SiGMA sees turn out of 27,000 people for 10th-anniversary SiGMA Europe event in Malta

Events company SiGMA announced that the latest edition of SiGMA Europe, held earlier this month, marks its biggest event yet, having gathered about 27,000 delegates in Malta to explore the latest developments in the gaming industry.

Despite weather channels predicting a week of gloom for SiGMA Europe 2024, the sun came out just as doors opened, welcoming 27,000 delegates to the Mediterranean Maritime Hub. “We couldn’t have planned it better ourselves,” SiGMA stated. 

Held on the eve of the company's 10-year anniversary celebrations, SiGMA noted that the latest Malta Week summit is "undoubtedly our biggest yet" and the result of significant investment into the quality of the event. The show offered 45,000 square meters of exhibition, conference, and networking to attendees from all over the globe. 

Warmed by the late autumn sun, outdoor spaces were transformed, with big brand booths such as Pin Up Global, Riddick, Melbet Partners, Barbara Bang, and Pragmatic Pay adding to the festival vibe.

Meanwhile, the expo floor saw a sizable increase in its footprint due to an unprecedented amount of new exhibitors. To cater to this, SiGMA introduced a fourth shed, which offered an additional 15,000 sqm of space to the venue, including new networking areas, a media lounge, and meeting rooms.

Here are some of the highlight moments from the Malta Week event:

Conferences covering major industry topics

SiGMA Europe 2024 hosted a dynamic range of conferences covering major topics, from the potential of e-sports to shape betting’s future to insights into the Brazilian regulatory landscape. Big industry names brought high-value content to the stage, providing actionable strategies for navigating new markets and capitalizing on emerging opportunities. 

Top speakers included Joe Pisano, founder and CEO of Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies; Uri Poliavich, founder and CEO of Soft2Bet; Alex Tomic, Founder of Alea; Vitali Matsukevich, COO at Softswiss; and Charles Mizzi, CEO of the MGA.

A series of workshops on the 11th offered an immersive learning experience ahead of the main event. XGENIA, an AI-powered game development company, claimed victory in the SiGMA Europe Startup Pitch. At the same time, Silo Team, specializing in training and compliance, earned top honors as the AIBC Pitch winner.

SiGMA Poker Tour launches new locations for 2025

The first day of Malta Week kicked off with a press conference for the official launch of the SiGMA Poker Tour. Operations Manager Ivonne Montealgre announced the launch of two official tour locations for 2025 – Brazil and Malta. The first-ever edition of the Hendon Mob Latam Championships (THMC Latam) will take place during the Brazil leg of the tour. 

SiGMA Awards recognize excellence in gaming

The first of two award ceremonies saw a positive turnout, welcoming just under 700 individuals from gaming and tech companies, with the gala evening also serving to officially kick off celebrations for our 10th anniversary.

The night also acted as the launchpad for a special announcement introducing new destinations and dates for 2025: SiGMA Central Europe runs from the 23rd to 26th of November in Milan and SiGMA Euro-Med, rebranding from SiGMA East Europe, moves to a September slot at the MMH in Malta.

Making an impact through charitable auctions

“Today we feel there is no SiGMA without the SiGMA Foundation,” remarked SiGMA Group founder Eman Pulis when thanking H.E the President of Malta following the on-stage presentation of a donation to the MCCF on behalf of SiGMA.

Since its launch in 2021, the SiGMA Foundation has gone from strength to strength, bringing its philanthropy to a number of global projects. Between 2023 and 2024, SiGMA raised just under a million Euros through its charity auctions. 

At this year’s B2B charitable auction, the highest bid item, “Bronze Lady” by Tommy Zegan, sold for €65,000 to iGaming technology provider SoftConstruct. The B2C auction, powered by VBET, saw “Ace Beyond Limits” by Veronika Bjurfjäll sell for €12,000 to Highbet, an online sportsbook and casino operator.

Visits from government officials, sporting and diplomatic ambassadors

President of Malta Myriam Spiteri Debono; Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta; Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Silvio Schembri, government officials and international ambassadors, including a delegation from Ghana, received an official tour on the second day of the event.

In her keynote, the President of Malta lauded SiGMA’s commitment to philanthropy and its global impact, stating: “SiGMA exemplifies Malta’s leadership in the gaming sector and its dedication to meaningful progress.”

Meanwhile, football legend Ronaldinho caused a stir, making an appearance as an ambassador for Betify, while Boomerang was represented by AC Milan icons Massimo Ambrosini and Serginho, who also made their presence felt at the company’s booth. UFC champ Alex Pereira attended as a representative for Spribe.

Sporting competitions, poker tournaments and an MMA fight night

The event kicked off with sports activities, including a fun run, golf and poker tournament, football match, and a boat cruise, seeking to help participants bond while promoting health and wellness. These activities helped set the tone for vibrant networking opportunities throughout the week, SiGMA says.

Centurion Fighting Championship brought MMA action to Malta, with intense bouts that added a unique energy to the event. Thiago Lima emerged as the champion his team anticipated him to be.

Next up is the SiGMA Eurasia summit, which is being held in Dubai from the 23rd to the 25th of February. 2025 promises a full calendar lineup, with events planned in Cape Town, South Africa, São Paulo, Brazil, Manila, Philippines, Valletta, Malta, Milan, Italy, and Colombo, Sri Lanka.