EMEA Editor Foreword Damien Connelly

Coming to Georgia. Coming to America

Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

’m not confused. Rather, I am reflecting

Ithe support and participation of Casino Life at two upcoming industry events – the Batumi Gaming Fest in Georgia in the Caucasus, and then Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, in America.

Western Europe has the oldest land-based casino in the world and also has a very mature online gaming market. While growth in online remains available in specific West European markets, land-based casino gaming expansion is more greenfield and exciting in the east … as well as across specific African markets and some pockets in the Middle East, as witnessed by the January 2022 announcement from Wynn Resorts regarding its first foray into the MENA region (Middle East North Africa).

As select greenfield opportunities are more likely to arise in new jurisdictions, Casino Life is providing support to the Batumi Gaming Fest (BGF) in Georgia. For over 15 years, Casino Life has had an office in Ukraine, and we recently launched local media to encourage the professional development of legalised gambling products across Ukraine. As conditions have altered in recent times, we were honoured to be invited to work with the organisers of the BGF given our market knowledge/ expertise. My colleague, Peter White, will be presenting at the BGF conference. If you’ll be at the BGF, make sure to say “Hello.”

As G2E approaches, European gaming companies’ focus definitely switches Damien Connelly, Editor EMEA beyond our western horizon to that rather famous desert city – which is no longer deserted and has seen a spectacular rebound since those horrendous lockdown days most of us have moved on from (you’ll get there one day, Macau, and then no doubt overtake us all again!). If you’ll be at G2E Las Vegas, please also make sure to say “Hello” so we catch up with as many people as we can in person. In-person events are essential to our industry, and it is great to see G2E roaring back into all of our calendars again. “Hasta Las Vegas?”

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Damien Connelly

Editor EMEA