SiGMA Group‘s Head Of Business Development Zakaria El Maaroufi spoke with iGaming aggregator platform Slotegrator about how the company has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and what role digital technologies have played during this period, as well as what the group has planned for 2022, what kind of participants we can expect at iGatherings, and why SiGMA is looking to expand in Asia.
Despite the radical impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on networking, it is still a vital part of the iGaming sector, El Maaroufi noted. Millions of people have been forced to live in isolation, and face-to-face meetings, the foundation of SiGMA’s activities, have been canceled everywhere. The company was on the verge of having to stop its primary activity, which is connecting people with each other through offline events.
However, El Maaroufi explained that thanks to the team’s speed and flexibility the group was not only able to adapt to the pandemic, but also perceived it as an opportunity for reflection and development. SiGMA has pioneered virtual events in the industry by introducing online presentations. Each month, the company focused on a new region, ultimately covering the whole world.
SiGMA has grown into a complete media platform with content translated into 10 languages. Based on the charitable division of the SiGMA Foundation, a new academic program, SiGMA College, was created. This is a Netflix-style education — free online training programs within the iGaming industry, available worldwide.
SiGMA Europe 2020 has also gone online. SiGMA Europe Virtual broke a long list of records, with 6,500 delegates, 4,500 active visitors, and 1,485 concurrent viewers making it the biggest expo of the year.
El Maaroufi spoke about the achievements and milestones of 2021. The first SiGMA Group expo outside of Europe was an event in Dubai, organized with the help of sister companies AIBC and AGS, and the event also enjoyed the public support of the government of Dubai. In 2021, as many as four events were organized under one roof, and Malta Week has become the largest event so far.
El Maroufi outlined three event trends in 2021:
- The growth of the play-to-earn and gamify concepts
- Even greater development of online gambling due to the pandemic
- Changing the global approach to gambling regulation
One of the key issues on the agenda is the future of the iGaming industry in Asia and expectations from SiGMA in 2022. El Maroufi confirmed that Asia has come to the forefront of the world economy. There are more than three billion players worldwide, and more than half of them are in Asia. This means the region has a big potential for investment in the iGaming industy.
In 2022, the SiGMA Group will travel east with the first appearance of SiGMA’s parent company at the event in Dubai. 5,000 visitors are expected, from industries ranging from gaming to cryptocurrencies. The SiGMA Conference in Asia aims to bring together pioneers from all over the continent, as well as all those who want to join Industry 4.0.
SiGMA currently has several offices around the world, including Malta, Belgrade, Cyprus and Manila, with new locations expected in 2022. As for SiGMA Europe, Zakaria El Maaroufi has a positive outlook.
In June of this year, SiGMA will launch its North American show in Canada. There are already many big brands in this niche in the US — namely, ICE, G2E, and SBC. Nevertheless, the company is sure it can bring new aspects to the market, according to El Maaroufi.
Furthermore, SiGMA has decided to hold monthly mini-conferences, where participants discuss key topics on issues that are especially important for each region, such as regulation, taxes, and new technologies. Among the participants are thought leaders and academics, and informative speeches are available in the form of a podcast.
In addition to the speakers, over 2,500 delegates and over 1,500 spectators have registered for the SiGMA Virtual Roadshows, reaching 14 nations in 2021. Previously, the roadshow attracted more than 75 participants and more than 6,000 visitors.
“SiGMA’s iGatherings are a true next-level networking opportunity,” commented Slotegrator. The iconic series of exclusive iGathering private events takes place across three continents, with participants from Bulgaria, Armenia, Canada, and Serbia joining in 2022. Catering for guests is limited to 200 senior representatives from different countries. Meetings at luxury restaurants, sunset cruises, and pool parties are new opportunities to find the right people in the right place.
See the full interview with Zakaria El Maaroufi on Slotegrator’s website.
