23rd and 24th April 2015 KPMG eSummit Gibraltar Introduction For over twenty years, Gibraltar’s fascinating discussion of the countless industry’s latest focus: omni-channel simple eGaming philosophy of potential applications of the Blockchain presence. Providing the final assuring robust, sensible and 2.0 in today’s digital environment presentation of the summit were proportionate regulation and after which MasterCard’s Andrew Martina King and David Excell of a real bricks and mortar presence Johnstone followed as moderator Featurespace, whose captivating from quality operators has resulted to a distinguished panel of payment presentation narrated the company’s in its becoming amongst the most specialists who together tackled development from a Cambridge Kindly sponsored by trusted and envied jurisdictions emerging payments in their form, University laboratory experiment in the world. application and function. Following to a critical provider of big data lunch, Peter Howitt of the GBGA analytics, analysing its deployment Today, Gibraltar is home to over 3,000 moderated an exciting and frank and huge potential within eGaming gaming sector employees, over 34 panel discussion on the role of social and ebusiness. licensees and a complementary responsibility in gaming where cluster of ancillary service providers, esteemed panellists, including This year’s summit represented creating a community of excellence in representatives of the Senet Group, an evolution of the traditional ebusiness as well as a fast paced and shared their thoughts on stakeholder format to also include four additional exciting, world-reaching economy. responsibility, the role of the media break-out sessions in parallel to the Indeed, as the Gibraltar Government, and politicians, and as a closing note, main programme. The International the GBGA and a host of public and the importance of public industry Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) private sector stakeholders together collaboration on the matter. returned to provide two Masterclass embark upon a review of Gibraltar’s break-out sessions both of which gaming legislation and regulation; Tim Stocks of Taylor Wessing took over left standing room only as delegates Gibraltar’s future as a leader in with a highly informative presentation rushed to find out more about the technological advancement and entitled “Red Carnations and Slaying M&A environment for eGaming consumer protection which is at Dragons” in which the public markets and the European legal viewpoint. the forefront of any regulatory specialist provided his audience with The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming regime in the world, is assured. an evaluation and forecast of M&A Association (GBGA) meanwhile ran and overall market activity within the the first of its responsible gambling On the 24th and 25th April, 2015, global eGaming sector. Mr Stocks seminars, a key topic of the day, over 240 delegates boarded the was followed by Paul Lasok, QC while later in Day 1 a blockchain, Sunborn Gibraltar to join KPMG for whose coffee and conferencing cryptocurrency and FinTech the fifth in a series of eSummits in presentation allowed unparalleled commercial workshop set the tone Gibraltar and a two day programme of insight into the implications of Fiscal for an afternoon’s insight into the 40 world class presenters. Together, Neutrality and VAT in the European future for ebusiness transactions. they discussed not just the future of Union from an individual well placed the eGaming industry, but also its to discuss the issue. A final panel This report seeks to provide an A word from the Sponsor leading role as part of a global session, moderated by Peter insight into the event’s findings digital economy. Montegriffo of Hassans, closed as well as capture the enthusiasm Day 1 with a discussion on the generated over a summit characterised The Hon. Albert Isola, the Gibraltar evolution of gambling from the by a sense of cooperation and social Government’s Minister for Financial particular perspective of the responsibility at this important A secure, transparent and constantly This year’s Summit was testament to Services and Gaming kindly opened operator at a ‘point of reflection’ juncture for the gaming and, more evolving centre of excellence for the agility and resolve, as well as the proceedings by expressing Gibraltar’s for the industry. broadly, ebusiness economies. KPMG ebusiness, Gibraltar is home vast potential of Gibraltar’s ebusiness firm and total commitment to would like to thank the summit’s to some of the most reputable community today. Continent 8 is proud transparency and exchange of Day 2 saw delegates return to the sponsors, speakers and attendees brands in eGaming today and to sponsor this year’s KPMG eSummit information, whilst celebrating its Sunborn to be welcomed by KPMG’s and welcome you all to the KPMG one of ten hosting centres in report and we look forward to seeing success in remaining a compliant, Head of eBusiness, Archie Watt, eSummit series in 2016. Continent 8’s global network. you again next year at the KPMG cooperative, business friendly and following the previous evening’s gala eSummit Gibraltar, 2016. consumer focused jurisdiction. dinner hosted by the Government of KPMG employs a number of eGaming Since beginning operations in Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner Phill Brear Gibraltar at St Michael’s Cave. The industry specialists both in Gibraltar in 2012, Continent 8 has enjoyed Richard Ebbutt then took to the stage with an evolution of gambling, this time from and globally and is committed to unprecedented demand for our hosting Continent 8 Technologies introductory overview of Gibraltar’s the regulator’s perspective, was the cutting through the complexity of and networking services. From our gaming economy before moderating first topic of discussion as the panel of this constantly evolving industry. unique datacentre, which is located a comprehensive panel review of regulators Phill Brear, Hakan Hallstedt 500 metres within the Rock of gambling regulation in Gibraltar with and Jenny Williams, moderated by Gibraltar, we continue to invest in particular emphasis upon the process IMGL President Joerg Hofmann, Gibraltar’s eGaming and eBusiness of updating Gibraltar’s Gambling Act debated the importance of regulator communities and remain committed 2005 and licensing arrangements personality, accessibility and to providing a level of excellence to create an enabling legal and independence. Conference regular as standard. regulatory framework. Paul Leyland then took over to deliver the penultimate presentation entitled Eris Industries’s Preston Byrne took ‘The Multi-channel Value Equation’ in over for the summit’s first coffee which Mr Leyland contemplated the and conferencing session with a benefits and disbenefits of the 1 2 Conference “Gibraltar is totally committed to transparency Opening and exchange of information. There isn’t one accord, one The Hon. Albert Isola agreement, one convention, in relation to these areas that Minister Gibraltar Government we’re not fully subscribed to.” The Hon Albert Isola A third generation member of the as well as all appropriate directives. despite the many challenges we’ve The strength of its regulation and, “Responsible gaming has been a family-owned law firm Isolas, which He emphasised the importance of faced over the years; PoC tax, indeed, regulatory team remains priority from our very beginning. “It is very much has been doing business in Gibraltar being a part of Europe and of the jurisdictions introducing their own absolutely fundamental to Gibraltar’s Gilbert Licudi is driving the Gibraltar since 1892, the Hon. Albert Isola was importance of remaining proactive in regulatory regimes and, of course, the eGaming proposition and it was with University, which opens its doors a total consensus admitted to the Bar in England and the international regulatory debate. world economic crisis. Today, we are delight that Minister Isola confirmed in September 2015, and we have Gibraltar in 1985 and was appointed “Being a part of Europe is important 100% bigger than we were five years that Phill Brear will remain Gambling identified gaming as an industry in approach. My door as the Gibraltar Government’s to us, and of course it’s also important ago. That’s staggering considering the Commissioner for a further two years. which the university has a role to play. Minister for Finance and Gaming in to us that we comply. There isn’t a challenges you’ve all faced. And, of During this period, Mr Brear will We want to bring together gaming and is always open July 2013. Since then, Mr Isola has single EU directive which we’re course, for us as a jurisdiction the implement a full succession plan students and see how, together with overseen the continued expansion required to transpose which we icing on the cake is that the main to ensure that licensees continue the many companies here today, and you have of Gibraltar’s eGaming community haven’t. Those are obligations which operators in the sector are all here to enjoy the benefit of his advice we can work to put Gibraltar at the to now accommodate over 3,000 we take seriously and you should and represented in Gibraltar.” and expertise. “A formal handover forefront of responsible gaming.” the Gibraltar employees as well as 28 licensees, know that when you come to Gibraltar will also be created”, Minister Isola and has been instrumental in you are coming to a totally EU “So I think it’s an example of how confirmed, because we recognise “Finally, a total review of our gaming Government’s securing the jurisdiction’s reputation compliant onshore jurisdiction.” government and the gaming sector, that consistency in our regulatory legislation. It has worked, but it has as a global centre for eGaming. and more broadly the private sector, environment is crucial to all of worked in different sorts of ways. full support.” “As many of you will know, for over can work together to battle through your businesses.” What we are doing now, and have “I think I’d like to start by saying one twenty years we’ve had a very simple tough times, to meet challenges and done thus far, has been to instruct thing about Gibraltar PLC and its philosophy: quality operators, robust to face them together.