With "Next Valletta" on the horizon, iGaming Gazette recently caught up with Will Purchase, Sales Director at Next.io, to delve into the event's significance and success.
Set to unfold on May 15-16th at the Mediterranean Conference Center in Valletta, Malta, our dedicated team has spared no effort in shaping this event into the apex of the iGaming realm, promising unmatched networking opportunities and insights from 300 industry-leading voices. 1. What sets NEXT Valletta apart from other iGaming events in Malta and globally?
NEXT Valletta 2024 is set to be our largest event yet, in terms of partners, content and attendees. To the point we are opening a second floor for exhibitors and have sold out (almost) all partnership opportunities. What drives this success and sets NEXT Valletta apart from other iGaming events is a focus on forward looking content from industry-leading voices and visionaries.
We are less concerned with where iGaming is now and more concerned with the trends and topics that are shaping our fast-moving industry. The high-quality content in combination with our own well established industry network means NEXT Valletta is the most senior gathering of industry professionals in the calendar, with a close to 50/50 split between operators/affiliates and suppliers.
This in turn offers great ROI for our clients who are looking to promote their brand, announce a product launch or generate high quality leads and connections.
2. How has the iGaming industry landscape influenced the content and themes of NEXT Valletta?
The content agenda for NEXT Valletta is designed in collaboration with industry stakeholders based on prevailing market conditions, key current and upcoming trends and changes in the sector, with a view to best equipping delegates with the information and insights they need to move forward into the future with confidence.
While the event's content is designed to partially reflect the current state of play, its sights are set firmly on how to stay one step ahead of the game going forward. In terms of what these themes are, optimising operations with new technology, regulatory change in new and emerging markets, market consolidation and changes in customer preferences and behaviours are all up there.
3. Could you provide insights into the networking opportunities available at NEXT Valletta and how attendees can maximize their interactions?
Certainly! NEXT Valletta is not just a conference but a full week of activities giving our attendees a chance to connect with their peers in a variety of settings. We start with a Golf tournament on Monday 13 May at the Royal Malta Golf Club, where our in-house golf expert, Rhys Jones, will be taking on all comers.
On Tuesday 14 May we will be hosting a Padel tournament at the IK Padel Village and rounding off the day with Pre-Registration drinks on the beautiful Grand Harbour Terrace at the Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC) to give attendees a chance to collect their badges and mingle as they watch the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea.
For those who don’t mind an early start Wednesday 15 May kicks off with the NEXT.io run club and continues with a full day of content at the MCC including our Emerging Markets and InvestNEXT sidetracks, again finishing with drinks on the Grand Harbour Terrace.
The final day of the event on Thursday 16 May offers another full day of content including our TechNEXT and Sustainability tracks, finishing with our closing party at the MCC where some industry veterans will be dusting of their record collections to make sure we close the event in style.
On top of all this in parallel to the conference we are a running a variety of invite only CxO drinks parties and private dinners at a selection of Malta’s finest establishments, space is limited at these due to venue restrictions but if you’re interested in learning more feel free to drop me an email at will@next.io.
4. How do you envision NEXT Valletta contributing to the growth and development of the iGaming sector in Malta and beyond?
We are fostering a community of bright-minded executives to provide a space where they can engage in open and honest debate about some of the biggest topics and trends sweeping the iGaming industry in 2024 and beyond.
You never know, some of those discussions may lead to a new partnership or the development of a new innovation that could well take the industry by storm. By creating that platform for open discussion, we’re hoping that delegates will be able to take away new ideas and even a few new contacts too.
5. How does the growth and success of this year's event shape the future of Next events?
NEXT Valletta is our flagship event, its success and growth over the last five years has provided us with an excellent platform to expand into the US with NEXT NYC taking place every March and to look at other exciting projects that we think will provide value to our clients.
For example, this year we are launching our new portfolio of Elite Retreats which will see 100 of the most senior players in the industry gathering in Cyprus and Cancun towards the end of the year, maintaining a strict 50/50 operator/supplier ratio in a luxury setting over the course of three days the idea is to double down on our core value proposition of creating an environment for the most senior people in the industry to meet, share ideas and create new partnerships.
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