iGaming Business announces first of several social gaming "Meetups"

LONDON -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Gambling-themed games are the most exciting segment in all of social gaming. iGaming Business, the leading publisher and conference organizer in its sector, has recognized this rising trend and has announced the date for the first of several iGaming Meetups. These events will aim to bring together social games developers and operators, social media experts, investors in the social gaming sector and of course the traditional iGaming community to network and share experiences.

While the concept of getting like-minded individuals to meet up to share ideas isn't new, the iGaming Business initiative is the first to get social gaming and Internet gambling to explore the opportunities which overlap, and as importantly, the boundaries between the two sectors.

“We've coined the term Social Gambling to describe gambling-themed games, played in a social media context, where the criteria of real gambling are not applied,” explains Michael Caselli, Editor in Chief for iGaming Business. “For instance, in Zynga Poker, you can purchase chips like in any arcade game, but there is no prize offered for the accumulation of those chips. In that way, the Zynga Poker game is essentially the same as playing Pac Man or Space Invaders, but instead of dodging ghosts or alien invasions, you are bluffing and chasing gutshots. Where the overlap exists is in the player experience and in the mechanics of the entertainment. The iGaming community can certainly teach the social games community more about that, while the social games community can educate the iGaming community on its areas of innovation such as leveling, leaderboards, social interaction and player-to-player competitiveness.”

The first networking event planned by iGaming Business will take place on July 17 in London. Presentations will include words from Raf Keustermans, CEO and Co-founder of Plumbee.com, on raising funds for a social games company, followed by Andy Rogers, social gaming expert and Managing Director of Enteraction, talking about the opportunities in this exciting market. This will be one of two meetups which will lead up to a full Social Gambling conference in November of this year.

The Meetup event is free to attend; however, space is limited so make sure you RSVP for the event here: http://www.meetup.com/Social-Gambling/events/71152582/