CEC Live conference to delve into the future of esports and casino entertainment next week

Agua Caliente Casinos’ Rancho Mirage resort is set to host the Casino Esport Conference (CEC) next week, running from March 19 to 21. Founded by brothers Ben and Ari Fox, the 2024 CEC Live integrates esports, virtual and augmented reality, table games, and new forms of entertainment.

The event will showcase keynote speakers from esports, casino gaming, and technology, complemented by various workshops, panels, and networking opportunities, the conference's organizers noted.

It's no coincidence the event is being held at an Agua Caliente Casinos property. Agua Caliente currently holds weekly esports tournaments in its 360 Sports restaurant and bar at Cathedral City, Caliente’s newest property, featuring giant wraparound screens.

These tournaments, which attract between 80 and 120 players, include bracket competitions for Super Smash Bros, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter. In addition, eliminated participants from the main brackets can engage in side tournaments to enhance their on-site experience.

The conference's agenda will cover topics such as the current and future states of land-based tribal and commercial casinos, integrating esports into gaming venues, tribal perspectives on iGaming and sports wagering, and the role of esports in tribal and other casinos.

Agua Caliente Casinos’ Rancho Mirage resort 

Notable speakers and panelists include Victor Rocha, Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association annual tradeshow and conference; Ken Rohman, Chief Marketing Officer at Wind Creek Hospitality; Sebastian Ross, Senior Policy Counsel at the Nevada Gaming Control Board; Seth Schorr, Chairman of the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas and CEO of Fifth Street Gaming; Sherine Ebadi, a former FBI special agent and Managing Director of forensic investigations and intelligence practice at Kroll; Mike Darley, CEO of Next Gaming; Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Director of the UNLV Blackfire Leadership Initiative and member of the Caesars Entertainment board of directors; Alex Igelman, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group; and Skilliz CEO Andrew Paradise.

Moreover, the conference will include a field trip to Agua Caliente Cathedral City on March 20, where attendees can participate in an esports tournament. The proximity of Agua Caliente's three properties, all within a 15-minute drive from each other, facilitates seamless access for participants.

Agua Caliente executives have actively engaged with the CEC in the past, with COO Saverio Scheri serving as a keynote speaker in 2022 when the event was hosted in Las Vegas. The casino's commitment to hosting esports tournaments is seen as a strategic approach to introducing Millennials to tribal casinos, fostering an evolving landscape in the realm of casino entertainment.

Ari Fox

In an exclusive interview in December, Ari Fox, CEO and Producer of CEC Live, shed light on the upcoming CEC event. "The CEC is being held only once in 2024. This event is and will be our yearly flagship conference that will have more of a Native American focus since we will be holding the conference at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California," he said.
 
"At this event, we will cover the reason(s) why California has not yet adopted online sports wagering and how Native America is embracing younger generations with inventive and creative ways, like holding Super Smash tournaments weekly and building a customer base that defies the casino executives' false pretense that younger people do not have disposable income."
 
"Like our hosts, Agua Caliente Casino, who are proudly taking the lead in forging forward toward skill-based options like Super Smash Brother tournaments, we will be discussing how other brick-and-mortar casinos can do the same."