The fourth day of the SBC Digital Summit turned to digital marketing and affiliates. It took a broad look at how their businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and what changes they expect in the future as the world adapts to the new normal.

Stuart Simms, Group CEO of XLMedia, delivered the keynote of the day. He emphasized the need for businesses to focus more on working healthy, than working smart. That means, rather than focusing on the traditional key points of strategy, marketing, finance, technology and sales, companies can do more by minimizing politics and removing confusion with better communication. As a result, he said organizations will see higher morale, higher productivity, and lower staff turnover. “We need to think more about people, and more about culture,” he said. “Healthy beats smart every day of the week.”

Next, Simms joined a panel discussing Affiliation in the time of COVID-19, moderated by Lasha Machavariani, Founder & CEO of Setanta Sports Media, with panelists Jonathan Edelshaim, General Manager of Natural Intelligence, Simon Pilkington, CEO of KaFe Rocks, and Ricardo Pinto, CMO of Clever Advertising Group.

When asked about how their respective companies are doing, Pinto said there’s been a lot of cutting at Clever Advertising, to make the machine as efficient as possible. Pilkington, on the other hand, noted that usually 60% of portfolio is sports, but there’s been a heavy to pivot to casino now. Fortunately, most of company was working from home already, so there wasn’t a need to move the business.

The Kentucky Derby is traditionally held the first Saturday in May – except for its June appearance in 1945 because of World War II – and is, by far, the biggest horseracing event in the world. The competition was seen for the first time in 1875 when Aristides took the first-ever title, and the Run for the Roses has continued to remain highly popular ever since. The current situation caused by the coronavirus has forced all sporting activity to have their schedules changed, and the Kentucky Derby was no exception. It is now tentatively planned for September, but those who don’t want to forego their May horseracing action will still have something to look forward to. A virtual Kentucky Derby will be held tomorrow, and Bodog has made sure it has the lines up for gambling fans.

The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown will be on NBC tomorrow from 3:00 to 6:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Run in conjunction with Inspired Entertainment, it features a virtual race of the 13 Triple Crown winners from the past century. NBC also has a special show it will air in conjunction with the race, American Pharoah’s Run to the Triple Crown, a documentary on the horse’s Derby win from 2015.

There have been plenty of high-profile horses to take the Crown over the years, but none stands out like Secretariat. The thoroughbred set records at all three races of the Triple Crown in 1973 and still holds the record for the Churchill Downs 1 ¼-mile race, as well as the record for the 1 ½-mile dirt race at Belmont. Secretariat would go on to become an iconic name in the U.S., finding his name on a postage stamp, over 200 streets, his own festival and a movie. ESPN has him listed as the 35th top North American athlete of the 20th century.

Tomorrow’s Triple Crown Showdown is described as a “computer-simulated version of a race at Churchill Downs Racetrack” by Inspired. The gaming company adds, “Historical information about these horses and their racing records has been utilized in the software, which helps to determine the probability of their potential finishing positions. This probability is based on their past form and performance in other races.”

Although the Philippines continues to have an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) order on Manila, the home of many Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators (POGOs), the country’s gambling regulator has decided it’s time to start loosening its own restrictions on the industry. On May 1, the Philippines Amusement and Gambling Corporation (PAGCOR) announced POGOs will be authorized to resume partial operations.

In a press release, PAGCOR noted that POGOs will be allowed to resume partial operations so long as they follow the ECQ guidelines. Chairwoman Andrea Domingo cited the revenues of POGOs as the reason for this sudden relaxation, as they will be instrumental to the government’s fight against COVID-19.

However, before a POGO can get back to work, the regulator outlined four steps they must take. First, update and settle their tax liabilities with the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Secondly, pay their outstanding PAGCOR fees. Third, remit their regulatory fees for April. Lastly, they “must pass the readiness to implement safety protocols.”

PAGCOR will expect additional safety protocols to be followed during the ECQ period. Only 30% of staff will be allowed to be in the office, shuttle services must be provided to employees, and all of the standard COVID-19 protections we’ve come to expect, including social distancing and temperature checks. Furthermore, those who have tested positive for COVID-19 may not return to work, as well as vulnerable employees, and all employees must be tested prior to returning to work.

iGaming Next Online

This three day conference not only looks to explore the new normal that we’ve all found ourselves in, having to depend on digital technology in ways we only previously imagined, but to also showcase just how far that technology has come.

Promising content that will be of interest to all levels of iGaming employees, iGaming Next promises the platform the content itself is delivered on will demonstrate how we’ve entered a new age of technology, and how we’re well equipped for the challenge before us.

What: iGaming Next Online

The Kentucky Derby is traditionally held the first Saturday in May – except for its June appearance in 1945 because of World War II – and is, by far, the biggest horseracing event in the world. The competition was seen for the first time in 1875 when Aristides took the first-ever title, and the Run for the Roses has continued to remain highly popular ever since. The current situation caused by the coronavirus has forced all sporting activity to have their schedules changed, and the Kentucky Derby was no exception. It is now tentatively planned for September, but those who don’t want to forego their May horseracing action will still have something to look forward to. A virtual Kentucky Derby will be held tomorrow, and the Bovada sportsbook has made sure it has the lines up for gambling fans.

The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown will be on NBC tomorrow from 3:00 to 6:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Run in conjunction with Inspired Entertainment, it features a virtual race of the 13 Triple Crown winners from the past century. NBC also has a special show it will air in conjunction with the race, American Pharoah’s Run to the Triple Crown, a documentary on the horse’s Derby win from 2015.

There have been plenty of high-profile horses to take the Crown over the years, but none stands out like Secretariat. The thoroughbred set records at all three races of the Triple Crown in 1973 and still holds the record for the Churchill Downs 1 ¼-mile race, as well as the record for the 1 ½-mile dirt race at Belmont. Secretariat would go on to become an iconic name in the US, finding his name on a postage stamp, over 200 streets, his own festival and a movie. ESPN has him listed as the 35th top North American athlete of the 20th century.

Tomorrow’s Triple Crown Showdown is described as a “computer-simulated version of a race at Churchill Downs Racetrack” by Inspired. The gaming company adds, “Historical information about these horses and their racing records has been utilized in the software, which helps to determine the probability of their potential finishing positions. This probability is based on their past form and performance in other races.”

It’s been a difficult couple of months for casinos around the world. Virtually all of them were forced by their respective regulators or governments to kick out patrons and lock their doors as part of a wider effort to contain the coronavirus, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. While much of the US gaming action remains on lockdown for anywhere from one week to another month, New Zealand casinos are getting a little help. The country is relieving some of the pressure on commercial entities and has reduced its COVID-19 threat level, which means that SkyCity Entertainment Group can start preparing for a relaunch of its gambling houses. The company hasn’t wasted any time getting ready, either.

Almost as soon as New Zealand lowered its official Threat Level from “Four” to “Three,” SkyCity pounced. A level three threat indicates that public venues must be remained closed and travel has to be limited as there is still a “heightened risk that the disease is not contained.” During the Level Four threat, everything in the country was shut down except for supermarkets, medical clinics and pharmacies. However, the casino operator announced (in pdf) that it is busy working behind the seasons, restarting a number of projects at its in-country properties this week.

While casinos still can’t begin to welcome gamblers, SkyCity will take advantage of this time to continue working on renovations of its premium gaming rooms, as well as the development of a new “Entertainment Zone” it had planed for SkyCity Auckland’s main gaming floor. SkyCity Hamilton will also show off some changes when it reopens, as the company is updating the main gaming floor and adding a new baccarat area.

The company adds in its announcement, “The New Zealand Government has indicated that New Zealand will remain at Alert Level 3 for at least two weeks and that an initial decision on whether to move to Alert Level 2 will be made on 11 May 2020. At Alert Level 2, SkyCity expects to re-open its New Zealand properties in a staged manner with reduced operating hours initially based on expected customer demand.”

Macau casinos really took it on the chin in April as gaming revenue slid nearly 97% year-on-year to a new record low.

Figures released Friday by Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) show the state’s casino operators generated combined revenue of just MOP754m (US$94.4m) in April, a stunning 96.8% decline from the same month last year, and barely one-sixth of the sum the casinos generated in March 2020.

Incredibly, Macau’s April total was barely one-quarter of February’s MOP3.1b, and that month saw all casinos closed for 15 days as the local government attempted to minimize further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

While the casinos eventually reopened with diminished gaming capacity, borders closed between Macau and some of its major feeder markets. Most damaging was a 14-day quarantine policy imposed in Guangdong, China’s closest and most populous province, from which Macau derives the bulk of its visitors.