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All Of Malta’s Biggest Hotels Fully Booked Ahead Of Massive iGaming Conference

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The fourth edition of the Summit of iGaming Malta (SiGMA) is coming back to the islands next week, and it’s set to be the biggest edition of the show yet. With seven days to go and a predicted 8,000 people attending, all the major hotels in Malta – particularly those in the St. Julian’s area – are fully booked.

In a Facebook status shared this week, SiGMA Founder and CEO Eman Pulis explained how the Corinthia San Ġorġ, the Corinthia Marina, the Radisson, Hotel Valentina, and the Westin Hotel are all fully booked for the days of the conference, which will run between the 22nd and the 25th of November. 

Other big names, like the Hilton, are almost fully booked, with their website showing only a handful of rooms available (in some cases, only one). 

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SiGMA took off in 2014, and has been gradually growing year by year. Last year’s edition saw the number of delegates, exhibitors and conferences doubling from previous editions, cementing SiGMA as the largest iGaming show in Malta. And with some 300 gaming companies and a workforce of around 10,000 in a five mile radius on the island, it’s pretty easy to see why.

“This year, we’ve decided to move to MFCC, the largest venue on the island, and it’s still proving a tad too small,” Pulis told Lovin Malta. “With a whole week to go, we’re expecting all hotels in St. Julian’s to soon be fully booked.”

This year’s SiGMA will see over 8,000 people attend, half of which will be flying in from overseas. “This is why I can safely say we’ve been responsible for a couple of thousands new jobs on the island,” Pulis told Lovin Malta. “We’ve had CEOs of gaming companies flying in and visiting Malta for the first time, realising what a great ecosystem there is here, and deciding to relocate here a few months down the line.”

With over 300 exhibitors and 11 conferences, this year is set to be no exception.

Organising such a massive event and bringing together huge international businesses is quite the feat, but Eman has got his heart set on a much more grassroots level. 

“I’m a startup romantic, and that’s really reflected in my favourite part of SiGMA,” Eman told Lovin Malta. “Throughout the year, we fly to different shows all around the world, speak to startups and giving them an office space in Malta. It’s a simple, plug-and-play offer which is completely free of charge, but we also offer consultancy and introductions to investors. The response has been great, with over 100 startups – be they payment companies, blockchain businesses, whatever – coming over”

This love for startups culminates in SiGMA’s Startup Pitch, which was first introduced during last year’s edition. 

Put quite simply, the Startup Pitch emulates the popular reality TV show Dragon’s Den, bringing 10 startup companies in the iGaming industry (up from last year’s eight) face to face with a panel of investors. The investors between them are worth billions, so you can imagine what a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this is for the lucky 10 startup pitches. 

Also coming to SiGMA next week is an impromptu careers convention concept. 

As each and every show comes to its closing hours and the numbers dwindle down, SiGMA will be opening its doors for anyone who’s interested in the iGaming industry to walk in, free of charge, to check out what the industry has in store for them. 

It’s the perfect opportunity for anyone out there who’s heard of the iGaming industry’s now-legendary great working conditions and even greater salaries, essentially turning SiGMA into one massive jobs fair.

More information on this year’s SiGMA can be found on the official website and their Facebook page.

Tag someone who’s attending SiGMA 2017… and someone who needs to check it out!

READ NEXT: Things Everyone Working In iGaming In Malta Should Know

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).

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