Kindly sponsored by © 2012 KPMG LLC, an Isle of Man limited liability company and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative 1 (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. Introduction The 2011 KPMG eGaming Summit, this opportunity to thank everyone held at the Mount Murray on the Isle who took part in particular the of Man on 22nd November, built speakers and sponsors who upon the significant success of the contributed so heavily to making it a inaugural event in 2011. Over 180 worthwhile event. delegates attended, drawn from KPMG retains a number of eGaming both local and international industry experts both in the Isle of eGaming operators, service Man and globally and are committed to providers, regulators and cutting through the complexity of this Government representatives. constantly evolving industry. The event was again opened by the We look forward to seeing everyone Hon Allan Bell MHK, this time in his again at the next Summit, in new role as Chief Minister of the Isle November 2012. of Man Government, and was closed by the Minister of the Department for Economic Development, the Hon John Shimmin MHK. As with last year, the A word from day featured a number of engaging presentations by industry experts, as the Sponsor well as three panel sessions where questions were taken from delegates. Everyone here at Continent 8 Technologies is proud of the part we The purpose of this report is to have played in supporting this key summarise the varied topics covered industry event for the second year by the different speakers and running. In such a complex panellists as an ongoing resource for marketplace, it is absolutely the eGaming community, particularly essential that decision makers those who were unable to join us on across all of the involved parties – the day. We would also like to take be they operator, service provider or legislator – work from a shared understanding, which is largely to its telecommunications made possible by industry events infrastructure and we want that such as this one. leading to edge to be maintained. Whilst Continent 8 operates a global This report will help to widen access to network, including data centres in the shared knowledge base the event Europe, North America and Asia, the offered and thereby to maintain and Isle of Man is crucial to our business build upon the Island’s quality offering. and we are heavily committed to the eGaming community here. The Richard Ebbutt jurisdiction is truly world-class in Continent 8 Technologies everything from its legislative outlook © 2012 KPMG LLC, an Isle of Man limited liability company and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. 2 Welcome Address Allan Bell Chief Minister Allan Bell Isle of Man Government The Summit was opened by The He said the island had avoided The Isle of Man Government had Chief Minister, the Honourable Allan recession. The unemployment rate developed and nurtured the eGaming Bell MHK, for the second year. was still very low, running about 2.1%, industry from its humble beginnings A long standing advocate of the whereas the UK had an unemployment and, despite some difficult times, had eGaming industry and its benefit to rate in excess of 8%, which reflected always been keenly focussed on what the Manx economy, he again well on the collective effort everybody was important to the industry and to presented the Island as a strong and had shown on the island to maintain the players. “I am proud that we are competitive jurisdiction. He called those figures. There was no budget home to some of the most influential on delegates to build relationships, deficit to contend with and, although names in the industry and equally knowledge and collaboration the VAT situation had to be dealt with, proud that they are pleased to call us between eGaming companies, this was under control at the moment. home,” said Mr Bell, highlighting the service providers and the Manx “We have our recovery plan underway contribution eGaming companies Government in order to capitalise and, so far, we are ahead of where we made to the local community through on the Island’s significant eGaming expected to be,” he stated. TT and hospital charity sponsorship credentials. and in support of various sports team eGaming at the forefront which benefitted young people. Mr Bell began by extending a warm This strong performance, Mr Bell welcome to everyone on behalf of the Within the gaming sector, Mr Bell continued, had been underpinned by Isle of Man Government and thanked emphasised that young people also the increasingly diverse nature of the KPMG for their hospitality in organising received training and career Island’s economy, which now the event. development in areas such as IT, comprised considerably more than just marketing, financial modelling, An Expanding Economy a finance sector. It had been a compliance, regulation and others that deliberate Government policy over the Mr Bell said he is passionate about the allowed them freedom to flourish. last few years to diversify in to other economy and promoting business, areas. “eGaming, in particular, is one However, it was also important to explaining that the latest confirmed that is very much at the forefront of maintain the reputation of businesses national income statistics for 2009/10 that,” said Mr Bell. “The Isle of Man based in the island, so that player showed that the economy had grown should now be regarded as an confidence remained high. “For those by 2.1% in real terms. “This international business centre that plays businesses that are transparent, well measurement was taken in the host to a range of successful business managed and play a central role, you immediate aftermath of huge global sectors, some of which are among the will find a like minded partner in the upheaval,” he reminded the Summit. best in the world, including eGaming,” Isle of Man,” said Mr Bell. Eighteen months further on, the he added. indications suggested that the economy had continued to expand with positive growth during the current year. © 2012 KPMG LLC, an Isle of Man limited liability company and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative 3 (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. “I am proud that we are home to some of the most influential names in the industry and equally proud that they are pleased to call us home” High Quality Reputation total to around 750 which was “a major There were issues that still faced the contribution to the economy.” An sector, he said, but the industry was Reputation was at the forefront of additional £30m had been spent locally, fully aware of the challenges Government thinking in respect of the taking the annual spend to just over generated by changes in Europe and entire business community, he £165m. “When the economy is under the UK. Despite these challenges, new stressed. “As Chief Minister, I will do pressure, such as it is at the moment, enquiries were still being received. “I everything in my power to ensure that this is a vitally important contribution can you assure that politically and at the very high quality reputation that that you are making,” said Mr Bell. officer level we are responding very the Isle of Man has developed over vigorously to those challenges and we the years is protected and enhanced But perhaps of greater importance, he are making good progress,” said Mr wherever possible,” he said, adding added, was that eGaming businesses Bell, adding that he had developed a that when gaming licences were had contributed over £15m in paid very good relationship with the UK refused, it was to everybody’s benefit taxes in the year 2010. This, he said, Minister in charge of gaming. “We since the island needed to focus on was the budgetary equivalent of an have a very good understanding of the quality in everything it did. entire department of Government. “So eGaming is making a major role that the Isle of Man industry plays He said this approach to developing a contribution to the provision of public in the broader field.” Those delegates high quality economy had borne fruit: services on the island as well,” Mr Bell who were abreast of EU the national accounts for 2009/10 had stressed. “All in all, this is a truly developments would be aware that demonstrated that eGaming was now remarkable achievement, given the the German MP Jurgen Kreutzman 9.1% of GDP. That figure was 40% up world’s upheavals.” was putting together a report to put a on the previous year, following 56% common collection of laws in place But he warned that now wasn’t the growth in the year before that, Mr Bell regarding eGaming across Europe. time to sit back, admitting that the disclosed. “That is a quite astonishing “We welcome this from the Isle of eGaming sector wanted somewhere achievement in less than 10 years and Man and will be happy to work in that would provide tight business- I congratulate you for the efforts you conjunction with our European centric regulation, combined with have put in to achieve that,” he told partners to promote a regulated player protection. It was this that gave industry with player protection at its the Summit. This growth had resulted everyone the confidence to grow their core,” he said, although he felt this in jobs and in real spending in the business, he said.