GiGse announces ‘Start-up Launchpad’ at the iGaming Conference in San Francisco

The 12th Global iGaming Summit & Expo (GiGse) will also explore how the gambling industry can better prepare itself for the emergence of the regulated iGamingdevelopments in North America.

The recent us$ 500 million acquisition of social game developer DoubleDown Interactive and its flagship title DoubleDown Casino by the major slot machine manufacturer IGT, has made the long awaited and speculated convergence between social gaming and gambling finally become a lucrative reality.

GiGse will offer a platform for such social, free-to-play, fantasy gaming developers to showcase their businesses and find potential partners. Its Start-Up Launchpad will present up to 5 new companies that offer a disruptive approach to gaming. The 5 businesses will be selected from a group of applicants. They will be quizzed by a panel of industry experts and the audience will vote for their favorite. The prize at stake is the opportunity to exhibit at GiGse 2013.

Clarion Gaming, organizers of GiGse, have successfully used a similar format at their European event, European iGaming Congress & Expo (EiG).

“The Start-Up LaunchPad is one of the most attended sessions at EiG and we believe that GiGse would be a perfect place to replicate this session format, in particular as GiGse is taking place in San Francisco, home to disruptive technologies and social gaming”, commented Ewa Bakun, Clarion Gaming’s Head of Content and Event Director for GiGse. “NVPR brings perspective and experience that we look forward to utilizing to help our attendees maximize their experience at the event. We are thrilled to have them as a partner.”

While social gaming companies such as DoubleDown, Zynga and GSN have been cashing in on a non-wagering, play-for-fun virtual currency business model that uses social networks as a platform, the gambling industry is now trying to catch up with the social gaming phenomenon as a means to tap into new and younger player demographics.

“IGT should be congratulated for their bold move to embrace change and remain ahead of the curve by acquiring the disruptive DoubleDown. This move ensures their leadership position in the future,” said Hal Bringman, president and founder of NVPR. “GiGse looks to further foster this trend by adding the ‘Start-up Launchpad’ to the agenda ensuring a more dynamic and competitive atmosphere to the event. We’re honored to bring our well-established track record of repeatedly introducing many of digital media and social gaming’s most disruptive start-ups that ultimately become top brands in the marketplace.”

Companies such as Ryzing Bingo, Crowdpark, Fanduel and others have been successfully using the virtual currency and fantasy betting model to monetize social gamblers, offering a legal alternative to markets where wagering is not allowed. Following the social gambling trend, there are an increasing number of game developers and start-up companies that working to capitalize on this potential, both on and off Facebook, and other social networks.

Clarion Gaming is now accepting submissions for the Start-upLaunchPad from recently created businesses and start-ups from the social gaming space. They are also looking for other innovative and disruptive business approaches that might revolutionize the emerging online gambling industry in the USA.

More information on GiGse is available on www.gigse.com