IMGL Spring 2025 Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the IMGL Spring 2025 Conference!

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8:00am PDT

Continental Breakfast

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am PDT

Please join us prior to the start of the sessions and enjoy a light breakfast that includes juice, fresh fruit, yogurt, steel cut oats, and more!

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am PDT
Fairview Ballroom III - V 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

9:00am PDT

Welcome and Conference Overview from IMGL President, Marc Dunbar

Thursday April 24, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

We will kick off with a warm welcome to Vancouver and the 2025 Spring Conference from IMGL President, Marc Dunbar, followed by a Territory Acknowledgement. This welcome prayer includes a brief blessing by an Elder of a BC First Nation.

Thursday April 24, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

9:20am PDT

Emerging Jurisdictions – The Americas

Thursday April 24, 2025 9:20am - 10:00am PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

In this session, our panel of experts will review major jurisdictions in the Americas that may unlock growth in the next few years (California, Texas, Alberta, B.C., Brazil, Argentina, Chile). Panellists will review the current state of affairs, likelihood of changes coming, impediments to change, as well as possible commercial challenges to be faced by stakeholders.
Moderator: Peter Czegledy, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP, Canada
Speakers:
Brant Martin, Partner, Wick, Phillips, Gould & Martin, LLP, United States
Juan Camilo Carrasco, Partner, Asensi Abogados, Colombia
Dennis Ehling, Partner, Blank Rome, United States

Thursday April 24, 2025 9:20am - 10:00am PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

10:00am PDT

Emerging Jurisdictions – Africa and Asia

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:00am - 10:40am PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

In this session, our panel of experts will review major jurisdictions in Africa and Asia that may unlock growth in the next few years (Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, India, Botswana, Ghana). Panellists will review the current state of affairs, likelihood of changes coming, impediments to change, as well as possible commercial challenges to be faced by stakeholders.
Moderator: Quirino Mancini, Partner and Director, WH Partners Italy, Italy
Speakers:
Akkaraporn Muangsobha, Partner, Rajah & Tann, Thailand
Manav Bhargava, Head of India Desk, Segev LLP, Canada/India

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:00am - 10:40am PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

10:40am PDT

Networking Break

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am PDT

Fairview Ballroom III - V

Refuel yourself with some energy bars, granola and yogurt, and citrus madeleines!

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am PDT
Fairview Ballroom III - V 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

11:00am PDT

Risk and Reward

Thursday April 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

In this session discussion, we team commercial and legal thought leaders up to discuss emerging commercial opportunities and legal issues.

Crypto – The rise of crypto native casinos
New game types
Lossless games
Elon Musk’s Earn a Prize vs Win a Prize
Sweepstakes globally
Prediction markets
Marketing – New UA Strategies

Moderator: Jack Tadman, Lawyer, GME Law, Canada
Speakers:
Michael Lipton, Senior Partner, Dickinson Wright, Canada
Bill Gantz, Partner, Duane Morris LLP, United States

Thursday April 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

11:30am PDT

First Nation and Native American Gaming Opportunities in North America and Globally

Thursday April 24, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

In this session, our panel of experts will guide us through some of the most important issues and compelling opportunities in First Nations and Tribal gaming globally. Topics to be covered will include:

Current stakeholders and opportunities in Canada, including a discussion on Bill S-268 and whether it will create a national First Nations gaming framework.
How are Canada’s First Nations positioned to be global partners?
What happened in Florida and what could it mean for national and international strategies?
Native American casino tribes’ global ambitions.

Moderator: Kevin Quigley, Indian Affairs & Gaming Business Counsel, Foley & Quigley PLC, United States
Speakers:
Anthony Novac, President, Sonco Gaming Inc., Canada
Ashley Stacey, Partner, OKT Law, Canada
Joseph Webster, Managing Partner, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP, United States

Thursday April 24, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

12:00pm PDT

Smart Money, Smart Founders

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

What is VC, and PE looking for in emerging opportunities? How are they structuring deals? What does the push-pull look like among investors and founders and how do you find the balanced middle ground?
Moderator: Ron Segev, Founding Partner, Segev LLP, Canada
Speakers:
Joel Simkins, CEO and Founder, XST Capital Group LLC, United States

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

12:45pm PDT

IMGL Luncheon – With Wine Tasting by La Stella and Le Vieux Pin Wineries of Osoyoos B.C.

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:45pm - 2:00pm PDT

Attendees will have the opportunity to savour exquisite wines from two of British Columbia’s most renowned wineries. La Stella and Le Vieux Pin are known for their exceptional craftsmanship, combining Old World tradition with the unique terroir of the Okanagan Valley. This exclusive experience will be a directed wine tasting, led by experts from the wineries who will guide attendees through the unique characteristics and flavours of each selection, providing insights into the winemaking process and the region’s rich viticultural heritage.

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:45pm - 2:00pm PDT

2:00pm PDT

The State of M&A and Finance – Transactional Year in Review, Trends and Learnings Going Forward

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:00pm - 2:40pm PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

In these two back-to-back Ted Talk-style presentations, two experts (one regulatory, one transactional) will team up to present the most compelling trends and learnings from the last 12 months of transactions in Europe and in North America.

Each presentation will include insights on:

Key data
Nature of financings and other transactions over LTM
YoY comparison, emerging trends for 2025 and going into 2026
Deals that died and why
Major takeaways

Speakers:
Christian Tirabassi, Senior Partner, Ficom Leisure, United Kingdom

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:00pm - 2:40pm PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

2:40pm PDT

Public Capital Markets – Case Study

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:40pm - 3:20pm PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

In this session we explore how to take a gaming company public. Our presenters will navigate you through the process of taking a company public. How do you work with issuers, investors, regulators, exchanges, commissions, boards, committees, IR companies, analysts and the Street? Find out in this session.
Moderator: Peter Kulick, Attorney, Dickinson Wright, United States
Speakers:
Katie Lever, General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer & Corporate Secretary, Great Canadian Entertainment, Canada
Robbie Bressler, CFO, Bragg Gaming, Canada

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:40pm - 3:20pm PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

3:20pm PDT

Networking Break

Thursday April 24, 2025 3:20pm - 3:45pm PDT

Fairview Ballroom III - V

Need an afternoon reboot? Enjoy some Wild Berry Rice Crisp Bars, Chia Date Energy Bites, and Quinoa Triple Fudge Power Cookies!

Thursday April 24, 2025 3:20pm - 3:45pm PDT
Fairview Ballroom III - V 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

3:45pm PDT

M&A and Finance – War Stories and Lessons Learned

Thursday April 24, 2025 3:45pm - 4:30pm PDT

Kitsilano Ballroom

With Global Gaming Women

This panel of leading M&A and finance lawyers and members of Global Gaming Women will share their war stories and lessons learned from years of closing deals and watching as some didn’t quite cross the finish line.

What are the most common deal killers and how to avoid them
What are the biggest blow ups you’ve seen?
Are some deals destined for the dust bin and how can you spot those?
How to get certain clients ready for the regulator?

Moderator: Cosmina Simion, Managing Partner, WH Simion & Partners, Romania
Speakers:
Becky Harris, Distinguished Fellow in Gaming and Leadership, University of Nevada Las Vegas, United States
Charmaine Hogan, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Playtech, United Kingdom
Danielle Bush, Senior Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault, Canada
Kate Lowenhar-Fisher, Executive Vice President, Everi Holdings, Inc., United States

Thursday April 24, 2025 3:45pm - 4:30pm PDT
Kitsilano Ballroom 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3, Canada

6:30pm PDT

IMGL Gala Dinner: Sponsored by Wyzia Financial, Inc.

Thursday April 24, 2025 6:30pm - 10:00pm PDT

Teahouse in Stanley Park

The Teahouse at Stanley Park, with a Photo-op Stop at Stanley Park Totem Poles. This dinner is proudly sponsored by Wyzia Financial Inc.

**Shuttle buses will begin departing at 5:45 pm, with the last one leaving at 6:00 pm.

The IMGL Gala Dinner will be held at The Teahouse in Stanley Park, offering attendees a unique dining experience in one of Vancouver’s most scenic locations. Originally built as an officer’s mess during WWII, the Teahouse has since evolved into a beloved dining establishment, offering guests breathtaking views of English Bay and the surrounding lush greenery of Stanley Park. The menu, curated by Executive Chef Adam Meade, features locally sourced ingredients and seasonal dishes that highlight the best of West Coast cuisine.

Before arriving at the Teahouse, attendees will have the opportunity for a photo-op stop at Stanley Park’s totem poles. These totem poles represent the artistic expressions and traditions of Indigenous peoples who reside across the provinces unceded territory of local indigenous peoples. Learn more about the history of the totem poles here: https://www.heritagesitefinder.ca/location/totem-pole-and-visitor-centre-at-brockton-point-yakdzi-myth-wakias-nhe-is-bik-vancouver-bc/.

Check out the Teahouse here: https://www.vancouverdine.com/teahouse/.

Thursday April 24, 2025 6:30pm - 10:00pm PDT
Teahouse in Stanley Park 7501 Stanley Park Dr, Vancouver, BC V6G 1Z4, Canada