The 8th annual edition of Gaming, Racing & Wagering Australia (GRWA) is returning tomorrow- 14-16 of August, at the Novotel Darling Harbour in Sydney. This will be first-ever interactive pre-conference workshop, going beyond the basics, focusing on how to stage and market a successful eSports event. With bigger promises eSports is a new and exciting way to acquire and engage the new generation of consumers. It will be running concurrently with the Australian Gaming Expo at the new ICC Sydney which is being held across the street at the brand-spanking new International Convention Centre (ICC Sydney), offering representatives from both the casino and betting industries to rub shoulders and share ideas.

Topics for debate

Hot topics up for debate at the two-day GRWA summit besides esports, will be latest regulatory updates, plus news from key international markets, innovation, security, diversification strategies and much more.

Twenty-six speakers are scheduled to present their insights on a range of topics, with experts from the Queensland government, to the world of academia, to the Austrian eSports Association taking the stand. You can also expect speakers from UBS Analytics, cyber-crime prevention companies, various gaming media publications and mobile gaming app providers.

Organisers expect over 150 top executives, with delegates in attendance including gaming consultants; gaming and racing Operators; hotel, pub, and club operators; legal consultants; manufacturers and gaming suppliers; regulators and more.

The event kicks off with a pre-conference workshop Monday 14 August, which will focus on reaching millennial through the esports channel, covering everything from marketing strategies to tech requirements.

Record breaking exhibitors

Meanwhile, Gaming Technologies Association (GTA), organizers of AGE at the ICC, say they expect the trade show to be bigger than ever.

According Adrian Halpenny, chairman of GTA, 222 exhibitors had already signed up for the exhibition. That’s more than last year already, which was itself a record-breaking year, with 195 exhibitors and 6,813 visitors.

GTA is expecting another record year. They have had strong growth throughout the last two or three years and are expecting a huge uptake this year in terms of visitation. It’s going to be a milestone trade show for GTA because the show is moving to the new ICC, which is certainly a world-class facility.

There’s a lot of businesses getting done in the show and a lot of products that target specifically at the region get released. It has become another timely platform to start to release new products to the market.

A number of events occurred in the past year which has impacted the industry. You will get the latest updates on what is happening and what will happen and to network and gain insights from the leading land based gaming operators, marketing experts, sports betting operators, sports & racing bodies and key legislators from state and federal governments.

Also there will be a practical workshop for businesses to learn about how to diversify their operations through eSports and Mobile Gaming in order to acquire, maintain and engage new and existing customers.

Another very important aspect of the industry which is also to be discussed is the safety measures, which are supposed to protect both the players and the operators from different attacks.

The event is organized by Beacon Events of Hong Kong, which is also in charge of some more industry-dedicated events such as the Asian Gaming Summit (to be held in Taiwan 13-14 November) and the iGaming Asia Conference in 2018.