Welcome

Gambit is destined to be intellectual playground for all those in the gaming, gambling and gamebling industries. Initiated by Cass Business School's Executive MBA alumni, Gareth Wong, founder of GamBond®, our aim is to provide a space for networking, mental stimulation and exchange of views on an industry that’s highly innovative, always controversial yet gaining further legitimacy and respects everyday.

Gambit already attract interest from around the globe and we are passionate about creating an eclectic mix of business, legal and technology professions with an interest in debating industry trends and developments.

Our mission is to bring value to the sector, and our fees are mainly to cover our cost. Gambit is unique and will continuously innovate and lead by example by spotting trends, pioneering new formats and focus on the specific needs of our sector.

Gambit is the chosen network & platform for people that want the best our sector has to offer.

A great opportunity to get in on the ‘ground floor’ is to attend our future public events.

We also have the Gambit Leadership Forum, which is an invitation only series of closed door discussion of issues that matter most for Chairman/CEOs/Directors/Owners of major firms, and governments from around the world.

Would you like to be kept up to date about Gambit? please click here to signup to our newsletter, we do NOT share your contact details with other organisations.

Our last event Gambit on PAYMENTS was another great success.

Speakers on the night: (left to right) Christine Magnowska (Barclaycard Business, evening drinks sponsor), Phil Davies (MasterCard Europe), Sarah Francis (TransSend), Mark Beresford (Edgar Dunn & Co) and Gareth Wong (Gambit & GamBond® Founder).

The above event was sponsored by:

Drinks sponsor by:

Hosted by:

Public Gambit Events in 2008

Gambit on CRM

6th November 2008

2008 has been an interesting year, since UIGEA, credit crunch, rise and slowing down of offline Macau. European Commission suing certain European countries. some market consolidations, new CEOs at helms of major gaming firms etc. A lot has happened, and what do we have to look forward to in 2009?

Gambit has covered many key trends and industry areas within gaming, from M&A, skill gaming, to payments and affiliates. As we know, key is not only to reach, educate and acquire the customers, but also to retain them.

Our next Gambit public forum will focus on the CRM aspect of our sector. What are the best practices? Bonus, goodies, cross marketing gifts? or is it simply some glossy magazines? or maybe loyalty points? What can we learn from the loyalty sector?

To explore the above and more, as usual, Gambit will be assembling the best the market has to offer both from within and outside of our sector. It will be a thought provoking and intellectually challenging evening, we look forward to welcoming you all!

Speakers:

• Ian Welch, Head of Sportsbook Marketing, Ladbrokes eGaming [Confirmed]
• Darran Snatchfold, Snr. Strategic Planner, Digital Tullo Marshall Warren [Confirmed]
• Simon Prodger, Marketing Director, PKR.com [confirmed]

People signed up already are senior executives from companies like: google, Endemol Gaming, gambling.com , ladbrokes, Unibet, TST, bullet business, Betbrain, BSkyB, Finsoft, Betfair, Jaxx, Yahoo, pokerheaven, Kleinwort Benson, Tradedoubler, Pentasia and many more!

Register online NOW!

Got some thoughts about what trends/aspects of our sectors that you would like us to cover (not from a vendor's point of view, but what our sector 'needs'!)

Email us if you have any suggestions of very senior speakers, proposing to sponsor, or indeed want to be kept informed about future Gambit event.

It will take place at the Cass Business School:106 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TZ

Find Cass Business School

Timing:

6:00pm Welcoming drinks, tea & biscuits

6:30pm Panel discussion commence

8:00pm Drinks & Networking

9:00pm Proceedings finished at the business school, further networking to a local club/bar

How to book

It is possible to book online:

New Business model for 2007

Gambit was launched to bring value, trust and transparency to the sector and help us reach out and explain to Technology, Finance and media/ entertainment sector about our gaming gambling world. It has been free to attend since 2005 until end of 2006. 2007, we will commence charging but its mainly to cover our cost.

Logistics: 1) Once the gambit ticket(s) been purchased, 2) you will be sent a serial number per ticket. 3.) For each Gambit event, one set of serial number (previously not used ) would be required to register a proposed individual's name and company information at time of booking online or via email to GambitEventRegistration@cassalumni.net, 4.) the named person registered can just turned up at the event. 5.) at the door tickets will be sold for £70 cash.

Click here to purchase annual membership (5 tickets) or more, or indeed for only one Gambit ticket (£58).

Exchanges and returns: Gambit tickets cannot be exchanged or money refunded, unless the registered event is cancelled, in that case, the serial numbers can be reused for future events.

Drinks sponsor by:

To be hosted by:

Drinks sponsor:

Gambit-Special Event media partners:

promotional partner:

Speaker Profiles:

Speaker Profiles:

1.) Ian Welch, Head of Sportsbook Marketing, Ladbrokes eGaming

January 2005 - Present

I started at Ladbrokes as CRM Manager - Sportsbook. My role focussed on planning and campaign management across all accessible languages and channels. Our sportsbook product is diverse in that it incorporates all channels (Online, Telephone Betting, Digital TV and Mobile betting) and benefits from direct recruitment through our shop estate of more than 2,500 shops in the UK & Ireland.

Within 12 months I was promoted to Senior CRM Manager. In this role, I continued with my planning and campaign management, but extended my responsibilities to strategy, greater measurement of ROI and therefore input into the budgetary process.

After a further 12 months, and following a Sportsbook staff restructure, I was asked to fill the role of Head of Sportsbook Marketing. My role is really that of a senior co-ordinator with a somewhat more glamorous title! However, I do have full budget responsibility for all existing territories and my main duty now is to ensure our planned budget spend is used effectively, whilst acting as the middleman between the sportsbook product (in terms of product development, new technologies, trading etc.) and our central services, particularly our central marketing service. I see myself now as the voice of the customer - I do my best to ensure that all sportsbook activity, including product development, new markets, new media etc., is driven by the consumer to be efficient, effective and, most importantly, delivering profit!

September 1999 - December 2004
Ascot Racecourse

I started at Ascot Racecourse in the junior ranks, looking after ticket/hospitality sales to groups of customers who wanted to come racing at one of the world's most prestigious horse racing venues. After 12 months I was promoted and assumed a more marketing focussed role, building on what could be described as 'Early CRM strategy' for the racecourse. As the plans for the extensive re-development gathered momentum I was asked to manage the relationships and planning for all Ascot's sponsors. This continued for approximately 12 months before the racecourse closed in September 2004. During my last 6 months, as day to day racing activities started to quiet down, I became Press Officer, conductiong a number of radio interviews, producing press releases and assisting national and international television stations who required regular updates on the building works.

2.) Simon Prodger, Marketing Director, PKR

Simon has been the Marketing Director at PKR Technologies Ltd since October 2005 and was responsible for the launch campaign that helped establish PKR as a serious player in the online poker market.

As marketing director, Simon manages the marketing team and oversees all marketing and CRM activity for PKR’s expanding range of products.

An industry veteran of more than five years, Simon’s previous role saw him head up the marketing team for VC Poker.

3.) Darran Snatchfold, Senior Strategic Planner, Tullo Marshall Warren

Darran is Senior Strategic Planner at TMW and leads the agency's strategic (e)CRM work for T-Mobile, Diageo, FT and Royal Mail. He first moved into the realms of digital at Microsoft where he championed the online channel to the international advertising community, speaking at industry events across EMEA. His formative years were spent in the offline world of Print, heading up strategic research divisions of both IPC, the UK's largest magazine publisher, and MGN, the UK's largest newspaper publisher.

Please see the future events page here.

See what others have to say about the Gambit Initiative:

"Gareth is a gambling industry networker extraordinaire. Gareth's brain-child Gambit is an excellent forum to share news and ideas with industry movers, shakers and opion-formers and offers a warm welcome to industry newbies and old hands alike." September 13, 2007

- Tom Kenny, Chief Operating Officer at Cantor Gaming

“Got good contacts from his events and also learnt alot about the industry!!” April 5, 2007

- Sab Knight, Channel Sales Manager, Globix Ltd

“Gambit is a great forum for discussing topical issues and at a more informal level, chatting with the good and the great of the iGaming world. Gareth's commitment and energy that he puts into Gambit is reason enough to recommend him. That same energy guarantees a bright future for for this valuable organisation.” (February, 2007)

- Brian Macsweeney, Managing Director, Endemol Gaming

I found the quality of the presentations effective and informative and conducted in a refreshingly relaxed laid back manor which kept ones attention at the end of a busy day. This is has been my second Gambit Conference and can't wait for the next! Well done Gareth on another superb set of speakers! (June, 2006)

- Peter White, European Sales and Marketing Director, Casino Connection LLC, Publishers of Global Gaming Business, Global Gaming Business Weekly, Global Gaming Business Russia, PokerBIZ Magazine

Gambit is the very notable exception to the rule of "no free lunch", a free, educational, and pleasant meeting place in the gaming industry. (June, 2006)

- Ebbe Groes, CEO BetBrain.com

Thanks for a great evening. You arranged a good array of speakers who stood by the brief, making the event interesting and useful. The panel discussion afterwards was excellent. It was a well balanced evening, the best Gambit event so far. (March, 2006)

- Richard Sagman, Fixed-odds manager, Two Way TV

"Thank you for organising it Gareth - I do like the way the speakers had first hand experience, which they shared with the audience, and that they came it from several different angles. Another high value, highly enjoyable and informative Gambit event, very ably chaired by Mr Wong, from the sidelines!" (March, 2006)

- Paul Renney, Partner, Addleshaw Goddard

"I found the GAMBIT event very interesting/ useful, and would come along to future events." (January, 2006)

- An analyst from a major "bulge bracket" investment bank.

“Excellent opportunity to keep up to date on current thinking.” (January 11, 2006)

- Susan Osman, Head of Operations, Sportingbet Plc

“Gambit was very interesting and well organised - well done again Gareth. Change is good and people like Gareth will always be at the forefront of change. Why? Because there always is someone at the front to lead, pulling and pushing the rest along towards change. Gareth is an intellect with operational experience, a great asset to any one or any company.” (October 10, 2005)

- Jan Rodrigo, Executive MD, Amorim Entertainment & Gaming International

“Gambit was a well prepared, useful event. If you are interested in this area of business I highly recommend Gambit. Well done Gareth!” (October 6, 2005)

- Liz Cooke, New Business Manager, Barclaycard Business

I have known Gareth for little under a year now. My first impression of him that is still true today, is that he has boundless energy, enthusiasm, commitment and belief for his work and industry that he represents. He makes things happen (March 15, 2005)

– Annamaria Mignano, Head of Marketing at Hoodless Brennan & Partners Plc

Gareth's tenacity and professionalism are well known and respected in the market. His innovation with Gambit and GamBond are testiment to this. (February 8, 2005)

– Paul Lampey, Senior Relationship Manager, Standard Chartered Bank