SiGMA´s biggest event yet: 27,000 turn out for SiGMA Europe 2024

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.

Held on the eve of our 10 year anniversary celebrations, SiGMA´s Malta Week summit is undoubtedly our biggest yet and is the result of significant investment into the quality of the event – transforming 45,000 square metres into a hub of exhibition, conference, and networking in just three weeks. 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 unique festival vibe. 

The expo floor has seen a sizeable increase to its footprint due to an unprecedented amount of new exhibitors clamouring for a spot. To cater for this we introduced a fourth shed, which offered an additional 15,000 sqm of much needed 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: Exploring new frontiers in gaming

SiGMA Europe 2024 hosted a dynamic range of conferences covering critical 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 capitalising 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 highly attended workshops on the 11th offered an immersive learning experience ahead of the main event. The sessions were so popular that many attendees had to make do with standing room only. XGENIA, an AI-powered leader in game development, claimed victory in the SiGMA Europe Startup Pitch, while Silo Team, specialising in training and compliance, earned top honours 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: Recognising excellence in gaming

The first of two award ceremonies saw a spectacular turnout, welcoming just under 700 individuals from prestigious 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 perfect launchpad for a special announcement introducing our new destinations and dates for 2025: SiGMA Central Europe runs from the 23rd to 26th 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 SoftConstruct, a leading technology provider redefining the iGaming experience. The B2C auction, powered by VBET, saw “Ace Beyond Limits” by Veronika Bjurfjäll sell for €12,000 to Highbet, an established online sportsbook and casino operator.

Visits from government officials, sporting and diplomatic ambassadors

SiGMA Group founder Eman Pulis with H.E the President of Malta and CEO Emily Micallef.

H.E the President of Malta, Myriam Spiteri Debono, the Hon Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta, Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Hon. 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 exhilarating sports activities, including a fun run, golf and poker tournament, football match, and a boat cruise, creating an exciting atmosphere for participants to bond while promoting health and wellness. These activities set the tone for vibrant networking opportunities throughout the week.

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

And That’s a Wrap

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