Events

Last week, Instabill CEO Jason Field attended the ICE Totally Gaming 2012 Trade Show at Earls Court in London. He met with credit card processors and acquiring banks to connect with new partners in effort to expand the e-commerce merchant account options Instabill has to offer. Read about the show, who was in attendance, and some of the hottest topics discussed among attendees.

Returning home over the weekend, Instabill CEO Jason Field had a great time in London last week while attending the ICE Totally Gaming 2012 Trade Show. Field met with credit card processors and acquiring banks, caught up with some partners in the payments industry, and made some new friends. He mingled with exhibitors and enjoyed the atmosphere of the beautiful Earls Court.

The Exhibitors

Among the hundreds of exhibitors were:

• Skrill: The future of Moneybookers and an e-commerce payment processor
• WorldPay: Retail, e-commerce, and MOTO payment processor
• Barclaycard: Credit card issuer for more than 10 million customers in the United Kingdom
• Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority: Regulate all gaming activities in Malta
• International Gaming Technology (IGT): Developer and manufacturer for gaming machines, system products, and mobile gaming solutions
• Playtech Ltd: Gaming software developer for online games such as casinos, poker, and bingo

Field attended the ICE Totally Gaming Trade Show more than a decade ago while living in London. "What I found most interesting is that the Internet gaming section of the exhibition used to consist of one small corner. This year," he continues, "Internet gaming developers and software suppliers took up two entire floors."

With that type of growth, it's easy to see how mature this industry has become, which is why acquiring banks and payment processors were actively exhibiting at the show. Field met with both banks and processors, including WorldPay and Skrill, to connect and expand the e-commerce merchant account solutions Instabill offers.

Between seminars and friendly conversation, there wasn't a quiet moment to be had. This year, there was a balance between traditional casino, gambling, and gaming merchants and online casino, gambling, and gaming merchants--yet a lot of talk revolved around the Internet. Some hot topics discussed among ICE attendees included:

• Gambling on Facebook: Social gaming developer Zynga has expressed an interest in allowing players to gamble with real money, but they aren't the only ones. Last month, International Gaming Technology (IGT) agreed to pay $500 million for Double Down Interactive by the end of March. Double Down Interactive hosts the world's largest online virtual currency casino--including DoubleDown Casino, a free gaming app on Facebook.
• The Year of Mobile Gaming: With the growing popularity of smartphones, PC tablets, and portable media players, gaming industry enthusiasts predict that 2012 will be the year of mobile gaming. Blockbusters such as Angry Birds, Words with Friends, and Fruit Ninja set a precedent for games to come.
• Social Media to Boost Gaming Industry: Many ICE attendees believe that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter will help boost the online gaming industry. Players will use social media networking to see how much other players have won, ask about the best games to play, and read about the best websites to play games.
• Player Protection: With cyber attacks on the rise in 2012, one of the top concerns for the online gaming industry includes keeping players private data secure. PCI-compliant payment processing has also become a key factor in online gaming and gambling transactions. Among the trade show's attendees were safety authorities and reps offering online gambling licenses.

If you have an online gambling or gaming business, or are considering opening a merchant account, contact one of Instabill's expert merchant account specialists--we'll be happy to speak with you!