, Tina M. Kilmer ensures that GLI’s testing and compliance services are provided at the highest standards of excellence. She oversees engineering managers and teams to facilitate the delivery of services on time, on budget, and with unbeatable quality. She also works closely with gaming suppliers at multiple levels to understand the issues they are facing and how GLI can best meet their needs.

Kilmer has more than 20 years of global gaming experience and is a registered Professional Engineer (PE) with a proven record of success in developing a culture of compliance and delivering exceptional results in highly competitive environments. Her areas of expertise include technical compliance, program management, product development, and strategic planning and execution.

Prior to joining GLI, Kilmer was Vice President of Product Compliance for Scientific Games (formerly Bally Technologies) where she built a dynamic, global team responsible for global regulatory management and technical compliance of advanced technology-based gaming devices and systems, table games and utility products, and mobile devices. Kilmer also served as Vice President of Project Management for the former Bally Gaming and Systems. Previously, Kilmer held senior leadership roles with Aristocrat Technologies (formerly Casino Data Systems) and Harrah’s Entertainment.

Tomas Garcia Botta, Partner, Masot & Frettes Abogados, Argentina

Tomás E. García Botta is based in Buenos Aires and his practice focuses on tax litigation, as well as regulatory and gaming matters.

He graduated from the Universidad de Buenos Aires and is licensed to practice law in Argentina, having been admitted to the bars of the City of Buenos Aires (Colegio Público de Abogados de la Capital Federal) and the Province of Buenos Aires (Colegio de Abogados de San Isidro). He has also been authorized to practice before the Federal Courts by the Federal Chamber of Appeals of San Martin (Cámara Federal de Apelaciones de San Martin). He is a member of the Argentine Association of Fiscal Studies (Asociación Argentina de Estudios Fiscales).

Prior to joining Masot & Frettes Abogados, he was senior associate at Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal, focusing his practice on tax litigation, regulatory and gaming matters.

He has written several articles has also participated in conferences related to gaming and tax matters. He has advised local and international clients in connection with the Province of Misiones’ online gaming licencing process and more recently the online gaming licencing processes undertaken by the City of Buenos Aires and the Province of Buenos Aires.

Tomás E. Garcia Botta speaks Spanish and English.

Veronique dos Reis, Pinnacle, Netherlands

Veronique is Executive General Counsel of leading online sports book Pinnacle (formerly Pinnacle Sports) and is based at Pinnacle’s Headquarters in Curacao.

French qualified advocate. She graduated in new technology law in France and started her career in 2007 when she joined the legal department of Unibet (now Kindred Group Plc) in London. Latterly she qualified as a certified anti-money laundering specialist (CAMS).

In the intervening years she has gained legal experience in France, UK, Brazil and Curacao both as in-house counsel and in private practice. Her expertise in the online gambling industry covers both the B2C and B2B markets.

Veronique’s work encompasses board advisory, global strategy, regulatory and compliance matters for Pinnacle’s mobile and online sports betting, online casino, B2B and eSports betting verticals across more than 80 markets worldwide.

Dr. Wulf Hambach, Founding Partner, Hambach & Hambach, Germany

Dr. Wulf Hambach is one of the founding partners of Hambach & Hambach.

He regularly publishes articles in national and international legal media. Furthermore, he is a co-publisher and one of the authors of the legal commentary “Glücks- und Gewinnspielrecht in den Medien” (Gambling and Sweepstakes Law in the Media, C.H. Beck Verlag). Dr. Hambach is a sought-after lecturer at leading international conferences and board adviser of leading internet service companies.

He was i.a. honoured by Chambers and Partners and ranked by WHO’s WHO LEGAL.

Dr. Hambach is one of the founders of the European portal Gaminglaw.eu (www.gaminglaw.eu), as well as being a member of the European Advisory Committee of the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) and General Member of the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL). He is also member of the board of the German Association for Telecommunication and Media (DVTM) as well as the editorial board of the Online Gambling Lawyer magazine.

See & Do

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Munich is the cosmopolitan capital of Bavaria. It’s home to world class museums, sprawling parks, beautiful baroque palaces and the entire city is steeped in history. While Oktoberfest tends to be the first thing people think of doing when they visit Munich, there is so much more to the city than it’s famous beer festival. Take a look below:

City Center Munich

Marienplatz

Marienplatz is the central square in downtown Munich, and the canvas behind some of the most iconic images of Munich. The square became the city center in 1158, and is named after a memorial statue of the Virgin Mary memorializing the end of the Swedish occupation of Munich originally constructed in 1638. The central square has been home to markets, public gatherings, tournaments and served as a community space for hundreds of years. Now it’s the bustling home of shoppers and tourists as they make their way through the capital city of Bavaria. In December, the Marienplatz is the site of the Munich Christkindlmarkt, a series of stalls and booths feature Christmas fare and food.

Viktualienmarkt
The Viktualienmarkt is a daily food market and a square in the center of Munich, Germany.

Neues Rathaus & Glockenspiel

Marienplatz hosts the Neues Rathaus, or new town hall. The Rathaus contains the rooms and administrative offices for city council and local government. Constructed between 1867 and 1906, the town hall was damaged during WWII and received restoration and reconstruction work in the years after. The tower of the Rathaus features the famous Glockenspiel, a clock which plays music and turns through a wheel of interesting Munich characters, recreating the 1568 tournament for the marriage of Duke William V and Renata of Lorraine. The “Schäffler” dancers on the lowest tier of the Glockenspiel are said to be luring Munich citizens back out of their homes after the plague hit Munich in the early 1500s. The Glockenspiel plays everyday at 11AM and 5PM. The Rathaus also contains a memorial room to the two World Wars and the Ratskeller, a restaurant.

Historic Sites

Feldernhalle

In the midst of Odeonplatz, stands a monumental building. Likely you’ll see tourists and locals gathering on it, and more often than not a photographer or two capturing photos. It’s a popular photo opportunity in Munich, but it’s history is a bit darker.

Originally constructed by King Ludwig I of Bavaria between 1841 and 1844 to honor the army, the site is more famous for its links to Hitler and the Nazi Party. It was here that a brief skirmish ended the attempted Beer Hall Putsch in 1923 which landed Hitler in prison and dealt a blow to the burgeoning Nazi party.

When the Nazi party took power in Germany in the 1930s, the site was dedicated to the members of the Nazi party that had died in the earlier rising. It was here that newly inducted Nazi soldiers swore their oath of allegiance to Hitler and memorial events commemorating the dead and wounded were held.

German citizens were required to give the Nazi salute as they passed by. An alley behind the monument served as a passageway for those who refused to do so, earning it the nickname of “dodger’s alley”.

Residenz

Just north and a short walk from Marienplatz is the the Residenz. The Residenz was the Munich residence of the Wittelsbach family. They were the monarchs who ruled Bavaria from 1180 until the end of World War I – over 700 years! Originally built in the late 1300s, it’s also the largest palace in Germany with hundreds of rooms. 130 to be exact (see a layout of the palace here)! In addition to the rooms of the king and queen, the palace also has its own church and ornate theater.

Frauenkirche

Munich has a number of gorgeous churches downtown including the Frauenkirche, the towering Gothic cathedral that is symbolic of the Munich skyline. The Frauenkirche is also the resting place of many of the Bavarian princes, going all the way back to Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV, known as “the Bavarian” who died in 1347. The cathedral was built in late-Gothic style in the 15th century by Jörg von Halsbach, when the previous church could no longer hold the parishioners of the burgeoning city of Munich. A trusted architect for the city, Halsbach had already built the Alte Rathaus, or Old Town Hall.

The Devil’s Strike

Legend has it that when the architect told the devil that he’d built a church with no windows, the devil decided he wanted to see for himself. Standing in the church, he jumped with joy when he observed he could not see any windows. Moments later when he noticed that the windows were merely obscured by the massive pillars he flew into a rage, stomping his foot and trying to blow the church down. He wasn’t successful, but his imprint in the floor and breeze visitors feel at their back is the lasting memory of his attempt.

Peterskirche

Alte Peter, or The Church of St. Peter (directly translated as Old Peter) is one of the oldest churches in downtown Munich. A precursor to the church stood in roughly the same location starting in the 700s. By 1158, the St. Peter was founded, and by 1181 expansions were already underway under the direction of Otto I. The church that stands in central Munich today, is much changed from its original version. In addition to multiple additions and updates, much of the church was destroyed in a fire in the early 14th century and had to be rebuilt. The interior of the church feautures a high alter designed by Erasmus Grassmer, focusing on St. Peter. The bell tower of Alte Peter can be climbed for sweeping views of downtown Munich and the surrounding area – if you’re willing to climb the 299 steps to the top.

Asamkirche

Asamkirche, also known as the Church of St. Johann Nepomuk is decorated in bold baroque style. Built between 1733 and 1746. The church earned its name from it’s architects, the Asam brothers. While the outside of the church is rather understated and the church is rather small, the interior is wild and otherworldly, taking on a life of its own.

St Michael’s Church

The burial place of kings, more than one Wittelsbach ruler is buried in this church. Built in the late 16th century by William V, Duke of Bavaria, the church was intended to be a symbol of the Counter Reformation. For a small fee, visitors can travel into the basement and see the burial chambers of the famous Wittelsbachs kings, including King Ludwig II.

Theatinerkirche (The Theatine Church of St. Catejan)

A Catholic church built in the mid-to-late 17th century, it was erected by the Elector of Bavaria as thanks for the birth of their child, the heir to the Bavarian throne. The church features high-Baroque style, and the towering white columns and ceilings bear a stark contrast to the dark wood benches beneath. A number of the Bavarian royal family are buried in the church.

Munich Points of Interest

Englischer Garten

The garden was created by Sir Benjamin Thompson in the late 18th century, when the current ruler, Prince Charles Theodore directed its creation. The prince had an unpopular reputation as someone who had refused to move to Munich and had offered to trade Bavaria for other territory in Europe. In order to appease the public, he completed several public projects like the garden.

Sir Thompson had been born in Massachusetts and served on the side of British Crown during the American Revolution. This experience with the military left him with the belief that military garrisons should be given civilian work to do during peacetime, like gardening and agricultural work. The Englischer Garten, placed on a portion of the former hunting grounds of the Wittelsbachs, was a proposed example of this.

The English Garden is a massive park just north of the Residenz and downtown Munich. The Isar River stretches alongside and through the park, creating a quiet retreat in the middle of the otherwise buzzing city. There are several restaurants dotting the park in addition to a massive beer garden. The park is as popular with locals as it is with tourists, and many come to spend their lunch break or an afternoon in the park.

Munich Surfing

Surfers. Yes, in the middle of downtown Munich. (Maybe if you’re feeling adventurous you can add this to your list of things to do in Munich?) You can watch the surfers catching the waves on the Isar River. There are performances in the park in the summer as well as pedal boats that can be rented at the Seehaus on the lake.

Siegestor

King Ludwig I had the gate designed and built in the 1850s as a dedication to the Bavarian Army, then still an independent state. The gate was heavily damaged during WWII and was only partially restored. The gate now stands as a monument to peace.

Hofbrauhaus & Beer Halls

If you’re looking for the German beer hall experience – with massive liter-sized single serving beers, gregarious chatter and the sounds of an oompah band rolling through the background, Munich has a host of options to choose from. It doesn’t have to be Oktoberfest to get the atmosphere you’re looking for.

The famous Hofbrauhaus hosts more tourists than locals, but has the kind of reputation that’s hard to resist. If you prefer something a little more authentic but still tourist friendly, the Augustinerkeller or Lowenbraukeller are your best bets. Either way – have a massive beer, a pretzel, and if you’re there early enough in the day – get yourself the famous Munich Weisswurst!

National Theatre – Bavarian Opera House

If you’re interested in seeing the opera, orchestra or ballet perform while you’re in Munich, the National Theatre is the place to do so. It’s located off of Max-Joseph-Platz and has a stunning neo-classical facade.

IMGL 2019 Autumn Conference

Filter

Overview

September 11–13, 2019

Munich, Germany

Register

Registration

Online registration is now open.

Sponsorships

Schedule

Schedule and Events

Download the program booklet from the conference.

Wednesday, September 11

Thursday, September 12
MORNING SESSIONS
Ballroom

Thursday, September 12

Friday, September 13

Friday, September 13

Events

Conference Events

Wednesday, September 11

Thursday, September 12

Friday, September 13

Accommodations

Host Hotel

Special IMGL Conference Rate

To Make Reservations

Speakers

See & Do

IMGL 2019 Autumn Conference

Filter

Overview

September 11–13, 2019

Munich, Germany

Register

Registration

Online registration is now open.

Sponsorships

Schedule

Schedule and Events

Download the program booklet from the conference.

Wednesday, September 11

Thursday, September 12 MORNING SESSIONS Ballroom

Thursday, September 12

Friday, September 13

Friday, September 13

Events

Conference Events

Wednesday, September 11

Thursday, September 12

Friday, September 13

Accommodations

Host Hotel

Special IMGL Conference Rate

To Make Reservations

Speakers

See & Do

Thursday, September 12
MORNING SESSIONS
Ballroom